PROTECTING
PEOPLE,
EQUIPMENT
AND BUILDINGS



INNOVATING INDUSTRIAL GUARD SYSTEMS FOR OVER 30 YEARS.

Omega offers safety barriers designed to protect people, machinery, building walls, shelving, racks, doors, finished product and more. With a global dealer network, Omega products are used by leading companies, government agencies and institutions throughout the world.

Omega Industrial Safety can help you:

  • Create a safer workplace
  • Reduce employee injuries and improve productivity
  • Prevent accidents and damage caused by moving forklifts
  • Protect your most valuable assets – people and equipment – with products that are proven in-the-field

SAFETY BARRIER & GUARD RAIL SYSTEMS FOR ANY APPLICATION

Pedestrian Barriers

Pedestrian barrier systems with controlled access points are essential for safeguarding personnel from industrial accidents. Properly applied handrail and safety gates reduce the risk of collisions, injury and liability.

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INDUSTRIAL SAFETY BARRIERS

Industrial Safety Barriers can absorb the impact of a forklift or other heavy machinery mitigating risks of operator error. The barriers play an integral role in preventing property damage and ensuring the safety of everyone on site.

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ENGINEERED SYSTEMS

An engineered system, including stairs and mezzanines, provides safe access to elevated work areas in your facility. Omega systems are designed by industry experts to meet OSHA standards and can be customized to fit your specific needs.

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COMPLETE PROTECTION FOR YOUR WORKERS AND FACILITY

FROM OUR CUSTOMERS

INDUSTRIAL SAFETY NEWS

The Fundamental Principles of Pedestrian Safety

In industrial work zones, workers are not the only ones at risk of getting hurt; pedestrians passing through the area are also subject to the inherent dangers of worksites. But why do pedestrians have access to work zones if they are so dangerous? There are several reasons — one of the most important beings that it is actually the law. The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), published by the Federal Highway Administration under 23 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 655, Subpart F, states that if a work zone affects pedestrians, then the overseeing company must provide adequate pedestrian access and walkways. The American Disabilities Act of 1990 also requires that pedestrians with mental or physical disabilities have adequate accommodation in work areas that impact their travel.
Another important factor is that work zones are often set up in places where pedestrian traffic is unavoidable, such as sidewalks, building entrances, or bus terminals; preventing access in these circumstances simply isn’t an option. Plus, restricting pedestrian access can seriously affect businesses near the work zone, limiting the number of patrons that can enter a store, restaurant, or office. And depending on the length of the construction, a lost business could result in significant financial setbacks for these companies.
And with the high number of pedestrian deaths that occur every year, implementing efficient pedestrian safety measures is imperative for protecting the public. For example, in 2007 alone, 4,654 pedestrians died in traffic crashes, accounting for 11% of all traffic deaths. And from 2002 to 2006, about 15% of fatalities resulting from crashes in work zones were non-motorists — including pedestrians, workers, and bicyclists.

Key Pedestrian Safety Concerns:

To decrease pedestrian deaths and injuries, consider these key pedestrian safety concerns:

  • Safe street crossings and intersections in work zones are a top priority for ensuring the safety of passersby — especially for children, the elderly, and the disabled. Curbs should be accessible for wheelchairs, walkers, and strollers.
  • Construction that blocks sidewalks is a major concern; make sure pedestrians have a safe path through the area without putting them in danger of moving traffic.
  • Enforcing good motorist behavior is also key. Have personnel on hand to make sure motorists obey all traffic rules and directions in and around work zones.

Key MUTCD Directives

To keep industrial sites safe for both on-foot workers and pedestrians, the U.S. government has introduced several safety standards and guidelines, such as the above-mentioned Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. Below are some key principles from the MUTCD to keep in mind when optimizing the safety of your work areas.

  • “Make pedestrian safety an integral and high-priority element in every project, from planning through design and construction.” — Try to minimize any interference with pedestrians’ movement through the areas by maintaining a continuous, accessible route for all passersby at all times. Incorporate pedestrian paths into the planning process to make sure the design avoids as many risks as possible. Use clear, easy-to-understand signs and notices to alert pedestrians to the changing traffic pattern.
  • Guide pedestrians through work sites in a clear, professional, and helpful manner.” — Routinely inspect traffic-control devices to make sure they’re effective. Try to alert pedestrians before construction begins by supplementing onsite information with off-site information, such as online postings, TV and radio announcements, and signs in the community. Use barriers to clearly define travel routes, keep pedestrians out of hazardous areas, and create a stable, reliable barricade.
  • “Work with trained personnel who are qualified to make work-zone safety decisions about the selection, placement, and maintenance of traffic-control devices.” — Collaborating with people experienced in designing pedestrian safety zones can help maximize safety and reduce liability. These professionals can help guide you in clearly defining any detoured routes, creating passersby accommodations that comply with the American Disabilities Act of 1990, protecting pedestrians from hazards, and making use of special devices that clearly denote the temporary route and guide people through it. Give pedestrians ample warning by placing signs at intersections with higher visibility rather than mid-block, and work to minimize any additional distance pedestrians must travel due to the reroute.

Learn More

Here at Omega, we’re committed to worker and pedestrian safety on all job sites, and we’re proud to offer a wide selection of industrial guardrails, handrails, and fencing solutions — including our unique Roll-Up-Fence™ (R•U•F™) — all of which are designed to protect workers from injuries and hazardous working conditions. To learn about more strategies for maximizing pedestrian safety, download our comprehensive eBook, “How to Ensure Pedestrian and Worker Foot-Traffic Safety on Job Sites.”

Guardrails vs. Handrails for Industrial Workplace Safety

To ensure efficient operations, the lowest possible costs, and, most importantly, employee health and wellbeing, manufacturing facilities across all types of industries must adhere to various safety standards.

guardrails-vs-handrails

In particular, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) helps ensure such workplace safety and health standards are met and workers are kept safe by providing training, outreach programs, educational resources, and general assistance for companies and organizations across the United States.

Safety best practices vary depending on the specific scenario and facility risk. Both safety handrails and guardrails, for instance, must meet specific OSHA standards to be considered effective in protecting workers.

These standards can often be confusing, however, as “handrails” and “guardrails” are used interchangeably in OSHA and other building codes. These two products (Guardrails and Handrails) are in fact very different, and companies should be sure to have a solid understanding of the unique properties and benefits of both; guardrails and handrails before purchasing either product.

Defining Guardrails and Handrails

OSHA and many building codes use the term “guardrail” to refer to fall protection for raised platforms and stairways, but the industrial safety industry uses the more specific term “handrail,” with “guardrail” used only to refer heavy-duty beams of formed steel.

In highway applications, for instance, guardrails are designed to absorb the energy of collisions from moving vehicles and are designed more for glancing blows and to keep a vehicle in its lane of traffic. In industrial plants, guardrails serve to protect workers, equipment, and structures from accidents caused by moving vehicles or machinery and are specifically designed to be able to absorb impact energy from a forklift, for instance, or a sweeper. Many times this heavy equipment weighs in at an excess of 10,000 lbs. and are operating in close proximity to pedestrian traffic.

Handrails, on the other hand, prevent people from falling off platforms, stairways, walkways, or landings. These structures must be able to sustain an outward or downward point load force of at least 200 pounds horizontal force at any point along the top rail. Also referred to as safety railing, handrails’ must have a smooth surface to prevent worker injuries — from potential injuries such as lacerations and punctures — and also eliminates the risk of hair or clothing catching on the railing. Providing people with an accessible handhold in areas where falls and slips are a risk, handrails are designed to improve users’ stability.

OSHA Requirements For Handrails

Handrails on stairways cannot be any more than 37 inches high, nor can they be less than 30 inches from the upper surface to the tread surface, in line with the riser face at the tread’s forward edge. If the top edge is serving as a handrail, the top edge’s height cannot be any more than 37 inches, nor can it be any less than 36 inches from the upper surface to the tread surface, in line with the riser face at the forward edge of the tread. For fall protection from raised platforms or working surfaces, handrails must be a minimum of 42” above the finished floor height, have at least (1) intermediate rail, and a 4” kick plate is required where objects on the floor could create a hazard if they roll or are inadvertently kicked off the platform and cause injury from a falling object.

The Importance of OSHA Guidelines in Preventing Injuries

OSHA guidelines for handrails and guardrails (though OSHA refers to both as “guardrails”) are critical in reducing the risk of falls and other injuries. As per standard 1910.28(b)(15), for instance, employees working on surfaces 4 feet or more off the ground must be protected by handrails, safety net systems, or personal fall protection systems.

Also, all walking and working structures in a workplace must be deemed by employers to have structural strength and integrity; employees will be not allowed to work on structures that fail to meet these requirements. As a final example, take standard 1917.120(a), which specifies that every fixed stairway — not just those connected to equipment — must be secured.

In all cases, these standards serve to protect workers while keeping facility operations running as smoothly as possible. Safety is as much a culture as its rules and guidelines. A strong safety program shows workers that it responsibility management takes seriously. This commitment affects employee morale and contributes directly to any organization’s financial health.

Learn More

Since 1987, Omega Industrial Safety Products has been an innovator, working to create safer workplaces for businesses and organizations of all types while optimizing productivity; in addition to guardrails and handrails, we also manufacture pipe bollards, door guards, and industrial stairways and pedestrian safety products.

Still, have questions about the differences between handrails and guardrails? Contact our team today for help. Or, to learn more about the importance of OSHA guidelines for ensuring optimal safety in your workplace, download our new eBook, “3 OSHA Safety Guidelines Your Facility Should Be Meeting.”

Portable Pedestrian Barriers: 15 Uses for the Roll-Up-Fence

At OMEGA Industrial Products, our team is always working to develop cutting-edge solutions to keep customers safe.

One of our latest innovations is the R•U•F Roll-Up-Fence, a portable pedestrian safety barrier. Designed as a lightweight and highly portable barricade, its applications range from controlling both safe and unsafe construction site zones to designated pedestrian zones at festivals and other events.

RUF-roll-up-fence

R•U•F’s patented design saves users time and money by being:

  • Compact — Extremely lightweight, the 6’6” or 3’3” R•U•F rolls up easily, requiring a fraction of the space needed by alternatives such as sawhorse, plastic, or metal bike rack-style barricades.
  • More visible —Made of high-strength, lightweight, anodized, and non-corrosive aluminum, the RUF features Bright International Safety Orange bars, which provide more vertical coverage and higher visibility than caution tape or single-bar barriers.
  • Highly portable — The portable barrier quickly rolls up and can be easily moved in case of emergency.
  • Cost effective — R•U•F is priced very competitively to alternative solutions.

By following these three simple steps, one person can install a section of RUF in under a minute:

  1. Position the posts
  2. Unroll RUF
  3. Attach with loops

Capable of withstanding the elements and adapting to custom configurations, R•U•F can be implemented in any location requiring pedestrian barricades or crowd safety precautions.

portable fence solutions

In hazardous zones, R•U•F offers high visibility to shield workers, prevent unauthorized entrances, and keep people and cars out of danger. For events and temporary crowd-control needs, RUF offers quick and easy setup and breakdown.

OMEGA’s R•U•F Roll-Up-Fence is compact, portable, and highly visible — making it an ideal safety barrier solution for a wide range of uses.

Below are some of its most common applications.

 

  • Construction sites — Construction sites can be full of unexpected dangers and risks. It helps protect construction workers onsite, acting as a marker for holes or uneven ground, as well as stairwells. This fencing can also act as a barrier to keep the general public out of construction zones and out of harm’s way.

 

  • Public works projects — Roll up fencing functions well as a pedestrian barrier or as a temporary fence around public works projects that may be hazardous to passersby. This style of fence is perfect for projects in high-pedestrian traffic areas, as well as areas where new sidewalks are being put in, road repairs are being done, or manholes are being fixed.

 

  • Entertainment venues — At entertainment venues, such as those for concerts and plays, OMEGA’s roll up fence can be extremely useful for crowd control and keeping lines orderly and secure. Easy setup and portability make it ideal for venues that need crowd control barriers but have constantly changing logistics and crowd sizes to deal with.

 

  • Police emergencies —Our fencing is suited to crowd control in the event of police emergencies — whether dealing with an accident, a crime scene, a traffic incident, or a road closure. It can help maintain pedestrian boundaries between the affected area and the surrounding ones, protecting citizens while giving police officers and first responders more control at the scene.

 

  • Fire emergencies — Fire departments may also use this a safety barrier in order to keep bystanders back at a safe distance during fire emergencies. In addition, portable fencing often gives those affected by a traumatic event — such as fires — a greater sense of security, and also gives emergency personnel the space they need to perform their duties without interference from bystanders.

 

  • Indoor — Used as temporary fencing in a wide range of indoor settings, OMEGA’s portable fencing is ideal for warehouses, stadiums, stores, factories, schools, and hospitals.

 

  • OutdoorR•U•F can also be used in a range of outdoor areas and applications, such as sidewalks, streets, parks, neighborhoods, and outdoor shopping centers.

 

  • Retail — Retail stores often use our roll up fence to maintain order in their stores during big promotions, sales, and shopping events, like Black Friday. Portable fencing is an effective means of keeping lines orderly before stores open, creating designated areas for checkout, and keeping customers out of storage areas and stock

 

  • Commercial — Commercial businesses can use this style of fence to mark closed parking spaces in the lot, as well as closed building entrances and exits; it may also be used to notify people of safety concerns such as broken elevators or uneven ground.

 

  • Industrial — Many manufacturers utilize OMEGA’s roll up fence as a safety barrier in their warehouse or factory to keep employees safe, close off broken or dangerous equipment, and prevent unauthorized individuals from accessing certain areas.

 

  • Crowd control — To keep large groups of people contained, safe, and orderly, many venues use this fencing solution for crowd control barriers. R•U•F reduces the risk of injury to those gathered, restricts individuals from accessing VIP or off-limit areas, and keeps a safety barrier between performers and attendees.

 

  • Sporting events —Whether containing long lines of excited fans, marking parking spaces, or designating tailgating areas, our fencing has many uses at sporting events, in both outdoor fields and indoor stadiums.

 

  • Festivals —Festivals usually take place in open, uncontained spaces, such as fields or parks, and can serve as an efficient, portable fence solution for creating boundaries and designating specific For example, R•U•F can be used to create parking areas or separate festival activity areas for music, food, and alcohol.

 

  • Parades —Ideal for creating parade routes that are easy and clear for participants to follow. This fencing can serve as protective pedestrian barriers, easily separating spectators — who often include children — from traffic and vehicles participating in the parade.

 

  • Flea and farmers markets — Markets are often set up in wide open areas, such as parking lots or parks, and R•U•F can provide a reliable means of creating stalls or stands in order to separate vendors and establish clear boundaries between the buyers and sellers — ultimately allowing for easier, quicker exchanges.

 

For three decades, OMEGA Industrial Products has had one mission: to create a safer workplace for businesses and their employees. We supply a range of standard and custom barrier products that reduce injuries and optimize both safety and productivity for companies of all sizes in the public and private sectors.

We now offer a free R•U•F Product Brochure detailing the Roll Up Fence’s features and capabilities. Download the brochure today for more information.

Pipe Guard Protection

Designed to eliminate damage to your plumbing, mechanical, and electrical equipment.

Heavy Duty Corner Guards

Heavy Duty Corner Guards provide maximum corner protection from forklift impact and damage.

Door & Track Guard

An exceptional solution against damages, accidents, and impacts as a result of forklift operations and other heavy duty equipment movement’s activities.

Bollard Guards

Safety Pipe Bollards and Bollard Covers can be used both indoors and outdoors to protect work areas and personnel.

Column Guard Protection

Omega’s guards and protectors take the beating instead of your building columns or the mechanical, plumbing and electric apparatuses they support. 

Pallet Rack Guards

Industrial Safety Rack Support Guards are constructed with a built-in heavy duty design and radius ends to keep traffic away from critical rack supports.

Guardrails & Posts

Industrial Safety Barriers & Guard Rails protect people, walkways, machinery and buildings from collisions.

Industrial Handrail

Omega’s sturdy pedestrian handrail systems for industrial environments are durable and modular for flexible design and  easy installation.