Railcars

Design Considerations

There is no one “best solution” to all railroad car and train siding fall protection hazards. Each situation is unique, requiring a site assessment and an engineered solution to meet your specific needs. Individual railroad companies have their own specifications, and the configuration of each rail yard, as well as the materials moving through these areas varies widely.

A fall protection system designed to accommodate the storage and servicing of stationary rolling stock needs to provide different coverage from fall arrest equipment installed for loading and unloading grain or coal. Industrial rail sidings found in factories, underground mines, outside quarries, servicing wharves, foundries, refineries, and warehouses each in turn need their own engineered solution to protect railcar workers from falls.

Although elevated catwalk and gangway systems, fixed platforms, and ladders are common, from a best practices standpoint, use of an elevated platform with a fold down gangway that allows an individual to be elevated to the height of the railcar is preferred. Railroad personnel are protected by a guardrail while attaching their SRL and walking down the gangway to access the top of the railcar.

Railcar load and unload facilities typically require an overhead fall protection system. On taller railcar facilities where working heights allow, permanent horizontal lifelines, rigid beam systems, and “L” and “T” style fall protection systems are common.

DFP sets the standard for overhead rigid rail fall protection for railcar fall protection operations, creating solutions for working over tanker, spine, and hopper cars. Whether indoor or outdoor, permanent or portable, overhead rigid rail fall protection systems provide the highest degree of mobility and safety in fall protection. DFP’s rigid rail systems utilize a patented TD3 truss to allow for greater spans between support columns, reducing both the costs and the footprint of the system.

In applications where an “L” or “T” style system is under consideration, the depth of the water table, as well as the condition and compaction of the soil must be assessed to ensure an adequate foundation to support the weight of the system. For site-specific maintenance, or temporary railcar access, a portable fall protection system may also be utilized.

Regardless of the system, care must be taken to specify equipment that is appropriate for use with the materials commonly found in the yard, such as chlorine or acids. With years of experience in the railroad and railcar industry, DFP can implement a turnkey fall protection system that keeps your employees safe and your facility compliant with all OSHA regulations.