Industrial facilities are inherently dangerous places. In fact, according to the National Safety Council, workplace injuries account for nearly $190 billion in losses annually. Despite the efforts of regulatory bodies and safety-minded employers, these dangers may even be increasing due to heightened economic pressures and trends like increased automation and robotics. In many cases, the need for organizational belt-tightening has led companies to maximize space within their facilities, expanding upwards (instead of outwards) with elevated work platforms or multi-level racking systems to create additional storage space or work areas. These multi-level work environments allow companies to add floor space without adding to their facility’s footprint – which is generally less costly and time-consuming than expanding outward, leasing new space or constructing a new facility.
While multi-level environments create a number of advantages and efficiencies for companies, they do create safety challenges that must be addressed. Most significantly, unprotected mezzanine or multi-level environments pose a high risk for fall-related injuries to employees. According to OSHA, falls are among the most common cause of serious work-related injuries and deaths. Fatal falls, slips or trips took the lives of 699 workers in 2013. Falls to a lower level accounted for 574 (82 percent) of those fatalities – with roughly 1/5 coming from falls of over 30 feet.