The Importance of Engineered Fall Protection Systems for the Railroad Industry
Find out which engineered fall protection system is best for maintenance workers in the railroad industry.
From coal, military vehicles, consumer goods, scrap metal, and chemicals, America’s freight train railroad system is an integral part of America’s economy. It’s responsible for transporting a third of all American exports and 40% of all long-distance freight volume.
According to the Association for American Railroads, there are over 140,000 miles of privately-owned tracks in America, and are operational in every state except Hawaii.
In the railroad industry, the maintenance of railcars and locomotives is important. But with freight cars weighing several tons and maintenance professionals working at height, rail yards can be a dangerous work environment without proper safety equipment.
To reduce downtime and improve employee safety and efficiency, investing in an engineered fall protection system is a smart move for any company in the railroad industry. But what fall protection solution would best fit for railroad applications?
With the help of Mazzella’s Fall Protection division, this article looks to inform you on engineered fall protection systems that are good fits for the railroad industry. We will answer several questions, including:
- What Should You Consider Before Purchasing a Enclosed Track System?
- Do Your Railroad Maintenance Workers Have Proper Fall Protection Training?
What Fall Hazards Exist for Railway Workers?
The maintenance of railcars and locomotives is important to ensure railroads can run safely, smoothly, and efficiently. But it’s also incredibly dangerous work. On top of train derailments, collisions, and exposure to dangerous loads (toxic chemicals), fall hazards are one of the most common issues that employees can experience while performing railcar maintenance.
A lot of railcar and locomotive maintenance is performed outside in rail yards, a large series of tracks in a rail network meant for storing, unloading, loading, sorting rail vehicles. And, depending on the weather conditions (rain, snow, ice), slips, trips, and falls are very common. With the standard height of a rail car being around 15’, a fall from this height can lead to severe injury or even death.
Some common reasons why people would be working at height include:
- Changing out light bulbs
- Fixing a horn
- Replacing or fixing GPS devices
- Clearing debris
- Inspections
There are also dozens of models for railcars and locomotives you must account for—each one of with its own unique shape and hazards.
What are the Railway Industries’ Fall Protection Guidelines?
All safety guidelines—including fall protection—for the railroad industry are determined by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), a branch of the Department of Transportation (DOT) that oversees safety, regulatory guidance, funding, and research for America’s railway industry.
While OSHA still has jurisdiction over railroad safety, FRA’s fall protection guidelines tend to be more stringent than OSHA’s, and they have specific standards that overrule OSHA guidelines. However, OSHA’s General Duty Clause is still impactful regarding fall protection guidelines for the railroad industry.
According to their guidelines, a fall protection system must be used any time there is a fall hazard present. You can also face fines / penalties for not providing workers with fall protection and not properly inspecting and repairing existing systems.
The Railroad Workplace Safety Rule
Similar to OSHA’s General Duty Clause, the Railroad Workplace Safety Rule establishes rules and regulations for the railroad industry. It requires railroads and railroad contractors to provide fall protection and personal protective equipment, including head, foot, eye, and face equipment when employees work on railroad bridges, and to protect employees from the hazards of moving trains and other railroad equipment.
What Fall Protection Systems are Best for Railroad Companies?
Some of the best engineered fall protection systems for railroad work are:
Enclosed Track Fall Protection Systems
Enclosed track fall protection systems are a fall arrest system that use anchors, a body harness, and a self-retracting lanyard (SRL) that allow a worker to safely travel the full length or span of a trolley track system.
Used as a permanent fall protection solution, rigid systems can be found in general industry, mills, factories, and manufacturing facilities—in indoor and outdoor settings. They are popular options for manufacturing and repairing large vehicles, making them a great choice for inspecting and repairing trains and railcars.
They can be permanently mounted to existing structures or suspended from floor or wall mounted supports. A variety of track styles, mounting styles, and specifications allow you to create a durable and low maintenance fall protection system that will protect workers at height.
However, they are the most expensive permanent option, and those working on temporary projects may want to look at other solutions.
Enclosed systems also have to be pre-installed in the areas where inspections or maintenance will be performed.
Mobile Fall Protection Systems
Mobile fall protection systems are, as the name implies, fall protection systems that can be moved around a job site for applications where a permanent engineered system isn’t needed.
In most cases, mobile fall protection systems connect to the back of a heavy-duty truck and are trailered onto job sites. They can be used in indoor and outdoor applications and are ideal for maintenance work on top of large vehicles / products. In addition to rail cars and locomotives, they can also service:
- Military vehicles
- Airplanes
- Trucks and buses
Mobile fall protection can be a viable option for railroad companies, as long as they meet the 24’ minimum for the mast extension.
Horizontal Lifeline Systems
Horizontal lifelines are an engineered fall protection system which allows workers to safely move horizontally along long-spanning rooftops, facilities with low clearance conditions, and, in rail yards, the top of locomotives and railcars.
Horizontal lifelines are easy to install and have a more affordable up-front cost, making them an enticing option for many companies. They can also be designed to be either temporary or permanent.
Why are Enclosed Track Systems the Best Option for Railroad Maintenance?
While there are some positives to using mobile and horizontal lifeline systems, our Fall Protection Specialists believe enclosed track rail systems are the best option for railroad maintenance. Here are the reasons they cited:
Shorter Free-Fall Distances and Less Sag
Rigid rail systems have a shorter free-fall distance than traditional wire rope systems, which reduces the chance of secondary fall injuries for workers, where they swing and collide with nearby obstacles.
Rigid rail systems use a self-retracting lifeline (SRLs) to help stop the lateral motion, triggered by a combination of the worker’s weight and the force of the fall. It is similar to how a seat belt works in a car.
Long Lifespan and Less Maintenance
If a maintenance worker falls on a horizontal lifeline wire rope system, that whole system has to come out of service and be replaced. Conversely, a rigid rail’s SRL reduce the maximum amount of force exerted on that system, inspection and maintenance needed to return the system to service. This offsets the high up-front cost.
And while mobile fall protection systems are great in maintenance applications, a potential negative is they do not perform well on uneven surfaces or smaller areas and require sufficient space to set up. So, depending on the size of your rail yard, they may not be a good fit.
Multiple Support Methods
Permanent enclosed rail systems can be supported from:
- Overhead / structural ceiling mounts
- Freestanding support with concrete foundation
- Existing building or wall support columns
Rigid rails can be used for railcar maintenance in a variety of environments, regardless of the size of your work area or if it’s indoors or outdoors.
What Should You Consider Before Purchasing an Enclosed Track Systems?
What Is Your Work Environment?
Are you doing railcar maintenance indoors or outdoors? If you’re outside in a rail yard, your track may experience rust and corrosion. You may want to consider galvanizing your enclosed track system, which will increase the price by about 10% but will increase the life of your system. However, there are aluminum enclosed track systems out there that are more corrosion resistant than traditional steel systems.
Is This a Temporary or Permanent Job Site?
If this is a temporary job, mobile fall protection systems or horizontal lifelines would be a better choice, as enclosed systems can take a while to install. However, enclosed tracks would be better for permanent installations with repetitive tasks
What Is Your Budget?
Rigid rail systems offer so many benefits for railroad companies who need fall protection for their maintenance teams. But, as mentioned earlier, they are the most expensive option out there. Make sure you have the finances in place to not only purchase them but also account for installation costs and any add-ons.
Do You Have Multi-Worker Projects?
One of the unique benefits of a rigid rail system is you can create a passable system to allow for multi-work projects. If your current workflow has (or could benefit from) multiple maintenance employees working on a rail car at the same time, talk to a Fall Protection Specialists on engineering a passable system. Please advise that these customizations will increase the final price of your system.
Do Your Railroad Maintenance Workers Have Proper Fall Protection Training?
Lack of fall protection training ended up being seventh on OSHA’s list of most frequent cited violations in 2024. These violations include:
- Incorrect or unsafe anchor points
- Improperly sized body harnesses or incorrect materials for the environment
- No working from height rescue plan in place
Lives are on the line every day when working at height, so in addition to an engineered fall protection system and proper PPE, schedule fall protection training for your railroad maintenance workers.
Why Should Railroad Companies Choose Mazzella for Their Fall Protection Needs?
While installing a new fall protection system can costs more money and present unique engineering challenges, the payoff of avoiding workplace injuries and fatalities and meeting stringent industry standards is all the reason to invest in an engineered fall protection system.
On top of engineered fall protection systems, employees in rail yards should also have proper personal protective equipment (PPE) and proper training on fall protection best practices.
Whether it’s a rigid rail, horizontal lifeline, or mobile fall protection system, Mazzella has a proven track record of helping the largest railroad companies in the country with their unique fall protection issues.
All Mazzella engineered fall protection systems and products meet or exceed the federal criteria required by OSHA and ANSI and can be customized with your individual fall protection and financial needs in mind. Mazzella partners with some of the largest and most accredited fall protection manufacturers in America.
Additionally, Mazzella also offers basic and competent fall protection training, system inspection, documentation storage, and procedure development and rescue plans. Contact one of our Fall Protection Specialists to learn more about our projects in the railroad industry.
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