United we Stand or United we Fall

It's quite remarkable to have conversations with sub-contractors today, about how some GC's provide limited leading edge fall protection for the subs. Where the sub-contractors are having to take matters into their own hands just to protect it's self and it's workers...

Sounds like dé·jà vu.

Here is the Big Problem:

Most pre-fabricated temporary guardrails are poorly engineered by someone that had a good idea and perhaps was never an end-user. Many of today's systems require assembly and are sold à la carte... Such systems fail to be effective if any parts get misplace or installed improperly. Many other systems are made of light weight materials thus making them extremely affordable but limited in capability. Some aren't specific enough. They lack a step or instructions such as minimal distance; Some assume that you are a craftsman and there for you are an expert and will be able to figure them out.; Others may arrive with very complex set of instructions and require special tools to assemble. Others can be adjustable but to whom's standards? When a simple guardrail system arrives with a complex set of instructions it should be a BIG RED FLAG. It's a temporary guardrail people... not a Seismic Structure.

SAPS are engineered surface thread mount onto a prembed anchor and are welded internally to prevent any tampering; The protruding coil rod can not and should not be modify. The New SAP42DF is our first temporary guardrail engineered for zero pre-embedment of any anchor.

Respect the KISS: Keep it simple stupid

I will for ever be grateful to an industry that has given and taught me so much. From the people that instilled attention to detail to those that offered to teach me the tricks of the trade when they could have chosen someone else. And all those who have shared my vision and shared their personal life experiences, despite adversity. To those how have share personal tragedy and are scarred for life for incidents that were beyond their control.

From the beginning of my journey, it was an uphill challenge trying to convince others to fall in rank and highlight the dangers of working on the leading edge for the end-user. Much of the same theme continues to go unchanged today, as many still fear being blackballed for speaking up. The evidence is insurmountable as fatal falls continue to be the number one leading cause for fatal accidents today. Failure to heed warning signs is reason enough for the safety culture failure in many projects today. There is a clear reason why posters are mandatory to be placed on conspicuous locations to list worker protection rights. And yet workers do not participate in the process for fear of being seen walking from their work site to the Safety Board in front of the office for additional information and support.

Becoming a public figure in the safety guardrail industry continues to be the most rewarding aspect of my journey. Today I'm not the only one that highlights such a problem. And is no longer just the enduser sharing their working conditions. It's the General Superintendent that stops at our booth at the trade shows and opens up... Sharing their nightmare and the aftermath of the particular day and particular project where a Fatal Accident occurred on their watch. It's their body language and tone in their voice that tell the story. Post traumatic effects left behind from an accident.... with questions of "what could they have done different". It's a transparent agony that hunts them. Them (individuals whom I will never reveal there identity) re-caping everything as if I was some jury to justify all of their efforts... The stories are breathtaking and full of clues of what is missing in the safety guardrail space today.

Listening to the Industry is not just a job for me the manufacture, it's also the job for decision makers on boards that must adhere to the experts and people in the field... The same who can allocate Safety Dollars to modernize from the old system. The guardrail systems of yesteryear are no match for today's Safety Standards. The use of Post Tension Cables tendons in Structures today are crucial elements and mustn't be disturbed nor compromised... It is why we introduced Surface Thread Mount Anywhere application with our SAPS system. Where pre-embedment of anchors that match the slab thickness will never compromise the structural elements while providing a higher level of safety for the worker. Yes it is an investment, but protecting the most valuable assets ( the Company's workers) of any company are also vital. Without the assets there is no value, there is no company.

When a trades person tells you that they've decided to retire early because the working conditions have not improve in the region; That is huge problem for all of the contractors in the area who share the pool of talent of workers that tend to work for the same outfits throughout the season. The industry will hemorrhage from the severe blow, as the veteran talent ejects taking all of the skill that will never be passed down to younger generations of workers. Now the further weaken construction industry must scramble for new talent and when it finds it will be raw; Until the new blood becomes season to the company's way of doing business. The lessons are painful and the price to do business will be high for an industry that struggles to attract workers. On the upside for the industry, there are many solid companies that invest into their workers, thus making the worker a defender of the company. We've also met such people at the same International Trade Shows, where companies reward their workers by sending them to these events for additional training and to find and purchase new technology to grow the company and stay competitive with help from innovation.

The industry will continue to dictate for what is needed like that of the Metal Decking Industry. Such systems must be comparable to Q-decking, where the contractor can install a guardrail to protect the enduser with other than angle iron and wire rope. The Structural Steel industry wastes millions of pounds of steel, when an angle iron post is cutoff from single life use. And if not recycled properly it creates a bigger carbon print on the industry. Again pre embedding an anchor on the Q-deck will eliminate all chipping and burning of angle iron. Now a guardrail post of surface thread mount can be use, removed and reinstall with ease. Pairing SAP42D with a Thin Slab Metal Deck Anchor will simplify work activity at the roof level, and podiums. Such application is suitable for when roofing and/or waterproofing requires perimeter edge protection and a dedicated point of tie-off. Especially if there aren't any columns and parapet walls are low. The goal was to engineer and embed an anchor with female threads. Thus eliminating all the chipping of concrete at the base of the post and to do away with torching of all angle iron. Such system will reduce cost by doing away with fire permits needed to burn off the angle iron posts below finish grade and most of all make the perimeter post reusable. The solution was to develop a reusable post, with a dedicated point of tie-off, where the end-user can safely remove all of the posts by simply attaching his/her LE-SRL ( Leading -Edge Self Retracting Line) to the 5000lbs. D-ring on the SAP42D post behind, in a leap frog manner. Such anchor has also been engineered for an inverted application for an overhead point of tie-off... where the D-ring is threaded and torqued then removed and reused.

A relentless competitive industry also demanded a Guardrail system engineered for the Demolition Contractor... SAP42DF exists today. And is of surface thread mount... Once mounted onto the structure it uses the structure as a counter weight against the intended load. We as an industry are constantly demolishing and rebuilding our infrastructure. Such industry demands an engineered system where the end-user can install without failure a guardrail system. For all existing structures; Engineered with a dedicated point of tie-off... Such application is needed to protect all workers for when expanding onto bridges, when adding a wing to a hospital, when expanding or adding to a parking garage and or at any phase of any project. Systems like Slab Grabber do have a place in the construction industry, but can also be problematic as they only provide perimeter protection. The misconception that a worker can install such device just by walking out there is a flaw and widow maker, an accident waiting to happen. A written plan must be drafted and approved on how to get to the leading edge, while maintaining 100% tie-off at all times... a dedicated point of tie-off engineered to safely support 5000lbs. must be approved, review at time of use and signed by all in use. Slab Grabber is NOT ENGINEERED For TIE OFF... A JHA (Job Hazard Analysis) by all that will need access beyond the guardrail. Such JHA also must also apply for the removal as the precarious leading edge remains. It is often here that it becomes problematic for many contractors. No one likes to due the training nor the paperwork applicable for such practices. And there is more... Perhaps there are no columns near by to tie-off to. Perhaps the engineer did not approve slab penetration.

Listening to the industry has made us more aware of other dangers that exist in the construction guardrail space. But has also rewarded us with partnerships in multiple States from HI to NJ and Canada. At first many in industry said that we had over build our system. From our engineering to our choice of materials for our anchors that we continue to innovate. There is no doubt that all safety perimeter manufacturers are developing equipment to help meet the needs of the contractor. However we all present our version based on experience, proprietary status, and often target just a certain sector. Make no mistake falls continue to be the leading cause of fatal accidents in construction. There is no way around to install any perimeter equipment with out first allocating a dedicated or engineered point of tie-off that can safely support the end -user.

United we Stand or United we Fall if we continue to not heed the warnings... We manufacturer and contractor must strive to protect all workers in a combined effort. The guide lines are very clear for the manufacturer and the contractor from how to engineer the guardrail systems and how to work safely on leading edge.

When considering integrating systems always consult the manufacture and refer to the language provided by the manufacture, modifying an engineer system by you does not make it an engineered system. We are often ask if our guardrails can be use with panels that the contractor already owns? The short answer is no. We do not engineer nor do we test against other manufactures equipment. If you need a paneling system consider these: A paneling system must be able to withstand basic wind speeds; The tighter the mesh the more it will behave like a sail.

1926.502(c)(7)The maximum size of each safety net mesh opening shall not exceed 36 square inches (230 cm) nor be longer than 6 inches (15 cm) on any side, and the opening, measured center-to-center of mesh ropes or webbing, shall not be longer than 6 inches (15 cm). All mesh crossings shall be secured to prevent enlargement of the mesh opening.

SAPs Fixed Panel Barrier System are of 2 inches on any direction and wire mesh. 6 inch openings are ineffective to reduce debris containment. Add the element that it must be able to support a minim of 200lbs in any direction. Designing such paneling system will also demands suitable anchor engineered to support all of the described elements without failure. And it must be ergonomically effective, cost effective and have a long life.

So yes, not all systems have the same capabilities nor are they engineered to such high standards. In deed you do get what you pay for.

There has been much down time with this Covid-19 Pandemic to reflect, review and reevaluate what is important to survive as humans. We are starting to understand much of how to move forward, but we mustn't loose focus on the a problem that was here before the Pandemic. The precarious Leading Edge.

Safety Anchor Post is a Registered Trade Mark, Patented System, USA Manufacture, Product made in CA.

Once the form system is jumped to the next level, the floors below are prepped with the minimal often most economical, guardrail protection and limited if any dedicated point-off tie-off for the the other Tradesmen we hear of the same form many States and other Countries. So, We have listen to the industry and have engineered our system to fit the industry, such PT Cable Safe, Specific design for existing structures, and engineered an anchor for Q-decking. There is a reason why other companies don't install dedicated 5000lbs. point of tie-off on any of their system.