With hundreds of fatal accidents occurring in railyards every single year, proper safety equipment isn’t just a purchase–it’s a life-saving priority. With several small additions to your operation, you can ensure your workers, environment, and surrounding communities are completely protected. Keep reading for our 2025 recommendations for essential railcar safety equipment.
Why Railcar Safety Equipment is Important
Without proper equipment, railcars pose significant safety risks. For example, take a 2013 incident in Quebec. When left unsupervised overnight, a freight train began to roll. While this freight train was seemingly secured with both hand brakes and air brakes, both these systems failed. This incident resulted in several box cars and tank cars derailing, which caused crude oil spills, fires, building damage, and 47 fatal injuries to surrounding civilians.
This incident clearly underlines the importance of railcar wheel chocks, derails and other essential physical railcar safety equipment. Now, as determined by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, Canadian railways must use additional physical protections to help prevent runaway equipment.
Essential Railcar Loading Equipment
Ready to transform your operations? Here are some essential railcar safety products–all in stock at Northern Platforms today!
Railcar Wheel Chocks
Railcar wheel chocks help secure the wheels of your railcar while it is being loaded or unloaded. Metal spurs bite into the railway, offering maximum security and safety for workers. At Northern Platforms, we stock a variety of railcar wheel chocks, including:
In some emergency situations, your best option is to derail your railcar and prevent catastrophic incidents. That’s where derails come in. These devices lift the wheel’s flange off the track, effectively allowing the wheels of the car to bite into a soft surface and slide to a stop. Derails help prevent:
One car rolling into another car.
Unauthorized rolling locomotives from crashing into stationary cars.
Loose cars from rolling onto the main line.
Blue Flags
In Alberta, blue flags are mandatory. These safety signs indicate to approaching operators that railcars are being loaded or unloaded in the area and to signal that there are workers in the area. Blue flags must be placed on the railway or on a traincar that is easily visible to approaching operators.
Switch Cube Indicators
Switch cube indicators are common at switches and are often the result of human error. For example, inexperienced operators might not know to accurately read the switch points. Illuminated switch cubes are an ideal piece of equipment that helps clearly indicate which direction the track is going. Many of these cubes are equipped with solar panels, making them energy-efficient and long-lasting.
Railcar Sockets
Tank car sockets are available in both steel and bronze configurations, with hex or 8-point designs ranging from 1-5/16″ to 1-7/8″. Steel sockets handle up to 1,500 ft./lbs. of maximum torque, while bronze versions are spark-resistant and rated for 500 ft./lbs.. These tools work with T-wrenches to provide proper leverage for opening and closing dome lid nuts without damaging gaskets or threads.
Brake Sticks
An essential piece of worker equipment, brake sticks help operators work railcar brakes without the use of a ladder. Depending on your needs, there are several different types of brake sticks available, including:
Telescoping brake sticks with or without magnetic handles
Light-weight fixed-length brake sticks
Heavy-duty brake sticks
Railcar Mover
Need to move your railcar an inch for the perfect position? These units are impossible to move without locomotive power–unless you have a railcar mover. These simple pieces of equipment allow single workers to move a fully-loaded railcar small distances, allowing them to perfectly align other equipment or loading operations.
Spill Containment Pans
Accidents happen, even in perfect operating conditions. When dealing with oil, chemicals, or other hazardous cargo, spill containment track pans are an essential fail-safe to help prevent environmental damage. Our product features a modular design that can easily be modified to contain everything from small drips to catastrophic leaks.
Ready to Enhance Your Railcar Safety?
Railcar wheel chocks, sockets, movers…what piece of safety equipment will you add to your operations? No matter what you decide, the Northern Platforms team is here to help! Explore our product catalogue online or contact our sales team today! Let us help you make your railyard safer, more compliant, and more efficient in 2025.
Top Applications for Industrial Swing Gates
Oil and Gas Plants
Oil and gas facilities can be dangerous work sites, especially when operators regularly deal with elevated work platforms, ladders, and other falling hazards. In fact, one of the most significant risks for all workers is unsecured access points on ladders and hatches.
While these risks are significant, ensuring complete safety is easy. Oil and gas facilities count on YellowGate’s industrial swing gates to provide 24/7 protection for all open access points on ladders, stairs, and other areas on their site. For example, the Northern Platforms team installed over 50 safety swing gates at an oil and natural gas facility in central Alberta. This allowed workers to safely navigate the processing plant and ensure they were protected from falling hazardous at every step.
Food Processing Facilities
Food and beverage processing facilities combine elevated work environments with strict hygiene requirements. Workers regularly access significant heights on tanks, conveyor systems, and assembly lines. In these circumstances, food processing facilities can benefit from installing safety swing gates in several locations, including:
Mixing tanks and other processing locations.
Elevated conveyor systems.
Ladders and stairways leading to packaging and bottling assembly lines.
Rooftop Access
No matter what industry you operate in, you or your workers will likely have to access the rooftop at some point. From performing HVAC checks to maintaining important equipment, these regular tasks can be dangerous without proper protection in place. Pair your safety swing gates with portable railing systems for comprehensive rooftop fall protection.
Warehouse Loading Docks
In addition to standard adjustable swing gates, YellowGate offers the XL barrier gate, which offers 6 feet of adjustable traffic control. Suitable for both interior and exterior applications, this products easily protects passageways in your facilities, helping you control dangerous areas or block unauthorized access.
The Universal Solution: YellowGate Industrial Safety Gates
When dealing with conventional safety swing gates, your supplier will need to know several details, including:
The size of each opening where the gate will be installed.
How the gate will be mounted (square tubing vs. pipes).
The direction that the gate will swing.
However, with YellowGate’s innovative industrial safety gates, you don’t have to worry about all these details. Featuring a unique universal mounting system and 16-inch adjustability, these fall protection solutions fit almost every type of opening, regardless of your facility. For complete protection, simply count the number of openings on your site and place your order with Northern Platforms—no need for measuring, mounting considerations, or other time-consuming assessments.
Protect Your Facility Today
Ready to simplify your facility’s fall protection with universal adjustable swing gates? With just one SKU, you can guarantee your workers are protected at every turn. Contact Northern Platforms today for turnkey installation, maintenance programs, and more!
Looking for reliable industrial swing gates that work across every application? YellowGate has revolutionized workplace safety with a universal industrial swing gate that is suitable for virtually every application. These adjustable swing gates eliminate the traditional complexity of safety equipment while delivering superior protection across multiple industrial sectors. Keep reading to learn more about common uses for this product—and how to order YellowGate safety swing gates from Northern Platforms today!
Top Applications for Industrial Swing Gates
Oil and Gas Plants
Oil and gas facilities can be dangerous work sites, especially when operators regularly deal with elevated work platforms, ladders, and other falling hazards. In fact, one of the most significant risks for all workers is unsecured access points on ladders and hatches.
While these risks are significant, ensuring complete safety is easy. Oil and gas facilities count on YellowGate’s industrial swing gates to provide 24/7 protection for all open access points on ladders, stairs, and other areas on their site. For example, the Northern Platforms team installed over 50 safety swing gates at an oil and natural gas facility in central Alberta. This allowed workers to safely navigate the processing plant and ensure they were protected from falling hazardous at every step.
Food Processing Facilities
Food and beverage processing facilities combine elevated work environments with strict hygiene requirements. Workers regularly access significant heights on tanks, conveyor systems, and assembly lines. In these circumstances, food processing facilities can benefit from installing safety swing gates in several locations, including:
Mixing tanks and other processing locations.
Elevated conveyor systems.
Ladders and stairways leading to packaging and bottling assembly lines.
Rooftop Access
No matter what industry you operate in, you or your workers will likely have to access the rooftop at some point. From performing HVAC checks to maintaining important equipment, these regular tasks can be dangerous without proper protection in place. Pair your safety swing gates with portable railing systems for comprehensive rooftop fall protection.
Warehouse Loading Docks
In addition to standard adjustable swing gates, YellowGate offers the XL barrier gate, which offers 6 feet of adjustable traffic control. Suitable for both interior and exterior applications, this products easily protects passageways in your facilities, helping you control dangerous areas or block unauthorized access.
The Universal Solution: YellowGate Industrial Safety Gates
When dealing with conventional safety swing gates, your supplier will need to know several details, including:
The size of each opening where the gate will be installed.
How the gate will be mounted (square tubing vs. pipes).
The direction that the gate will swing.
However, with YellowGate’s innovative industrial safety gates, you don’t have to worry about all these details. Featuring a unique universal mounting system and 16-inch adjustability, these fall protection solutions fit almost every type of opening, regardless of your facility. For complete protection, simply count the number of openings on your site and place your order with Northern Platforms—no need for measuring, mounting considerations, or other time-consuming assessments.
Protect Your Facility Today
Ready to simplify your facility’s fall protection with universal adjustable swing gates? With just one SKU, you can guarantee your workers are protected at every turn. Contact Northern Platforms today for turnkey installation, maintenance programs, and more!
While flatbeds might not look as dangerous as tanker trucks or railcars, the truth is that working on these trailers regularly puts operators at risk of fatal falls. Plus, this risk is substantially increased without proper fall protection systems that adapt to the needs of the modern workplace. Enter: mobile fall protection for flatbed trailers. These simple and reliable systems turn life-threatening hazards into manageable solutions. Ready to learn how this product can transform your operations? Keep reading!
What are Mobile Fall Protection Platforms?
Combining safety, versatility, and adaptability, mobile fall protection platforms are an ideal addition to any operation that regularly deals with flatbed trailers. This equipment is designed to provide a secure working surface and fall protection for workers. It typically features large work surfaces, safety handrails, and wheels, allowing them to be positioned alongside trailers where needed.
Benefits of Mobile Platforms for Flatbed Fall Protection
Mobility: The most obvious advantage of this system is that mobile platforms move with your workers, unlike fixed systems. These systems are often equipped with 360-degree casters, making it easy for a single worker to move and position this system.
Versatility: From traditional flatbed trailers to step decks and lowboys, mobile platforms can be customized for any application. Mobile platforms are more than fall protection systems—they’re adaptable solutions with multiple uses. Once loading or unloading is complete, they can be used as standalone work platforms, access solutions, and more. Plus, mobile platforms can often be customized with modular handrails, enclosure panels, and more.
Passive Protection: While active fall protection systems like fall arrests require worker compliance, mobile platforms provide consistent support without any additional effort. With proper guardrails, operators are protected 24/7.
Introducing: RollAStep’s MP Series
Looking for your go-to flatbed fall safety solution? Look no further–RollaStep’s MP Series is one of the best products on the market. Combining the stability of a fixed work platform with the versatility of a movable platform, this fall protection system features:
9’ x 3’ work platforms to accommodate numerous operators.
360-degree swivelling and locking casters.
Removable handrails for ultimate versatility.
No-flat tires.
Aggressive no-slip surface.
Extra wide no-slip tread.
Technical Specifications
RollAStep’s MP series comes in several different sizes to accommodate the different circumstances of your site. Here are the technical specifications of each model:
Top Notch Products: We’re Western Canada’s leading supplier of RollaStep, ErectaStep, and SafeRack products. These brands are backed by decades of expertise and offer some of the bestselling fall protection products in all of North America.
One Stop Shop: Our Leduc warehouse is fully stocked and ready to serve you. On top of mobile platforms, we offer comprehensive solutions for truck and railcar loading, modular work platforms for warehouses, and more! No matter your needs, let Northern Platforms take care of it all.
On-Site Assessments: Whenever possible, the Northern Platforms team will schedule a comprehensive on-site assessment to identify your needs and recommend the ideal solution. If you are located in Alberta, give our team a call and we’ll have someone on site within a few business days.
Warehouse, manufacturing, and oil and gas facilities are typically bustling spaces where workers, forklifts, and other heavy machinery constantly move from one place to another. Because of the commotion in these facilities, overcrowding and safety are significant issues that must be addressed. So how do you handle these problems in busy facilities? Northern Platforms’ modular catwalk systems are a great option! Catwalk systems can improve the productivity and flow of traffic in your facility by providing safer and more efficient means of navigation for workers. Next, we’ll tell you how modular catwalk systems from Northern Platforms can improve safety and efficiency in your facility and two of their typical applications. Continue reading to learn more!
How Modular Catwalk Systems Help
Northern Platform’s modular catwalk systems are manufactured to create an efficient way for employees to navigate from point A to point B within a facility. However, getting from point A to point B can be a lot more complicated depending on the facility’s layout, obstacles, and hazards. That’s why modular catwalk systems from Northern Platforms are an excellent access solution, as they can be customized to fit your facility’s exact requirements. But more on that below. Overall modular catwalk systems are a fantastic way to ensure safety and efficiency in your facility as they create a clear and safe path. Some other benefits include the following.
Navigate Over Obstacles
One of the most significant advantages of modular catwalks systems is that they provide workers with a safe means of accessing equipment, storage areas, controls and more. If these features are infrequently used (as is often the case in many facilities), they’re usually placed off to the side or in difficult-to-reach areas to keep floor space clear for other activities. Modular catwalk systems from Northern Platforms offer a simple means of reaching necessary equipment or controls without interrupting other operations. That means that with a catwalk system, your employees can easily navigate your facility, perform repairs, and avoid obstacles or other operational activities without fear of an accident or disruption in production.
Add a Vantage Point to Your Facility
Furthermore, modular catwalk systems from Northern Platforms are excellent for creating vantage points for overseeing equipment and work in your facility. Often, our modular catwalks are incorporated into larger safe access systems such as observation platforms, mezzanines and more. For supervisors and quality control officers, these vantage points give them a clearer view of the production flow below and see where any issues or problems may occur. Overall modular catwalk systems from Northern Platforms offer safety and efficiency-related benefits, depending on how you implement them in your facility.
Modular Catwalk Systems at Northern Platforms
Located in Leduc, Alberta, Northern Platforms is Western Canada’s premier access and loading solutions distributor. We proudly distribute solutions from industry-leading brands like ErectaStep, SafeRack, RollaStep and more. Moreover, Northern Platforms also offers a range of turnkey solutions, such as installation and preventative maintenance, to help ensure your facility is safe and compliant. Are you interested in learning more about our modular catwalk systems? Contact Northern Platforms today!
Across manufacturing, oil and gas, truck loading, and numerous other industries, modular access platforms have been providing workers with a safe, reliable, and durable means of quickly navigating worksites and facilities. These safe access solutions are critical pieces of fall prevention equipment to ensure your worksite complies with local and national safety standards.
At Northern Platforms, our team is committed to providing outstanding safe access solutions. Our offering of modular access platforms is built to last even through the most challenging environments. So regardless of your industry, Northern Platforms will surely have the access solutions you need to ensure your workers are safe. Below we’ll take a closer look at some of the advantages of Northern Platforms’ modular access platforms. Continue reading to find out more!
Customizable to Fit Your Facility
One of the most significant advantages of ErectaStep’s modular access platforms is their versatility. These platforms offer increased safety and efficiency for your workers and can also be customized to fit your facility’s exact needs. At Northern Platforms, our team can visit your facility and custom design an ErectaStep modular access platform with our digital design tool. This tool also provides an accurate quote and diagram of how your access platform will look, so you can be sure your modular access platform will be a perfect fit. Moreover, ErectaStep modular access platforms are simple to install. Regardless of the obstacles or hazards present in your facility, you can ensure efficient access by utilizing modular access platforms from Northern Platforms.
Industry-Leading Quality
ErectaStep is an industry-leading manufacturer of modular safe access solutions. Their pre-engineered modular access platforms are manufactured with robotic welding machines equipped with the latest laser cutting technology. This combination of technology and quality manufacturing means that ErectaStep’s modular access platforms are built to last. For decades, ErectaStep’s modular access platforms have worked hard to ensure that worksites are safe, accessible, and efficient. At Northern Platforms, we take pride in our partnerships with industry-leading manufacturers like ErectaStep; that’s why Northern Platforms is your premier Western access solutions distributor.
Access to Expert Support
When you require safe access solutions like modular access platforms, you need expert support from Northern Platforms. At Northern Platforms, our team is here to help you determine the best access solutions for your unique applications. Our experts can even visit your worksite to identify potential challenges your facility may be dealing with and then offer possible solutions for you to choose from. From custom modular access platform configurations to installation support, preventative maintenance and more, Northern Platforms proudly provides a comprehensive range of turnkey solutions to ensure your worksite is safe and accessible. So when you’re ready to improve the safety and efficiency of your facility, Northern Platforms is prepared to help!
Modular Access Platforms and More from Northern Platforms!
Located in Leduc, Alberta, Northern Platforms is proud to be Western Canada’s preferred access solutions expert. Our comprehensive access and loading solutions inventory includes industry-leading brands like ErectaStep, RollaStep, SafeRack, OPW and more! If you’ve been searching for safe, efficient, and reliable access solutions for your facility, Northern Platforms is here to help! Contact us today to learn more about our offering of modular access platforms and our numerous other access solutions.
