You have decided that a guardrail is a viable solution to whatever problem you're facing right now. So, you do what everyone does when they need something. You Google it. Then you find out that there are so many options available to you. Steel. Aluminum. Welded. Non-penetrating. Chain-link. The options go on. With all of this in front of you, how do you make the right choice?
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You're in the right place. We'll go over five things that you should consider while you make this decision. This is not an exhaustive list. These are the most common factors that I have seen in the past 9 years. They are:
It's a simple question, but an important one. There are a few factors that will change the type of guardrail that you need.
If you need the guardrail for protection, then you need to make sure that the guardrail meets the standards local to you, like OSHA or Ontario Building Code. The type of protection that you need would also change the guardrail you want. I would use a 1-1/2" pipe-style guardrail for fall protection. However, I would want a more robust barrier system if I were trying to protect people from forklift traffic. If you need it to act as a more robust warning line, then the requirements are easier to manage.
Then you need to consider if the guardrail is going to be temporary or permanent. It's important to note that temporary and non-penetrating are not synonymous when it comes to guardrails. More on this later. If you plan on taking the guardrail down when the work is done, then you want to focus on temporary guardrails like a parapet clamp guardrail or this non-penetrating temporary guardrail. If you want the guardrail to remain in place so that the working or walking surface is always protected, then you want a system designed to remain in place. A parapet railing is designed to mount to an available parapet wall.
The most common location that we see is a rooftop. Other potential locations include a mezzanine, a dock, or inside a warehouse. Each of these locations has its own set of considerations that would change the guardrail that you choose. Let's review the most common location that I mentioned.
The material of your roof will influence whether you want to mount a guardrail or just set something on top of it. This is where that non-penetrating term that I mentioned earlier comes back. A non-penetrating guardrail is designed to remain in place without needing to attach to the structure of the building. The KeeGuard Rooftop Guardrail is a perfect example of this. If you have a roof warranty, you don't want to lose it by poking holes in the roof. If you don't have a roof warranty, then you don't want to exasperate potential roof leaks by poking holes in the roof.
Weather plays a role in the system that you choose. Snow and heavy rain will eat at the material if you don't choose carefully. If you live in a windy area, then you'll want to make sure that any system is designed to meet your local requirements. Make sure that you take this into account so that you don't have a guardrail flying off your roof and damaging equipment or, more importantly, putting lives at risk.
You may think this is a silly question, but I see the answer to this ignored more often than you realize. Think back on a time that you bought something that was much cheaper than a name-brand counterpart that is known for longevity. It works for a bit, and you think of all the suckers that spent the extra money. Then it breaks in a month. So, you buy a different knock off thinking that it will be better this time. It's not. Eventually, you spend more than you would have to buy the correct item and use it for significantly less time. This doesn't include all the aggravation of waiting for the new item after all the time spent trying to fix the first one(s).Guardrail is not immune to this problem. Some options are considered temporary and get used for permanent solutions just because they are cheaper. Those savings come at a cost. Powder-coated steel is not going to last as long as galvanized steel, and you will find yourself having to replace the railing sooner than you expect. Welding has pros and cons as well. The weld points will be an area of accelerated corrosion despite galvanization.
If you only need it for a year or two, then buying a lower-quality option may make sense. However, if you want something that is going to protect people long after you've left the company, then you need to stop and ask yourself if the option you're considering will do just that.
Don't forget that capital depreciation (how many years the system will retain value - often before needing to be replaced) is something that your budget planners will be thinking of as well. You should too if you want a better chance of getting your projects approved.
I have found a lack of understanding most often in this area. It's easy to think that OSHA (in the USA) is the only code that applies, which makes sense. It's talked about a lot and sets the minimum standard for safety that employers are required to provide. So, what else could there be?
Local building codes will have their own requirements. This will depend on the location of mechanical units and roof hatches, as an example. Also, who is gaining access to the roof will affect the strength requirements and design of the guardrail. For instance, if you have the public gaining access to your roof, then you need to provide a guardrail in which a sphere of 4" cannot pass through at any point.
I worked with a solar installer who needed to have 5' of open clearance all the way around the solar array in order to comply with the fire code. So, whether it's Ontario Building Code in Canada or the Cal OSHA in California, make sure you've taken the time to understand what codes are going to apply to your project.
"But, Mr. Safety Professional, why does the look of guardrail matter if safety is the only important thing?" I'm glad you asked! It is important to make sure that the guardrail you choose is appropriate to your location and maintains the correct safety parameters. However, compliance is not the only element to an appropriate solution.
Branding is important to the success of a company. If you have a professional building with glass windows and a bright yellow eyesore of a guardrail on the roof, then you tend to send mixed signals on what's important to you. Often the color of the guardrail will set the tone of the environment. For instance, yellow is often connected to construction and it can give off that feel to visitors at your facility. The industrial look has become more popular over the years, making a galvanized finish more appealing.
Color isn't the only aesthetic. Do you like the welded look? Welding comes with its own pros and cons, and you'll have to consider that when choosing. A lot of construction rails are sold in panels, which will have gaps and show a less cohesive system. Maybe you like that. Or maybe you prefer to have a guardrail that looks like one solid and continuous piece.
Aesthetics isn't just about making things pretty, though. You may want that bright yellow finish on the roof because you want to make sure that the guardrail is visible from far away. The continuous look of a guardrail could be used to dissuade a contractor from trying to take it apart.
Whatever the reasons, make sure that you consider this as you make your choice.
Choosing the right guardrail can be more involved than the project may initially expect. Now you know some of the important things to consider as you pursue a safe and healthy work environment.
Need help? We have a team of professionals that can help you sort through each of these questions to find the right solution for you.
I found this modern pic of a bridge with guard rails,
but don't know how they should be placed on my 50's bridge.
how they should be placed on my 50's bridge?
Hi Dee, The s era bridge rails I recall seem to have been a bit closer to the running rails ( but not as close as turnout guard rails are) than that photo but it might just be local practice. You might be able to find some 50s era CN bridge photos and see if the guard rails are visible. ...DaveB
Short answer
HI Dee,
My short answer in that if your bridge/guard rails are between the running rails then
I just checked one of our local (Australian) standards - It gives the distance between the inside rail face of the running rail and the rail face of the guard rail as 380 mm or about 3 to 4 mm between the railheads for HO model track.
Do a quick check of the thickness on a couple of your model wheels. The gap should be wide enough to allow your model wheels to fall into the gap and become trapped between the running rails and the bridge guard rail, thus preventing the other side of the derailed vehicle from wiping out your bridge.
You are off to a great start with your bridge, keep up the good work,
Not to hijack this thread...
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...but HOW or WHAT IS the best way to glue that guard rail, keeping proper spacing, and not ending up with a huge mess. I have made several attempts gluing the guard rails and I ruined 6 pieces of that Micro Engineering flex track. Although it's a great deal more expensive, I am thinking of just buying the sections of bridge track from Walthers, but then all my bridges would have to be straight.
Thanks for indulging me.
Ken L
making bridge guard rail
An alternative to glue that might work better would be to spike down the middle rails, if what's underneath them can accept spikes.
For myself, I'd do the whole thing the fast-tracks way with soldered PCB ties every inch or so. I'd do all the soldering at the work bench to make a bridge-length section of track with 4 rails and spaced out PCB ties, then lay wooden ties on the bridge in between where the pcb ties will go and the rails and pcb ties on top. This would enable a really nice look with the bridge ties spaced together closer than the non-bridge ties or different-sized bridge ties if either of those are prototypical for your era.
I'd build the bridge track straight, and then 'flex' it when laying it down.
You can get a 'straight track' fixture from fast tracks, but it's probably not that helpful, as their stock straight one won't have slots for the guard rails. So if you had the fixture, you could only solder 2 rails, then you'd have to solder the guard rails in between, which is going to be harder than working far side to near side.
Guardrail
The purpose of the guardrail is to keep the wheels from running off the ends of the ties or getting into the structure.
Put a wheel set on the track with one flange on near the end of the tie. The other flange is where the guardrail should go (or actually that's the furthest from the running rail, it can go closer).
With the ballasted deck bridge, the object is to keep the wheel from running off the edge of the ballasted deck, since that's wider than the ties, the guard rails can be further from the running rail.
Guard Rails
It's been my observation that if a derailed car can hit the bridge girder or truss of a bridge, yes. If it can't no. Railroads don't seem to care if a car can derail off a bridge just as long as there is no potential damage to the bridge its self.
So for your bridge you need guardrails.
Matt, Very informative. I was
Matt,
Very informative.
I was just winging it, and now I have a good idea.
My rails about 14 inches inward from the rail and the extended guard rails are only 25 feet beyond the edge of the bridge. None of it has been glued down and I have more code 55 rail.
I'm guessing the extended rail is that way because it is the average length of a freight car?
I have seen some prototypes with shorter extended guard rail, but are modern scenes.
Here I am again!...
Get ready to laugh at me. Why not use DAP Alex caulk to "glue" the guard rails in place? Since I used it to glue the track to the roadbed, both plastic, and there's no damage to PECO ties. Unless ME has some "other" plastic. Or whatever track is used. I've gotten used to using that caulk for several places. It may not be permanent, but does hold sufficiently. My track and roadbed have been in use long enough to assure me, so I have to assume that gluing guard rails would be no problem. The other thought from me is that as you know, I am not in favor of permanence. I like to be ready to change things or repair them or move them around. ?? I might add, using caulk is a lot less messy than any glue. Especially Gorilla. I find that stuff a little "iffy" when I use it. For one thing, you have to hold the items very steady for a long time before Gorilla sets. And IMHO this caulk is cheap enough to satisfy this old frugal 82 yr old getting to 83/around the corner.
@Morgan,Holy mackerel!
@Morgan,
Holy mackerel! You're old enough to remember steam locos and bobby socks.
I am going to experiment with various adhesives on a piece of track. Peco code 70 is on this module.
I am using ME code 55 for the guard rails.
@Brian,
I recall that thread and posted a pic on it. I'll check out the link to see what is new.
That sounds like...
ME rail on PECO plastic ties. The caulk should work just fine. I know you probably still have some DAP Alex still around. Try it! And what I said about it would be ideal. If that don't look right, you will be able to pry it up and relay and re-caulk. With no damage to either the rail or the ties. And when you are finally sure everything is just right, you can leave it alone. The caulk will hold those rails for a long time.
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