Hopper cars and rail transport are one of the biggest methods of shipping in North America, with millions of pounds of wheat, crude oil, steel, gasoline and more moving across the continent each year. In order to ensure safe transport measures and reduce your onsite risk, fall protection is an essential asset. At Northern Platforms, we’re proud to put safety and efficiency first. Our team knows the many risks associated with loading and transport, and by partnering with some of the top manufacturers in the safe access industry including SafeRack LLC (we are Western Canada’s exclusive source for SafeRack), we’re here to make sure you have the equipment you need when it matters most.
Below, we’ll talk about some of the top safety tips when it comes to reducing the risks associated with loading railcars. Read on to learn more!
Install Rail Safety Solutions
Falls are one of the biggest risks associated with railcar loading, and installing rail loading fall protection solutions is one of the best ways to mitigate the danger. Hopper cars come in a variety of configurations, meaning that the ability to customize your safe loading solutions is essential. Using safety equipment like gangways, safety cages, loading/unloading racks, and anchor points are all vetted ways to reduce fall hazards and allow your team to work as effectively as possible.
Education is Key
When it comes to establishing safety on your job site, education is key. As much as equipment can help eliminate immediate concerns, if no one is aware of best practices, as well as the safety measures you have in place, you’re far less likely to succeed. Take the time to invest in employee education; your staff, as well as your job site efficiency, will thank you!
Know the Challenges of Your Job Site
Every job site will have its own unique safety hazards you need to account for, and depending on what circumstances you face, varying access solutions will be better suited to your workspace. Customizable options like gangways, railings, safety gates and other interchangeable solutions will go a long way towards creating a better, safer space for all.
SafeRack Equipment, Only at Northern Platforms
Northern Platforms is the exclusive distributor of SafeRack products throughout Western Canada and is proud to partner with an industry leader dedicated to unbeatable quality and performance. Our inventory features several SafeRack products, including the SafeRack self-adjusting stair gangway and much more. Contact our team today to learn more about SafeRack’s gangways and rail loading options, as well as Northern Platforms’ extensive range of safe access and loading solutions!
With spring on the way, it’s time to say out with the old and welcome in the new with safe access equipment and platforms you can trust! Based in Leduc, Alberta, Northern Platforms is proud to offer you access to industry-leading solutions from top manufacturers like SafeRack LLC. As Western Canada’s exclusive source for SafeRack, we offer easy access to their top products including truck platforms, mobile platforms, and their self-adjusting stair gangway. For all of your OH&S and OSHA-compliant equipment, Northern Platforms has you covered!
Why Safety Matters
According to the most recent workplace safety survey (2019) transport and heavy equipment operators still face some of the highest rates of on-site incidences and injury statistics. Utilizing safety equipment like truck loading platforms, especially when paired with swing gates, cages, and harnesses are a great way to keep everyone safe and efficient on the job. Using the right equipment drastically reduces the risks of slips, falls, and other related dangers, giving you, and your entire crew, peace of mind.
SafeRack’s Self-Adjusting & Self-Leveling Gangway
With a reputation for high-end results and unbeatable performance, SafeRack’s self-adjusting gangway system is designed to pair seamlessly with a wide variety of sizes and ranges of trucks. With decades of experience behind their name and trusted quality, SafeRack has become an industry go-to, and the leading standard when it comes to truck loading platforms and more. SafeRack’s self-adjusting / self-levelling gangway has a wide working range and makes it easy to deal with vehicles that vary in height, and its unibody design means that welds are reduced, eliminating the potential for failures. Northern Platforms’ SAS gangways are easy to use, long-lasting, and can be easily retrofitted to your existing platform as needed, and can also be supplied with a gangway track system to allow for miss-spotting of the trucks.
Your Exclusive Source for SafeRack
Northern Platforms is your exclusive distributor of SafeRack! Our inventory features several SafeRack products, including the SafeRack self-adjusting stair gangway and much more. Contact our team today to learn more about SafeRack’s gangway, as well as Northern Platforms’ extensive range of safe access and loading solutions!
As one of the top industries with the potential for significant workplace injuries and hazards, the transportation sector has an increased need for trustworthy safety solutions. As of 2019, one of the biggest concerns on any job site is falling, which becomes even more dangerous when dealing with hauling units like flatbeds or tanker trailers.
Northern Platforms is one of Western Canada’s top sources for safe access and fall protection equipment, including products from top industry names like SafeRack (we are Western Canada’s exclusive source for SafeRack), ErectaStep, YellowGate, and more. Below, we’ll talk about 4 key elements to be used in ensuring your flatbed trucks have fall protection in place. Read on to learn more!
Why Fall Protection Matters
Fall protection is essential to OH&S compliance / OSHA compliance, which requires that fall protection be available at certain heights, as well as in any instances where the risk of falling over dangerous equipment and machinery may be present. Without the proper measures in place, you greatly increase your risk for deadly falls and significant injuries to your crew members. At Northern Platforms, we’re passionate about putting safety first, and will always partner with your team to find the best solutions for every job site and application. Key fall protection items for flatbeds include:
Tarping Systems
Tarping systems work as a great deterrent for falls by removing the risk of crew members standing on or walking on a trailer itself. As an easy to install and remove measure, tarp systems are the first line of defense that also keeps your cargo safe from exposure and external damage.
Dedicated Access Equipment
Flatbed loading and unloading benefit greatly from equipment specifically designed to facilitate easier, safer, access. Gangways, portable platforms / rolling stairs, overheard fall arrest systems and other such resources can be an invaluable asset to your team that allows everyone to get to work with peace of mind and maximum safety in place.
Handrails
Handrails are a great addition to portable platforms, as well as flatbed units where your crew will need to stand on the bed of the truck itself. When put in place you’ll be able to help prevent slips and falls caused by tripping and reduce the risk of a significant incident.
Harness Systems
Harness systems are another strong asset for fall protection and can go a long way toward ensuring your site is OH&S complaint / OSHA compliant. Self retracing lifelines and harnesses tied into an overhead fall arrest system / anchor point can greatly lower your risk threshold.
Fall Protection Solutions and More at Northern Platforms
Northern Platforms is proud to offer your team the products and solutions that we offer are built to meet or exceed your needs, and our experts are always here to help you find the perfect custom fit. From loading racks to gangways, spill containment and loading arms and more, Northern Platforms has you covered, every step of the way!
In addition to an expansive product line, Northern Platforms also offers assistance with turnkey installation services and preventive maintenance, meaning you can trust us to help your crew reach where they need to go, every step of the way! Learn more by contacting our team today!
Looking for the perfect addition to your onsite safety equipment? As an integral upgrade to loading platforms, rolling stairs, crossover platforms and more, swing gates play an important role in offering passive fall protection and reducing the overall risk to workers as they go about their daily routines. Northern Platforms is pleased to feature a wide selection of swing gates in our inventory, including top solutions from YellowGate, designed to offer superior performance and integration you can trust. Below, we’ll talk about just a few of the key ways swing gates enhance your job site and keep everyone safe. Read on to learn more!
Lower Risk in Key Areas
Regardless of the structure of your facility or your specific application, there are always areas that are at higher risk for slips and falls than others. Rooftops, ceiling catwalks, elevated platforms and other such spaces have a significantly increased danger quotient due to the inherent risk from higher levels, and thus having the right equipment in place is essential. Swing gates help to make sure your team always has something to watch on their back as they climb up high, giving everyone peace of mind.
Foot Traffic Protection
Job sites are busy, and with crew members coming and going as well as machinery moving back and forth with cargo, there’s always a risk for accidents to occur. Gates can be put in place as a guiding path for your team, helping to alleviate confusion and reduce the chance for incidences right from the get-go.
Perfect for Ladders and Elevators
Ladders and elevators are necessary if your facility requires workers to access different levels to get to equipment or resources, but they can also pose safety hazards without the right equipment present. Swing gates can keep everyone in place and keep your equipment secure at the same time, making sure everyone (and everything) is set up for success.
Asset Protection
Finally, gates aren’t just good for workers, they can also add an additional level of protection for equipment and machinery. Gates can be used as a deterrent to keep valuable items inaccessible and keep your job site safe after hours, avoiding costly losses and massive headaches along the way.
Swing Gate and Rolling Stair Solutions at Northern Platforms
As one of Western Canada’s top suppliers of safe access solutions, Northern Platforms is proud to offer an extensive inventory of swing gate and rolling stair solutions from leading manufacturers like YellowGate, ErectaStep, RollaStep and more. YellowGate swing gates are among the best available on the market and give you the opportunity to safely integrate their products with almost any set-up, allowing your team to focus on getting the job done with added peace of mind.
At Northern Platforms, we know that safety always comes first, and we’re here to make sure your team has everything it needs to succeed. From loading solutions to custom configurations, turn-key solutions, and more, Northern Platforms is your one-stop shop for safe access platforms, swing gates, and everything in between. Contact us today to learn more!
2022 is here, and with an eventful past few years now slowly starting to settle back into a more normal pace, it’s time to take a closer look at your on-site safety solutions. As an integral component of any platform or gangway system, swing gates act as a passive measure that helps to reduce the risk of serious injuries on-site and help increase efficiency overall. As one of Western Canada’s top suppliers of site safety equipment, Northern Platforms is here to make sure you have everything you need to succeed on the job site, including truck loading platforms, rolling stairs, swing gates and more.
Below, we’ll cover some of the top benefits associated with self-closing swing gates. Read on to learn more!
Why Safety Matters
As of 2019, workplace incidences have continued to rise across Western Canada, with Alberta seeing unfortunate statistics, especially for the transport and heavy industrial sectors. Slips, falls, and being struck by objects on site remain some of the highest risk factors on the job. Having the proper equipment, like swing gates, in places helps to mitigate danger, allowing your crew to get the job done quickly, without ever compromising on safety. Core benefits of self-closing gates include:
Enhanced Fall Protection
As we mentioned above, one of the most dangerous parts of working on job sites is slips and falls. When working on elevated platforms, rolling stairs, and other kinds of access equipment, there’s always a risk that someone may lose balance, in which case a self-closing gate is particularly useful. Thanks to its self-securing nature, these kinds of gates add an extra level of fall protection in dangerous scenarios and ensure that your crew can work as safely as possible.
Site Control
Need to isolate specific areas of your site to protect against mishaps? If you have a high-risk zone that requires restricted access, self-closing gates are a great asset that reduces the risk of accidental entry and well as increases product security where needed. In fact, OSHA actually specifies that some areas MUST use self-closing safety gates to reduce risks, and therefore having them installed is necessary for industry compliance.
Flexible Installation
Self-closing safety gates are incredibly flexible and versatile in terms of where they can be installed including loading docks, mezzanines, ladders, stairs, and over and around dangerous machinery for everyone’s benefit. This level of versatility helps you always have the right tool for the job, eliminating countless risks in the process!
Swing Gate and Rolling Stair Solutions at Northern Platforms
Northern Platforms is proud to partner with customers in the rail, trucking and transport, marine, oil & gas, forestry and related heavy industries access to safety equipment that makes achieving your daily operations as safe and efficient as possible. Our first priority is, and always will be, supplying you with quality solutions and services that you can count on when it matters most. From products from top brands like YellowGate, ErectaStep, RollaStep and more to turnkey services and preventative maintenance, Northern Platforms has your site safety needs covered. Contact us today to learn more!
