Modular safety railing system

Abstract

A modular safety railing system comprises post brackets adapted for attachment to a building structure. Posts are adapted to engage the post brackets the posts are oriented substantially vertically. Upper and lower rail mounts are located on each post and right and left upper and lower rails are releasably attachable at inner portions thereof to corresponding upper and lower rail mounts of a center post and are releasably attachable at outer portions thereof to upper and lower rail mounts of corresponding right and left posts. An upper brace is attached at an upper end thereof to the post and adapted at a lower end thereof for releasable attachment to the building structure. The upper brace is adjustable such that same can be attached to the building structure at an angle to the center post that is sufficient to support the center post in the substantially vertical orientation.

Description

[0001] This invention is in the field of safety equipment, and in particular safety railing systems for use at construction sites. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Safety for workers is an ongoing concern among a number of industries and for the government agencies whose responsibility it is to enact and enforce regulations designed to improve workplace conditions. Each year a significant number of workers are injured or killed by a fall. [0003] Given that there are often numerous openings in buildings under construction that either would not be present, or would be protected with a finished railing in a completed building, it is not surprising that falling injuries are so prevalent in the construction industry. [0004] It is clearly an important consideration that workplaces are provided with adequate safety devices in order to reduce the risk of falls. The need for safety devices is even more critical when workers are placed at high levels, or when working on uneven or sloping su...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] It is an object of the present invention to provide a reusable modular railing system that overcomes problems in the prior art. The system is readily adaptable for use in the construction industry, in particular for use at the edge of roof areas. The railing system is portable, easy to assemble and disassemble, and provides improved safety over prior art railings or prior art methods of limiting injuries due to falling.

[0012] Each of the structural components of the railing system are connected using temporary fastening methods such as screws or bolts, such that the rail can be easily erected at a desired site, and then broken down into component pieces when no longer needed. All of the components of the railing system are reusable avoiding the waste of material associated with the use of prior art handmade wooden railings.

[0013] The roof mounted post bracket is provided in a number of configurations, adapted to fit various style roofing systems. In each case the post bracket mounts at the edge of the roof and engages the top surface of the roof with a lower rail brace, along with a mount either underneath the overhang of the roof or extending downwards along the wall under a roof in cases where the roof edge is flush with the building wall. The lower brace provides increased stability for the post bracket at its base.

[0014] Each post has a number railing mounts to which horizontal rails can be releasably attached and secured with an eye bolt or the like. Conveniently the rail mounts accept two over-lapping rails, such that individual rails do not have to precisely match the distance between vertical posts, but can overlap with an adjacent rail. In addition by lashing overlapping rails together, the railing can be further stabilized. The number of brackets on each vertical post will determine the number of horizontal rails that can be placed in the railing. It is anticipated that three levels of rails could provide sufficient security for workers who are working in either a prone, crouched or standing position.

[0015] The invention provides an advantage in that all of the components are reusable. Thus, after the initial cost of buying the components, the user would realize a cost advantage by being able to use the railing modules over and over.

Problems solved by technology

Each year a significant number of workers are injured or killed by a fall.

Given that there are often numerous openings in buildings under construction that either would not be present, or would be protected with a finished railing in a completed building, it is not surprising that falling injuries are so prevalent in the construction industry.

The magnitude of this safety problem has drawn the attention of regulatory bodies such that in many jurisdictions, some form of barrier is now required around elevated work areas.

One problem with harnesses is that they can potentially limit the mobility of an individual worker.

In addition, where two or more people are working together, the potential to get safety lines tangled creates a potential nuisance as well as a hazard.

Further, harnesses do not prevent falls but only serve to limit the distance a person falls.

As a result it is frequently seen that a worker will still suffer injuries when falling while wearing a harness and tether system.

Therefore, while a harness and safety line may limit injuries to some extent, they do not prevent a fall from occurring.

While a railing can be constructed in this way, they are not particularly sturdy and a person falling against such a railing can frequently collapse the rail and suffer a fall regardless.

In addition, to construct a railing from wooden members requires that pieces be cut to shape and then assembled, adding to the time and expense of building the railing.

Therefore the cost in terms of labor time needed to build a wooden railing can be significant.

Finally, at the end of a job, because the railing members have been specifically cut to fit a work area, they are usually unsuitable for reuse and are thus discarded, again adding to construction costs.

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