Safety Maker FAQ’s

Please reference:

Part Number: 1926
Part Number Title: Safety and Health Regulations for Construction
Subpart: 1926 Subpart M
Subpart Title: Fall Protection
Standard Number: 1926.502
Title: Fall protection systems criteria and practices.
GPO Source: e-CFR

Appendix B to Subpart M of Part 1926 - Guardrail Systems Non-Mandatory Guidelines for Complying with § 1926.502(b)

The standard requires guardrail systems and components to be designed and built to meet the requirements of § 1926.502 (b) (3), (4), and (5). This appendix serves as a non-mandatory guideline to assist employers in complying with these requirements. An employer may use these guidelines as a starting point for designing guardrail systems. However, the guidelines do not provide all the information necessary to build a complete system, and the employer is still responsible for designing and assembling these components in such a way that the completed system will meet the requirements of § 1926.502(b) (3), (4), and (5). Components for which no specific guidelines are given in this appendix (e.g., joints, base connections, components made with other materials, and components with other dimensions) must also be designed and constructed in such a way that the completed system meets the requirements of § 1926.502.

(1) For wood railings: Wood components shall be minimum 1500 lb-ft/in2 fiber (stress grade) construction grade lumber; the posts shall be at least 2-inch by 4-inch (5 cm × 10 cm) lumber spaced not more than 8 feet (2.4 m) apart on centers; the top rail shall be at least 2-inch by 4-inch (5 cm × 10 cm) lumber, the intermediate rail shall be at least 1-inch by 6-inch (2.5 cm × 15 cm) lumber. All lumber dimensions are nominal sizes as provided by the American Softwood Lumber Standards, dated January 1970.

(2) For pipe railings: posts, top rails, and intermediate railings shall be at least one and one-half inches nominal diameter (schedule 40 pipe) with posts spaced not more than 8 feet (2.4 m) apart on centers.

(3) For structural steel railings: posts, top rails, and intermediate rails shall be at least 2-inch by 2-inch (5 cm × 10 cm) by 3⁄8-inch (1.1 cm) angles, with posts spaced not more than 8 feet (2.4 m) apart on centers.

[59 FR 40743, Aug. 9, 1994; 60 FR 5131, Jan. 26, 1995]

Yes! The Safety Boot® Guardrail System meets and exceeds OSHA guardrail strength regulations. In fact, The Safety Boot® Guardrail System has been verified by a third-party engineer firm as exceeding the U.S. Federal OSHA guardrail strength regulations with a 2:1 safety factor (400 pounds). TWICE THE OSHA STANDARD of 200 pounds. 

No! NEVER CO-MINGLE or use the Safety Boot® Guardrail System with other similar guardrail base products. While another guardrail base product may look similar, it may not provide the same strength that is provided by this system. The Safety Boot® Guardrail System has been verified by a third-party engineer firm as exceeding the U.S. Federal OSHA guardrail strength regulations with a 2:1 safety factor (400 pounds). TWICE THE OSHA STANDARD of 200 pounds. 

According to Appendix B to Subpart M of Part 1926 - Guardrail Systems:
. . . the posts shall be at least 2-inch by 4-inch (5 cm × 10 cm) lumber spaced not more than 8 feet (2.4 m) apart on centers . . .

The posts are then set a maximum of 18 inches from the framing structure. When you set Safety Boots 18 inches from the framing structure, you are closing the open space to a smaller area than 18 inches, in order to meet OSHA regulations. We recommend that the top rail and mid rail extend to within 4 inches of the framed wall. This still gives the drywall workers plenty of room to use their tools to install the drywall without interference from the guardrail system.

On stairs, it depends on the configuration of the stairway. Each span should be a maximum of 8 feet on centers on straight stairs; stairways with a landing will need to protect the stairway, as well as the landing itself. Curved stairs need a Safety Boot about every 3 or 4 risers, depending on the radius of the curve.

The number of units needed will depend on the linear footage that you need to protect. Please reference question number 1 above for spacing requirements for guardrail and stair rail configurations.

WARNING! - NEVER USE NAILS OR UNSPECIFIED FASTENERS!!

Different subflooring applications require different fasteners to meet the OSHA 200 lb. strength requirement. Installation Instructions are provided with every Safety Boot order specifying the proper fasteners.

Please refer to the Safety Boot Guardrail System Installation Instructions.

Special arrangements must be made when pre-finished floors or stairway treads are being installed. It may be possible that your permanent stairway can be installed directly over the holes made for the Safety Boots.

If you can use a temporary stairway for access before the permanent stairway is installed, Safety Boots can be installed on that. If there is a carpet runner on the stairways or balconies, the boots can be
installed where the runner will be.

Under no circumstances do we ever suggest that the builder use a smaller fastener, or use fewer than the recommended number of holes for that particular application.

No, the Safety Boot® Guardrail System is designed to fit a double 2X4 post. Also the Safety Boot® Guardrail System must meet OSHA requirements. The completed system must be strong enough to withstand a 200 force at 42 (±3) inches. The Safety Boot Guardrail System has been designed and tested to exceed a 2:1 safety factor of over 400 lbs. Twice the OSHA standard. 

The Safety Boot® Guardrail System should be installed as soon as dangerous fall situations are created. They should be installed on stairs as soon as they are completed, and on balconies as soon as the decking is completed and used to move from one part of the second story to another.

The Safety Boots can be marked with a permanent marker for ID purposes. We recommend making the ID mark on the bottom of the Boot, the sides of the Safety Boots will, over time, become covered with drywall mud, paint, etc. The bottom should stay relatively clean and any marks will be visible for a longer
period of time. You could also use a Hot ID Melt Kit, and melt the ID into the Safety Boot.

If you use a Hot ID Melt Kit, be sure and mark the SURFACE ONLY of the Safety Boot. Don’t Melt deep as to impair the integrity of the Safety Boot itself.

No. The Safety Boot® Guardrail System is designed for flat surfaces only. Open balconies, flat roofs, commercial structures, stairways, etc. Though the system may meet OSHA standards for angled roof applications, we do not have any stress test results for that type of installation.

When we first developed the Safety Boot® Guardrail System, Federal OSHA had a clause in the guardrail regulation that specifically stated that guardrails cannot deflect more than 3 inches (in any direction) when applying the 200 pound force. In order to meet this standard, two 2X4's were used for the post in the design of the Safety Boot, one 2X4 would not meet this deflection rule.

OSHA has since revised the standard and references; The reference "a force of 200 lbs. in any direction" has been revised to "outward and downward force of 200 lbs". All of our stress engineering lab tests, performed by an independent engineering test facility, use two 2X4's for the posts. The Safety Boot® Guardrail System has been designed and tested to exceed a 2:1 safety factor of over 400 lbs. Twice the OSHA standard.

We recommend that two 2X4's are used for the Safety Boot® Guardrail System posts to achieve a safety factor GREATER than what OSHA requires. We do not have any test results using just 1 2X4 for the post, thus we cannot recommend this practice.

Federal OSHA guidelines do not site or recommend specific fasteners to be used in the construction of wooden guardrail systems. OSHA Regulations.

(Standards - 29 CFR) Fall protection systems criteria and practices. - 1926.502 states that guardrail systems and their use shall comply with the following provisions of 1926.502(b). The US Labor Department (www.osha.gov) website, shows a wooden guardrail system constructed with framing nails.

Safety Maker, Inc. recommends that 2-1/2” long decking screws be used for the construction of the wooden guardrail components for added strength and security.

Yes, the Safety Boot® can be installed into a steel subfloor. We do not have any testing data into steel because the product was designed for construction applications and those apps are generally wood or concrete.

You must verify with a professional engineer that the steel subflooring material and the fastening method used is substantial and strong enough to support the OSHA required load of a minimum of 200 lbs.

No, the fifth hole in the base of the Safety Boot® is required for only one specific application. Please refer to the Installation Instructions FASTENER SPECIFICATION page.

STURD-I-FLOOR® (1 - 1/8 INCH THICK) PLYWOOD for Sturd-I-Floor® (1 - 1/8 inch thick) plywood applications use:

• 5 - Hex-Head Lag Screws, 3/8 X 2 inch
  and;
• 5 - 3/8 X 1 - 1/2 Inch Fender Washers
  (Fender Washers supplied with all orders)
• Anchor directly into Sturd-I-Floor® (1 - 1/8 inch thick) plywood using the four primary corner holes and by adding a 5th screw on the inside of the guardrail or stair rail system in the secondary hole provided.