OSHA Fall Protection National Emphasis Program: Safety Gates for Compliance

Did you know that OSHA created a National Emphasis Program to prevent falls, which are the leading case of fatalities in the workplace? This program was put into place last year, and will continue to be of focus for the next couple of years. If you haven’t done a facility safety audit recently, it may be time to do so to ensure the facility meets OSHA fall protection regulations.

The goal of the NEP is to “significantly reduce or eliminate unprotected worker exposures to fall-related hazards in all industries that can result in serious injuries and deaths. While much of the inspections will be conducted in the construction industry because that is where the most employee fall fatalities happen, it does not not rule out investigating material handling, warehousing or manufacturing facilities.

How Can You Be Sure Your Facility Complies with OSHA Fall Protection Regulations?

Check all elevated work platforms of four (4) feet or higher. Take a close look at pallet drop areas and production platforms; take note of any that include doors, as that is an often overlooked area.

Fall protection around pallet drop areas and on production platforms can be achieved without impacting production or workflow. Using dual-gate safety systems ensures that the ledge is protected at all times, even during the loading and unloading of pallets or material. When the ledge gate is open, the rear gate is closed, blocking the worker from accessing the ledge. When the ledge gate closes, the employee has access to the material with the barrier at the ledge. Safety gates can also be configured with power operation, in a Total Control Access (TCA) design that ensures one gate is fully closed before the other gate opens.

Don’t forget to look at pallet flow lanes. While employees are not to walk out on the lanes, it happens. Safety gates for flow lanes can be configured in a number of ways; we can help determine the best model for your application.

Check elevated work areas in loading docks. Take a close look at the way employees use the lifts in the dock area, and note if fall protection is needed on lifts or the loading dock itself.

Fall protection on loading dock lifts - especially pit mounted dock lifts and scissor lifts, often require safety gates that automatically close and lock into place as the lift rises, and stay locked until it’s aligned with the dock or on ground level. Loading docks also need to have a fall protection barrier in place to keep employees from the open ledge. Safety gates for loading docks can be configured to automatically close and lock into place as the truck drives away, creating fall protection without relying on employees to remember to move it back into place.

Don’t skip over the unique areas. Look at every elevated work platform to determine how it’s used, and if fall protection devices don’t seem to fit, get a custom engineered solution.

Once you have completed your facility safety audit, we’re here to help you with your pallet drop gate needs. We have safety gate designs for elevated platforms, lifts and loading docks, and our team has created hundreds of custom engineered fall protection solutions.