Understanding whether or not your facility requires a self-closing safety swing gate can be challenging to determine. However, Northern Platforms is here to help! Our team of safe access solution experts understands how complicated safety standard regulations can be. Still, we have the experience and knowledge to ensure your facility complies with OHSA/ OH&S standards. Next, we’ll get into self-closing safety swing gates from YellowGate, and how to determine if your site needs one. Continue reading to find out more!
What is a Swing Gate?
Self-closing safety swing gates have been around for a long time; however, many facilities aren’t using them. The reason for this? It can be a combination of factors such as lack of planning, product knowledge, availability, cost, and more. Whatever the reason, not having self-closing safety swing gates in your facilities leaves your workers unprotected.
Self-closing safety swing gates are a vital piece of safe access equipment that help prevent falls from mezzanines, elevated walkways, ladder openings, stair openings, loading docks, and other areas. These gates are self-closing, which aids in ensuring entrances and exits are blocked off when not in use, and you can use them to help control traffic at ground level. It’s worth noting that self-closing safety swing gates are required to comply with OSHA/ OH&S regulations, but more on that below.
What are the Safety Standards?
So what do the OSHA/ OH&S regulations say about self-closing safety swing gates? Well, it’s important to remember that these regulations are typically a little vague in their wording to be applicable across numerous industries. Essentially OHSA / OH&S states that in specific situations, such as around elevated walkways or in conjunction with guardrail systems, worksites should use safety swing gates as a part of their fall protection systems. From a best practices perspective, a physical barrier is always better than relying on human diligence because people make mistakes, get tired, and get distracted, and that’s when accidents happen.
So should your facility utilize self-closing safety swing gates? At Northern Platforms, the answer is simple, YES!
Your Source for Self-Closing Safety Swing Gates
At Northern Platforms, we are proud to partner with YellowGate to provide our customers with the equipment they need to maintain a safe working environment. YellowGate self-closing safety swing gates are versatile as they can be adjusted in length and swing direction, and they feature a universal mounting system. These safety swing gates are constructed from lightweight aluminum. They are powder-coated safety yellow for better visibility and rust-proofing. With setup and takedown as simple as removing a couple of bolts, YellowGate’s self-closing safety swing gates are a simple way to ensure your employees’ safety and to be compliant with OHSA/ OH&S standards. Overall self-closing safety swing gates from YellowGate are an excellent safe access solution.
Safe Access Solutions at Northern Platforms
At Northern Platforms, our team is proud to be Western Canada’s top choice for fall protection and safe access solutions. We have a large inventory of safe access solutions like self-closing safety swing gates for almost every industry and application. Our team can assist you in determining the best solution for your facility! Ready to learn more about our offering of YellowGate self-closing safety swing gates? Contact Northern Platforms today!
Many factors can influence the type of fall protection your railyard and worksite will need to keep your employees safe. However, you don’t have to struggle alone with finding the right railcar fall protection system for your business; Northern Platforms is here to help! With decades of experience assisting railyards and worksites in crafting the best fall protection system for their needs, our team has the experience and knowledge to ensure your site is safe and compliant with local safety regulations. Keep reading to learn more about determining the right railcar fall protection system for your site and how Northern Platforms can help!
Understand Your Site
Your rail yard is unique, so when selecting the best railcar fall protection system, you first need to understand your site. Below are a few questions to ask yourself about your worksite before investing in a railcar fall protection system:
What type and size of railcars are you loading and unloading?
Are your railcars hauling something that requires specific safety precautions (such as Hydrogen moving as Ammonia)?
How large is your worksite?
Do you need active or passive fall protection or both?
What is the fall risk, where is the fall risk, and at what height?
Are there specific railcar fall protection systems already in place?
How are you currently moving railcars in and out of your loading racks?
Each of your answers to the above questions will influence the outcome of your fall protection system. By knowing the answers to these questions before you begin your search, the team at Northern Platforms can help you determine the optimal system for your site. If you’re still unsure about the answers to these questions. Then the Northern Platforms team can visit your site to determine the best railcar fall protection system. Our team has decades of experience in railcar loading and fall protection, so you can rest assured knowing that you have a team of experts helping you.
Find the Right Fit
Part of the reason implementing a railcar fall protection system can be challenging is that there is no one “best solution.” Every railyard and worksite is unique and will require different fall protection systems depending on what’s going on with their site. At Northern Platforms, one of our highly experienced fall protection experts can visit your site and perform fall protection system assessments. That means we’ll check out your worksite, ask you a few questions, and work with you to create the best railcar fall protection system for your location.
Some worksites will require different types of railcar fall protection simply due to the nature of their work, the materials they are loading and unloading or industry-specific safety standards. That could mean investing in gangways and safety cages, loading arms, spill containment racks pans or safety showers. At Northern Platforms, our team will work closely with you to ensure you’re investing in the right railcar fall protection system for your worksite. With years of experience working with those in the railroad and railcar industry Northern Platforms is here to help you find the right fit for your fall protection needs.
Get Expert Assistance
As we’ve discussed, setting up the right railcar fall protection system includes a few challenges that may require expert advice. Fortunately, Northern Platforms is here to help! We stock high-quality, dependable, and innovative equipment to ensure your team is safe when working around railcars. Our team of fall protection experts can assist you in determining the best railcar fall protection system for your site. Some equipment we may recommend include the following:
If your current railcar fall protection system is out of date or damaged, Northern Platforms is here to help! Our team can work with you to ensure your worksite is safe and compliant with OHSA and OH&S safety standards. With powerful digital tools, our team can make a configuration mock-up so you can see how our recommendations will fall into place. When you need railcar fall protection systems, trust the experts at Northern Platforms!
Northern Platforms Railcar Fall Protection and More!
Northern Platforms has been your leading Canadian supplier of railcar fall protection systems like SafeRack, YellowGate, ErectaStep and more for over two decades! As a family-owned and operated business, we strive to provide our customers with the safety solutions they need to keep their staff safe. Regardless of what your railcars are hauling, Northern Platforms has the necessary access and fall protection systems! Contact us today to learn more about setting up a new fall protection system at your worksite.
The transportation industry often needs its workers to risk their health and safety by requiring them to climb on top of tanker trucks and flatbeds. While fall protection is highly recommended and even mandatory in most industries, the transportation industry is often overlooked as numerous other safety risks, and challenges demand greater attention. However, fall protection is still a critical system to have in place regardless of the industry you’re operating in.
If you’re looking to improve your tanker truck fall protection system, Northern Platforms has you covered! OHSA/OH&S-certified fall protection is available in numerous models and types. Below we’ll discuss permanent and portable tanker truck fall protection systems available at Northern Platforms. Keep reading to find out which system best suits your facility!
Permanent Fall Protection Systems
While mobile safe access and fall protection systems are increasingly popular for many work environments, permanent fall protection systems can be the more efficient and cost-effective option. This is because permanent fall protection systems only need to be installed once. When they’re finally in place, they often have a longer lifespan than other competing fall protection systems. Permanent fall protection systems for tanker trucks are essential as your employees are regularly exposed to heights. OSHA-certified systems, like truck loading platforms, are some of the most common permanent fall protection systems for the trucking and transportation sector. This is especially true for facilities where tanker trucks are regularly driven in and out of the same loading lane.
At Northern Platforms, we have a range of OHSA tanker truck fall protection systems you can permanently install at your facility. Our team of fall protection experts can visit your site and map out the ideal tanker truck fall protection system for your unique needs. That way, you get the permanent fall protection required to keep your facility operating smoothly.
Portable Solutions
Depending on your facility and tanker truck loading needs, a portable fall protection system like rolling stairs might be a better choice for your operations. Mobile tanker truck fall protection systems are typically designed for facilities with no fixed workstation or loading zone. Often this will apply to loading docks where your employees need to be able to move from tanker truck to tanker truck without interrupting their workflow. Portable access ladders or rolling stairs are an excellent option for these facilities as they do not require disassembly to be moved to their next location. Instead, your crew can roll their OHSA-certified tanker truck portable stairs wherever needed.
At Northern Platforms, we are proud to offer a comprehensive inventory of portable fall protection systems, including rolling stairs from RollaStep and more! Our safe access solution experts can assist you with selecting the best mobile fall protection equipment for your loading dock. Regardless of your facility or industry, our team is here to ensure you have the fall protection and safe access solutions you need to keep your worksite safe.
Tanker Truck Fall Protection from Northern Platforms
Since 2007, Northern Platforms has been Western Canada’s premier distributor of safe access and fall protection solutions. We are pleased to partner with numerous industry-leading manufacturers to bring our customers the high-performance safety solutions they need. In addition to our expansive inventory, we offer several turnkey solutions, including preventative maintenance support and equipment installation services. If you’d like to learn more about our tanker truck fall protection options, contact Northern Platforms today!
When you need safe loading solutions that can significantly benefit your oil and gas operations, you need loading arms from Northern Platforms. Loading arms are an incredible alternative to hoses. They can manage the demands of hydrocarbons, gasses, crude oil and more! At Northern Platforms, we are pleased to offer a range of loading arms that provide efficiency and superior performance. Below we’ll discuss some of the benefits of loading arms and how they can improve your operations loading and unloading activities. Keep reading to learn more!
What Are Loading Arms?
Loading arms are self-supporting, highly efficient means of safely transferring fluids or gasses from storage tanks to tank trucks or tankcars. Often used in the road, rail, or marine transportation industry, loading arms are an excellent option for safely transferring chemicals from one holding area to another. Loading arms can be used for top and bottom loading / unloading. Within top and bottom loading arms there are several different styles / models of loading arms that can be utilized to meet your specific needs & requirements. Each loading arm variation is best suited for specific applications and can dramatically benefit the oil & gas, agricultural, chemical, and other industries. Since loading arms have a wide range of use, your operations can see significant benefits. The team at Northern Platforms can assist you with determining the optimal loading arm for your oil & gas applications.
Adaptable for Any Application
At Northern Platforms, various loading arms are available for your operation’s unique applications. For instance, our bottom loading arms give you an improved level of safety as the operator behind this equipment is stationed on the ground beside the loading arm. Bottom loading arms have a spring counterbalance, allowing for faster loading times and a more remarkable ability to reach mobile tanker openings compared to other competing models. These bottom loading arms also improve your operations efficiency, ergonomics, and general safety and cleanliness at your loading rack.
Compared to bottom loading arms, top loading arms are used across several industries, including the oil and gas industry. Top loading arms are available in numerous models and configurations, such as fixed reach and flexible reach arms that can be designed for both closed loop tight connection loading or open hatch splash loading. Other top loading arm models include scissor or boom arms that can be adapted for railcar and tanker truck loading. With options compatible with dry disconnect fillings, hatch plates, and overfill protection, Northern Platforms has the loading arms you need for your railcar and truck loading needs over numerous industries including oil & gas, chemical, agricultural & food / pharma.
Easy to Use
One of the many advantages of loading arms in the oil and gas industry is that loading arms are an alternative to hoses. That means, instead of constantly tweaking and adjusting your equipment, loading arms are ready to do the job and adapt to your loading needs in no time. In addition, loading arms from Northern Platforms can also manage the demands of highly repetitive tasks with minor issues. Unlike hoses which wear down over time, loading arms are more durable. When you need a reliable means of loading and unloading tankers, loading arms from Northern Platforms are here to help!
Trust Northern Platforms for Oil & Gas Loading Arms
Since 2007, Northern Platforms has been dedicated to ensuring that your truck and railcar loading systems are safe, efficient and durable. Northern Platforms understands that your operations need dependable, safe access and loading solutions as a family-owned and operated business. Contact our team today to learn more about our inventory of loading arms and other loading accessories!
Are you considering adding an industrial work platform to your inventory of safe access equipment? Are you unsure where to start? Fortunately, Northern Platforms is here to help! Industrial work platforms are a great way to improve your operations’ efficiency, safety, and mobility, all while ensuring your site remains compliant with local health and safety regulations. Below are a few key factors you should consider before investing in a new industrial work platform from Northern Platforms. Continue reading to find out more!
Figure Out Your Needs
When you’re looking to expand your access equipment inventory to improve workflow, safety, and worker capabilities, you need to know a few critical pieces of information beforehand. First, you need to determine your specific needs regarding your facility and operational capabilities. Things like your overall budget, load capacities, size, preferred manufacturer, and installation requirements are just a few critical things you need to consider before looking further into industrial work platforms. In addition, health and safety compliance is a must-have, so you need to consider what work platforms will best improve your workplace’s safety. The best way to determine your work platform needs is to evaluate your current gaps in performance and how a safe work platform from Northern Platforms can resolve those issues.
Weigh Your Options
As previously mentioned, numerous factors must be considered when deciding to purchase an industrial work platform from Northern Platforms. In addition to these primary factors, you’ll also want to consider whether a standard modular or custom-built platform is better suited for your operations. While each platform offers its own advantages, it’s essential to speak with an experienced safe access solutions expert at Northern Platforms to ensure that your investing in the best industrial work platform for your operations. For instance, a custom work platform can be specifically designed for your unique needs; however, they are often less affordable than ready-made platforms. In comparison, Northern Platforms in-stock modular work platforms are typically quicker to install and more affordable. Still, they may be missing those specific details you would get from a customized platform. Regardless of which industrial work platform you choose, the best fit for your operations will be the one that can accommodate your specific needs and applications while still aligning with your budget and timeline.
Industrial Work Platforms at Northern Platforms
At Northern Platforms, we’ve been assisting operations like yours to determine the best industrial work platforms for their unique applications. Our safe access solution experts can visit your site and help you select the optimal platform for your facility, application, and budget. Located in Leduc, Alberta, Northern Platforms is proud to be family owned and operated. In addition to our selection of industrial work platforms, we also offer numerous other safe access solutions and turnkey installation services. Contact Northern Platforms today to learn more about our industrial work platforms and other safe access solutions!
