Guardrails, Handrails & Covers Guardrails, Handrails & Covers Company Harlan McPhee North McPhee South Powerhawke Ravex Richards Company Using the Form Job Name * Job Name and/or Number Date * Guardrails, Handrails & Covers No matter what type of construction work you're in you see guardrails, handrails and covers on a regular basis. All three are used to prevent us from failing into a hole, off the edge of a floor or down a stairway. Falls are a leading cause of injuries and deaths in the construction industry. Guardrails, handrails and covers are designed to reduce those statistics. A guardrail is used to protect a floor opening or open sided floor. They can be found around elevator shafts, pits, duct chases, platforms, rooftops, etc. Guardrails must be capable of withstanding, without failure, a force of at least 200 pounds applied in any outward or downward direction. A typical guardrail consists of a smooth surfaced top rail, made of 2" x 4" stock or constructed of wire rope, approximately 42" +/- 3” above the walking or working level, with a mid-rail constructed of either wood or wire rope, and a toe board of any substantial material that is a minimum of 4" high. The support posts must be located no more than 8' apart. A handrail is required on stairways that rise more than 30" or that have four or more risers. Never use a staircase until it has been fully constructed. Incomplete stairways (treads not poured or otherwise filled, handrails missing, etc) may seem like they are OK to use, but they are not. Find an alternate route. The General Contractor likely has set up alternate paths to the upper levels, although it may not be the shortest route. Contact your supervisor if there are any issues. Covers are another method used to protect us from falling into openings in floors, roofs, etc. They must be capable of supporting, without failure, twice the maximum intended load, be secured to prevent accidental displacement and marked it with 'hole' or 'cover' to provide a warning of the hazard. A cover located in a roadway or vehicular aisle must be capable of supporting at least twice the maximum axle load of the largest vehicle expected to cross over it. As with any safety device, take the time to inspect it before depending on it. Never lean on a guardrail unless you're sure it's strong enough to hold you. If you see any potential issues with a guardrail, make sure that you notify your supervisor. While other subcontractors may be responsible for installing the handrails, if you take a handrail down, to load material on a floor for example, you are responsible for putting it back up. Avoid floor hole covers; walk around them; the person who installed it may not have secured it properly. When removing a hole cover, don't step forward or backward into the hole! A number of construction workers have been injured and some even killed walking into a hole they just uncovered! Railings and covers are Lifesavers! Guard it or Cover it! The life you save may be your own! Additional Comments Foreman Name * Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Picture Upload Drop a file here or click to upload Choose File Maximum upload size: 52.43MB Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) reCAPTCHA Submit Δ
