Workplace safety should always be top of mind, and with the ASSP Safety Show in mind as well, now is an even better time to focus on safety solutions that help protect your people. Workplace safety issues can also be costly for your business. According to the National Safety Council, the total cost of workplace injuries in 2020 was more than $160 billion.
A significant amount of injury risk can be mitigated by using structures that meet or exceed OSHA guidelines for workplace safety. Structural solutions like Bedford ReadySeries and PROSeries materials help protect your business from losses due to injuries and lawsuits as well downtime caused by accidents.
Safety Must Be Planned
Workplace safety is no accident. It requires thoughtful planning and an understanding of how accidents occur. For instance, many people think that most workplace falls are from a height, but research by the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that a majority of falls occur on same-level walking surfaces.
Bedford uses such insights to engineer safety elements into ReadySeries modular components and PROSeries materials, including anti-slip surfaces, fire-retardant resins and integrated safety yellow coloring. Just as important, ReadySeries and PROSeries materials are made with fiberglass-reinforced polymer (FRP), which has a significant number of built-in safety features:
- FRP won’t crack or split in high heat or extreme cold, and it won’t buckle under heavy weight, so it’s the ideal workplace safety solution for a wide range of applications.
- Unlike steel, FRP won’t rust or corrode, so structures made with ReadySeries components won’t weaken and fail over time due to exposure to humidity or liquids.
- The oxide coating painted on metal in hope of slowing corrosion and to provide color often peels and cracks, increasing the risk of scrapes, tripping hazards and more, whereas the safety yellow coloring in FRP is ingrained, so no painting is needed.
- FRP is resistant to chemicals and saltwater, so you won’t have to worry about their corrosive effects weakening the structure or causing tripping hazards.
- Unlike metals, FRP is non-conductive, so if it comes in contact with electrical current, workers won’t receive a dangerous shock.
- Expansion and contraction of FRP is minimal, so joints won’t loosen and decay, maintaining structural integrity.
- The FRP in ReadySeries and PROSeries materials is impact resistant, protecting against tripping hazards caused by dents or gouges.
- Unlike wood, FRP doesn’t crack when dry or swell when wet, and it won’t attract insects that can weaken structures.
Constructing for Safety
Workplace safety continues to evolve, presenting safety professionals with challenges and opportunities. At the highest level, there are four primary categories of safety components for workplace structures: platforms, rails, stairs and ladders.
Fortunately, Bedford ReadySeries and PROSeries materials give you solutions for each one. Plus, the modular aspect of ReadySeries makes it ideal for quickly meeting design challenges for nearly any configuration. All meet strict OSHA guidelines and have the built-in safety features of FRP.
Platforms
Minimizing slip and trip hazards is essential for reducing workplace injuries in industrial and commercial settings. ReadyPlatform and PROGrid® grating are ideal for access platforms, walkways, mezzanines and catwalk applications because of their anti-slip, anti-skid surfaces. They’re available in a variety of sizes and capacities, so whether you need a simple walkway for people or heavy-duty grating that can support vehicles, you’re covered.
Rails
Guardrails and safety railing systems protect workers from falls that can cause serious injury. Handrails and grab rails prevent trips and falls by providing stability and support. ReadyRail modular guardrail and handrail solutions come in a range of standard lengths, so whether you need guardrails to cover a long distance or easily route around corners, handrails for a stair tower, or to simply replace a broken railing, you can get the exact configuration you need. For platforms, stairs and ladders — anywhere a walking surface is raised or is adjacent to a dangerous area — a guardrail is a must for worker safety.
Stairs
Workers old and young slip on stairs. You can greatly increase safety with the anti-slip treads of ReadyStair pre-engineered stairs and stair towers. They come in a variety of sizes, have the strength to meet load-carrying conditions and work with ReadyPlatform and ReadyRail components to form a complete stair system prioritized for safety. You can also improve existing stairs by replacing stair treads, adding stair tread covers or replacing a handrail.
Ladders
Access ladders are notoriously dangerous, so any steps you can take to improve safety are important, including walk-through attachments. For fixed-ladder applications from high roof access to short climbs, ReadyLadder modular access ladder systems give you a long-lasting solution. They won’t rust and weaken, and the anti-slip rung surfaces enhance protection. Combined with ReadyRail components, they offer an outstanding ladder system for workplace safety.
Bringing it all Together
The modular aspect of ReadySeries materials makes them ideal for installing your safety solution. All components work together for limitless configurations. Because they’re stocked in a variety of sizes, you can get the exact fit you need without waiting for a custom build. Just bolt them together with ordinary tools for easy onsite installation — no special tools, equipment or specialized labor needed.
Even more, a safety solution should exceed the sum of its parts, and that’s what you’ll get with ReadySeries. All components and combinations adhere to OSHA guidelines for design and installation, and the ReadySeries team will work with you to determine the best systems for your needs. Our team stays up to date on evolving OSHA regulations so that our materials and systems are up to code. We want to protect your people and your business — that’s the true win-win for worker safety.
Reach out with questions, request a quote or call 814-623-8125 to discuss your safety need.