At the most basic level, you are legally obliged to provide your employees with a safe work environment. That means you need to mitigate any potential hazards inside and outside the facility, so your workers aren’t exposed to unnecessary risks. One of the safety areas that you need to pay particular attention to is providing quality and OSHA compliant fall protection. In addition to guardrails and other fall safety systems, metal swing gates may be required to provide OSHA compliant fall safety protection for your workers. Areas like loading docks, entrances to elevated work surfaces, restricted areas where heavy or dangerous equipment is present, and anywhere you want to control traffic flow are good places for a high-quality safety gate.
Why Metal Is the Preferred Safety Gate Material
When you decide to install an indoor safety gate for fall safety protection, you’ll have several materials to choose from including polyurethane and plastics. But, the most popular materials for metal gates are metals like aluminum, galvanized steel, stainless steel, or carbon steel. Some of the reasons that these gates are used in so many facilities include:
- Superb Strength — Metal safety gates are strong enough to meet, or even exceed, OSHA standards. In fact, most metal gates are able to withstand substantially more than the 200 lbs of force OSHA requires for safety gates to be compliant.
- Durability — Metals are among the most durable substances known to man and that makes them ideal for indoor and outdoor use. Metals like aluminum are rust resistant and galvanized steel and other steels are often coated to minimize corrosion.
- Versatility — Steel or aluminum fall protection gates can be used in a variety of different scenarios, both inside and outside your facility. Whether you’re looking for access gates for mezzanines and other elevated surfaces or a gate to limit access to restricted portions of your facility, metal is always a good choice.
- Customizable — Whether you opt for galvanized steel, carbon steel, stainless steel, or aluminum, you’ll be able to customize the finish of your metal gates. Choose from powder-coating, enamels, and paints in high-contrast safety yellow to stand out, or another color to coordinate with your facility.
- Low Maintenance — Metals are extremely easy to maintain, which makes them an ideal material for industrial facility safety gates. Maintenance of metal gates usually only entails regular inspections and occasional refinishing in order to maintain a protective barrier for the metal.
What’s the Best Metal for an Indoor Safety Gate?
That really depends upon your application. OSHA doesn’t specify what type of metal must be used for fall safety protection, so you’ll have to decide what’s best. Some metals are better suited for certain applications than others. For example, stainless steel is the preferred metal for fall protection gates in facilities that produce food, beverages, and medical supplies due to its resistance to bacteria. If there is a high risk of electric shock in your facility, you may want to avoid steel safety gates as they’re highly conductive. The material you choose should be based upon what you do in your facility, the indoor environment, and what suits your budget.
What’s the Best Finish for a Metal Swing Gate?
As with the metal your swing gates are made of, the finish you choose is entirely up to you. You may decide that the shiny metal surface is perfect for your application. You don’t have to settle for boring metallic colors though, swing gates can be finished in a huge variety of colors. Choose from the following finishes:
- Powder Coating — Provides exceptional durability and resistance against UV rays and corrosion. Powder coated finishes can be flat, matte, glossy, smooth, or even textured. Powder coating can be used on a variety of metals including steel, stainless steel, and aluminum.
- Polished Metal Finish — If you prefer the look of shiny metal to paint, a good option would be polished stainless steel. If you’d rather have a little less shine, but still want the industrial look and feel of raw metal surfaces, choose a brushed finish.
- Enamels — Baked enamel is often used to coat aluminum swing gates. It’s an extremely durable finish that provides a sleek, smooth surface that requires little in the way of maintenance. One of the advantages of enamel finishes is that they provide corrosion protection for the metal beneath.
When Are Metal Swing Gates Necessary?
While there is no regulation requiring you to specifically use gates constructed from metal in your facility for fall safety protection, that doesn’t mean you don’t need them. In fact, there are several areas within your facility that a metal indoor safety gate is the ideal choice for protecting employees from falls. Keep in mind that certain areas may require a specialized gate. For example, a gate that swings upward, rather than outward may be a better choice for a mezzanine or other elevated surface. A few of the areas that you may want to consider adding a metal swing gate include:
- Mezzanines and Elevated Surfaces — A guardrail surrounding a mezzanine or other elevated work surface helps keep workers from falling. However, you can’t surround the entire space with a railing without also providing access. Metal swing gates are ideal for these situations.
- Sensitive/Restricted Access Points — Preventing unauthorized access to sensitive or particularly dangerous areas is a must in your facility. With a metal swing gate installed, you can limit the number of people who access an area, improving safety and security.
- Loading Docks — A busy loading dock is a good thing, but it’s also a potentially dangerous place. Trucks backing up, workers loading and unloading materials and supplies, pedestrian traffic, and other hazards are always present. Fall protection gates made of durable metal restrict access and improve loading dock safety.
- Machinery/Equipment Access — Your machinery and equipment has the potential to be extremely dangerous if precautions aren’t taken. What’s more, it’s also very expensive, and you can’t afford for it to be damaged. Restricting access with a safety gate not only protects the equipment, it also protects workers from potential injury.
Learn More About the Benefits of Metal Swing Gates
If you’re still on the fence about whether your facility would benefit from the installation of metal fall protection gates, contact the fall protection specialists at Fabenco for more information. We’re fall protection experts, and we know how important it is for you to make sure your facility is safe and OSHA compliant, and we’re here to help you make this critical decision for your facility and your employees.
