ROOFTOP GUARDRAILS INSTALLED IN NORTH YORK, ONTARIO

This food industry leader chose the collective protection of rooftop guardrails for the safety of its workers and subcontractor.

 

Rooftop guardrails are the #1 fall protection system of more and more industrial businesses of all sizes and industries. Why? Because they represent the simplest, more straightforward way to ensure that maintenance and visits on the roof are done safely. It’s no wonder why this food industry leader decided to install a complete safety perimeter on their North York location. Keep reading to learn more.

 

Rooftop Guardrails Are Simple to Deploy

While most fall protection systems on the market will require intensive engineering based on site specific data, like the building structure and roof composition, non-penetrating rooftop guardrails are systems pre-engineered by their manufacturer to ensure that they comply with the current standard when installed according to the guideline. The whole project is therefore simplified because if site conditions match the testing criteria of the systems, the compliance is almost automatic.

What’s more, non-penetrating rooftop guardrails are installed without any perforation of the roof membrane. This dramatically reduces the installation time, but also eliminates the need to have a roofer on site to properly seal the perforation. Also, eliminating perforation of the membrane prevents any water infiltration over time.

In the case of this rooftop guardrail installation in North York, Ontario two standard systems were used: the VSS Compact and the VSS Classic. Both systems are designed to meet or exceed the National building code of Canada and OSHA standard. When installed on a clean and flat roof surface, these two systems will create a complete safety perimeter along the leading edges that they follow.

 

Rooftop guardrails eliminate the need for PPE (and PPE management!)

Due to their collective and permanent nature, installing rooftop guardrails will reduce, and in some case completely eliminate, the need to use some PPEs like harnesses and lanyard while visiting the roof. For a large industrial business large this one in North York, Ontario, the impact can be massive. Not only do you reduce the need to purchase harnesses, you also eliminate the need to certify them yearly and to keep track of all this equipment in a registry. Additionally, every employee that will access the roof and use this equipment will need to be trained, again adding considerable cost and administrative burdens. Rooftop guardrails are meant to eliminate the risk of falling at the source, therefore reducing the safety nets usually required.

 

Rooftop guardrails are the only way to ensure the work will be done safely.

At the end of the day, offering top-notch harnesses, equally fancy SRL and a state-of-the-art horizontal lifeline system to your employees working at height does nothing to fight some natural human tendencies like laziness and incredulity towards falling hazards. Older employees citing their years of experience as their best ally, or younger hires trying to prove their worth to their peers will engage in dangerous behaviours, despite the organization’s best effort to offer safety systems, training, incentives and more.

At the end of the day, even if personal fall protection is accepted and employees are complying with it, a fall with rescue will still count as an accident in your OHS record, only with less severity. Choosing a collective fall protection system will prevent this and keep your track record clean.

 

If you want to learn more about rooftop guardrails in North York or any other region in Ontario, contact us and one of our representatives will be happy to reach out to perform and complete roof safety audit.