At SafeRack, we understand dedication to doing the job right and the importance of safety above all else. This Christmas, we celebrate the hardworking individuals who give their all each day—not just for their teams at work, but for their loved ones waiting at home.

We know you rise before dawn, putting in long hours to provide for your families. You work hard and give it your all, because they depend on you. And at the end of the day, when you finally walk through the door to see their smiling faces, you know it’s all worth it.

This Christmas, we honor your commitment and remind you that your safety matters—to your families and to us. Because they rely on you, you can rely on us.

The post A Heartfelt Christmas Message from SafeRack appeared first on SafeRack.

The post Christmas 2023 – A Unique Holiday Safety Vision! appeared first on SafeRack.

Lyrics

It’s Christmas Eve,
And fun for all,
Cause work this year,
Had zero falls!

You’re safely having a wonderful Christmastime,
Our stairs and platforms make everything safe to climb!

You’re climbing high,
With gear to schlep,
Good thing you’ve got,
Erectastep!

Safely having a wonderful Christmastime,
Just five components will give you endless designs!

Became I.S.O. certified,
Saferack turned twenty, that’s no lie!
Preventing slips and trips and falls
We have it all…..

We’re safely having a wonderful Christmastime
For safety access, there’s no better place or time
Safely having a wonderful Christmastime

It’s been a year,
Of joy and pride,
Joining the team,
Oooour friends at Upside!

Our brand’s expanding, our products are top of line!
Upside’s systems, all ADA certified

There’s Rollastep and Yellow Gate,
All made in U.S.A.!
Preventing slips and trips and falls
We have it all…..

Exciting things,
Have come to pass,
We even launched,
SafeRack podcast!

Have a listen, a great way to pass the time,
Ray and Kenny will both have you feeling fine,
Safely having a wonderful Christmastime

Ready to ship,
OSHA compliant,
But best of all,
Oooh, is you, our clients!

We want to wish you a wonderful Christmastime,
Stay safe and healthy and have a wonderful Christmastime,
SixAxis wants you to have a wonderful Christmastime!
Safely having a wonderful Christmastime,

Happy New Year and a wonderful Christmastime!

The post Christmas 2022 – Safely Having a Wonderful Christmas Time appeared first on SafeRack.

Railroad Construction Company, Inc. (RCC) is headquartered in Paterson, New Jersey, and provides a broad range of track services for both the private and public sectors along the East Coast. The company’s services include excavation, grading, site work, utility installation, structural concrete, building fit-outs, building and bridge construction and rehabilitation, roadway construction, and railroad track installation, maintenance, and removal.  

RCC prioritizes safety and efficiency in all its projects. SafeRack’s products, customer service, and capabilities allow companies like RCC to meet these objectives. SafeRack is the recognized industry leader in truck and railcar loading platforms and related safety and fall protection products. To ensure that customers get the right products for each job, the SafeRack team utilizes a configurator that makes it simple to do site visits to create configurations and provide quotes in a matter of hours rather than days or weeks. 

Dedicated SafeRack sales representatives like Tony Dublino, featured in the video below, work tirelessly to make sure that your team has the right equipment in the least amount of time without the hassle associated with conventional quote processes. To learn more about SafeRack products and services, please contact a member of our team today.

The post Railroad Construction and the SafeRack Customer Experience appeared first on SafeRack.

Safety cages create a very safe environment for workers when they are bulk-loading trucks and railcars. The cages prevent workers from falling off of the top of the vehicles, which can be very dangerous.

The safety cages also make it easier for workers to access the top of the vehicles. This makes it easier for them to do their job without worrying about falling or being injured.

Safety cages create an efficient and safer work environment for workers as they bulk-load trucks and railcars.

• Many standard cage configurations are available
• Units available for both truck and railcar applications
• The counterweighted design allows for smaller, less expensive drive components
• Pneumatic or electric motor drive options
• Off-the-shelf replacement parts are available quickly & easily
• Robust galvanized steel columns and carriage
• Patent-pending manual override or raise/ lower in case of power or air pressure loss

The post MaxRack Elevating Safety Cage Demonstration appeared first on SafeRack.

The post MarinaStep Ferry Gangway Installation for NYC Ferry appeared first on SafeRack.

If there’s one thing we know for sure, things change fast in the modular construction industry. Last-minute design changes and a long list of variables over which we have very little control can impact the budget and timeline for your modular installation project, and our integrated Apex System was designed to make adapting on the fly easy and affordable.

In this episode of the SafeRack Podcast, guest hosts Billy Lippert and Eli Boyd from Upside Innovations discuss how the Apex System makes wheelchair ramps, deck and step installations straightforward and successful. Topics covered include project estimates, proper budgeting, leg anchors, stacked designs, installing surfaces, proper measuring techniques, anticipating common variables, assessing site conditions, ADA ramp heights, last-minute site changes, passing inspection, and making sure the material matches the specifications for your project. Modular industry challenges are common, but our Apex system ensures the product delivered is well matched to the final design.

Podcasts

1. Truck spotting with Kenny and Ray The significance of proper truck spotting includes topics such as loading arms and hoses, open and closed loading, ISOtainers, specialized safety cages, hatch access, as well as top and bottom unloading from truck and rail.
2. Railcar Loading BOLOs A discussion about the variables to consider when designing a safe and effective railcar loading solution
3. Design-Build Services Explore the wide variety of loading and safe access applications we deliver. From simple loading spot upgrades and turn-key installations to more complex retrofits and complete rail, marine, and truck loading/unloading systems, the duo covers common concerns and requirements customers face when considering an install.
4. Soft Tissue Injuries Solutions for avoiding the most common workplace injury, soft tissue damage to muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
5. Preparing for Modular Stair & Ramp Installation  Guest hosts Billy Lippert and Eli Boyd from Upside Innovations discuss how the Apex System makes ramp deck step installations straightforward and successful.

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The post Preparing for Modular Stair & Ramp Installation – The Podcast appeared first on SafeRack.

Avoiding Soft Tissue Injuries in the Workplace

It’s widely recognized that we are experiencing an aging workforce in the U.S. with about 45% of manufacturing operators over the age of 45. With so many of your employees more prone to soft tissue injury, it’s imperative that you do all you can to keep workers safe. Providing proper safety training, keeping up on regular equipment maintenance, and setting up routines and expectations that do not overexert your workers are good places to start.

In this episode of the SafeRack podcast, hosts Kenny Rogers and Ray Evans discuss how employers can avoid the most common workplace injury, soft tissue damage to muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Our Vertical Market Specialists cover slips, trips, and falls which are often the culprit, especially in the loading industry. Topics discussed include proper balancing of loading arms, regular maintenance, and safety training, and the benefits of electric, pneumatic, and hydraulic assist gangways to keep workers safe and avoid unnecessary repetitive knee, elbow, wrist, and back injuries at work

KENNY ROGERS

SafeRack’s Cement, Mining & Flatbed Fall Protection Specialist
An industry expert with 20 years of successful experience in business development and project management, Kenny has the ability to provide progressive, out-of-the-box solutions on complex plant projects.

RAY EVANS

SafeRack’s Bulk Chemical Market Specialist
With over 25 years of experience, Ray has been instrumental in collaborating with the top Bulk Chemical companies and works closely with local and national chemical trade associations keeping abreast of the latest legislative news and initiatives in the Agro Chem/Fertilizer, Petro, and Specialty Chemical space.

The post Soft Tissue Injuries with Kenny and Ray – The Podcast appeared first on SafeRack.

Design & Build Services for Plant & Facility Expansions

In addition to providing a comprehensive list of individual safe access products, we can also design, build, and install a complete application when your plant is ready to expand. Regardless of the scope of your expansion project, our holistic approach will save money by strategically scheduling your installation to reduce downtime and maximize throughput.

In this episode of the SafeRack Podcast, hosts Kenny Rogers and Ray Evans discuss the wide variety of loading and safe access applications we deliver. From simple loading spot upgrades and turn-key installations to more complex retrofits and complete rail, marine, and truck loading/unloading systems, the duo covers common concerns and requirements customers face when considering an install. The importance of taking meticulous measurements to ensure a successful installation and deciding whether your project will require foundations and support columns are discussed. Also covered is how to avoid the hassle of piecing together additional components such as spill containment, eye wash stations, safety showers, lighting, and more.

KENNY ROGERS

SafeRack’s Cement, Mining & Flatbed Fall Protection Specialist
An industry expert with 20 years of successful experience in business development and project management, Kenny has the ability to provide progressive, out-of-the-box solutions on complex plant projects.

RAY EVANS

SafeRack’s Bulk Chemical Market Specialist
With over 25 years of experience, Ray has been instrumental in collaborating with the top Bulk Chemical companies and works closely with local and national chemical trade associations keeping abreast of the latest legislative news and initiatives in the Agro Chem/Fertilizer, Petro, and Specialty Chemical space.

The post Design-Build Services with Kenny and Ray – The Podcast appeared first on SafeRack.

Things to Be-On-the-Look-Out for when determining the best railcar loading solution

It’s not uncommon for customers in the railcar loading industry to come to us with a long list of questions about the specifications required for their application. Railcars are rarely uniform with length and heights varying widely depending upon the material and quantity being transported. Thankfully, we serve just about any industry from hazardous chemical and aggregate to food and beverage and oil and gas with proactive safety solutions to improve safety and increase efficiency in railcar loading/unloading operations.

In this episode of the SafeRack Podcast, hosts Kenny Rogers and Ray Evans discuss the variables which must be considered when designing a safe and effective railcar loading solution. From tight fill for pressurized materials such as ammonium sulfate and chlorine to splash fill loading for food-grade products such as vegetable oil and corn syrup, Vertical Market Specialists Kenny and Ray cover common obstacles in railcar loading. Topics include the pitfalls of narrow gangways and how to accommodate the need for bulky PPE or piping or conduit obstructions when preparing to install or retrofit a railcar loading solution in any industry. 

KENNY ROGERS

SafeRack’s Cement, Mining & Flatbed Fall Protection Specialist
An industry expert with 20 years of successful experience in business development and project management, Kenny has the ability to provide progressive, out-of-the-box solutions on complex plant projects.

RAY EVANS

SafeRack’s Bulk Chemical Market Specialist
With over 25 years of experience, Ray has been instrumental in collaborating with the top Bulk Chemical companies and works closely with local and national chemical trade associations keeping abreast of the latest legislative news and initiatives in the Agro Chem/Fertilizer, Petro, and Specialty Chemical space.

Podcast Transcript

Kenny
Welcome To another edition of the SafeRack podcast. I’m Kenny Rogers, Cement, Mining & Flatbed Fall Protection vertical market specialist.

Ray
And I’m Ray Evans, vertical market specialist for Bulk Chemical.

Kenny
Today we’re going to talk a little bit about railcar BOLOs. A lot of customers call in and want to have. They have a lot of questions on hey you know I’ve got this railcar application what do I need to have safe access and loading at these locations. And a lot of times you know what we’ll see is that you know they don’t know what they don’t know.

Ray
Exactly. A lot of times I hear my railcars are all the same, but we know they’re not the same. Right?

Kenny
Right. very rarely is there a dedicated fleet of railcars for a particular application.

Ray
Exactly. Yeah. Most people don’t realize that railcars come in various lengths and sizes, and it also depends on the product or commodity that you’re transporting. Some of your dedicated cars, like an ammonia railcar might be a smaller 45-footer with a 10,000-gallon capacity, or as large as a 33,000-gallon LPG railcar.

Kenny
So obviously different lengths, different heights and different crash box designs for these various railcar applications.

Ray
It’s really based on the commodity that you’re transporting. Some cars are, are tight fill (or closed loading) and some are splash loaded. So it’s going to be a tight fill , which is typically a pressurized railcar. In a pressurized railcar, they’re going to be transporting hazardous materials such as ammonium nitrate, which might be chlorine, ethylene oxide, LPG or maybe vinyl chloride. Also, railcars can be insulated or not insulated, depending on the product.

Kenny
So there you’ll have safety valves, and tight fuel connections, whereas you could have these railcars that have splash loaded, which you don’t have the same needs or requirements for those applications.

Ray
Correct. They could be splash loaded, could be edible oils or fuel oils, or things of that nature.

Ray
When we’re dealing with a pressurized car, there won’t be a man way as with non-pressurized railcars, but they’ll have a breadbasket where you make your connections in there and a smaller crash box of six by six.

Ray
When you’re dealing with a non-pressurized railcar, you’ll see longer crash boxes for your man ways and a bread basket for loading with a tight seal or splash seal.

Kenny
Yeah. A lot of times with these types of railcars, you’ll see that they have the offsets and there are some special design criteria that we like to design, helping people safely access these railcars. What are some different types of solutions that you’re seeing out there?

Ray
Well, with these offset crash blocks, we typically want to put in a wider gangway, if possible. In the old days before where they had safety cages, you would just have a little pivoting gangway that would pivot to the opening. But that’s not the best, approach because the worker will have to hop over a handrail just to get access to the railcar. That’s not really best practice,

Kenny
Yeah. I mean, you’re creating more of an unsafe condition by having to jump over that crash box versus just going up the side of the railcar.

Ray
Right. And then depending on the size of your safety cage, the cage could interfere with your connections as well.

Kenny
Right. If you can’t open the hatches, you can’t make connections to the loading apparatus, whether it’s a tight fill or splash fill. So it does create a host of issues if you don’t have the right gangways in there.

Ray
So what we like to recommend is, to provide a safer, more effective loading operation is put in a wider gangway, so increase a standard 4-foot wide gangway to a 5 or 6-foot wide gangway.

	(Self-Adjusting Stairs)	(Self-Adjusting Stairs)	(Flat Ramp Loading)	(Telescoping Flat Ramp)
Vehicle(s)	Truck loading	Truck loading	Loading Hopper RailCars	Loading Liquid Tank RailCars
Attributes	Easily Adjusts to different vehicle heights	Easily Adjusts to different vehicle heights		Telescoping extension to adjust for Railcar crash boxes or applications that don’t require safety cage
Width/ Range	24″, 36″, 48″, 60″, 72″ 45° Up/40° Down	24″, 36″, 48″, 60″, 72″ 45° Up/40° Down	24″, 36″, 48″, 60″, 72″ 15° Up/15° Down	24″, 36″, 48″, 60″, 72″ 15° Up/15° Down
Options	Tracking Gangway Safety Cage Power Options: Pneumatic, Corrosion Resistant Pneumatic, 110V (via 12 volt system), Solar (via 12 volt system), 208V (without 12 volt system)	Tracking Gangway Safety Cage	Tracking Gangway Safety Cage	Tracking Gangway
Load	500lbs	500lbs
Materials	Aluminum with stainless steel hardware	Aluminum with stainless steel hardware	Aluminum with stainless steel hardware. Stainless steel option	Aluminum with stainless steel hardware. Stainless steel option

Kenny
Whenever the railcar comes in, whether it’s offset left or right, it can come in out of the way, and then it can, it can obviously solve that issue. But on another level, if the, if it’s a hazardous application and the people accessing the top of railcar have on PPE, which is kind of bulky sometimes with goggles, respirators, and Tyvek suits, it’s difficult with the smaller gangways to access the railcars.

Ray
Exactly. So that’s why I said a minimum of 48 inches wide is what we’re looking for. What we’re looking for. So a two-rail cage design has been industry standard for a long, long time. But now companies are being more proactive and they want to close off that gap and reduce it to less than 19 inches. So we (SafeRack) got a couple of solutions that are out there in the industry. We have a four-rail cage that articulates down with the gangway. Basically, it’s like a two-rail cage on steroids, which is like a two-rail cage design and with “flappers” on the inboard on the outboard side that kind of fold down and close off the gaps on the inboard on the outboard side.

SafeRack Safety Cage Types

2-Rail Safety Cage	4-Rail Safety Cage	ISOtainer Safety Cage	Offset Safety Cage	FracSand Cage

Kenny
So whenever you’re having one of these cages access on a safe access gangway, it works in an arc motion, which is why you have to have that flapper on the outside versus a vertical motion for an elevated cage.

Ray
Correct. With crash boxes in one particular plant, you might have a 6×6’ or maybe all the way up to a 7×6’ crashbox, need to make sure that cage comes down, that if you just come straight down, you could actually hit the outboard rail so we have cages that fold down, resting on top of the cashbox.

Kenny
What about retrofitting existing structures? You know, a lot of times those installations are a little bit bigger. Is there are there any issues that you see whenever you’re putting these gangways and cages with some existing locations?

Ray
Yeah. One thing you need, it does take up a little more real estate on the face of the platform. So could be anywhere from six to seven feet depending on the size of the gangway. If you’ve got processed pipe there, the nitrogen lines or whatever that you can’t move. We do have another solution that’s out there in the industry, and that’s going to be a four-rail elevating cage. It’s a freestanding system. We’re going to drop, supports to grade, and you don’t have to worry about what’s on the face of your platform.

Kenny
Yeah, because a lot of times if they have to relocate an installation due to process piping, conduit, or other obstacles, it’s an expensive proposition. Relocating could be more than the cost of our equipment.

Ray
Absolutely. And then with these elevating cages, it can be powered with hydraulics, pneumatics, or electricity with options for non-explosion or explosion-proof.

Kenny
So a summary of today’s discussion… we talked about the BOLOs that are out there. We get a lot of calls from customers about an application with a lot of congestion or obstructions in front of their loading platform and we’ll have to do on-site to evaluate and consider the BOLOs.

Ray
Absolutely. With SafeRack, we’ve got a dedicated sales team and experts that can do a turnkey and ensure you have a successful project.

Kenny
That’s all the time we have for today’s podcast. Join us next time when we discuss design, build services.

The post Railcar Loading BOLOs with Kenny and Ray – The Podcast appeared first on SafeRack.

Whether you’re complying with General Industry (OSHA 1910), Maritime (OSHA 1915), or Construction (OSHA 1926) requirements, SafeRack fall protection systems support workplace safety without compromising productivity.

• Can span up to 200 feet
• Supports up to 4 workers at a time
• Meets all OSHA requirements for horizontal cable lifeline systems

The SafeRack cable lifeline fall protection system is a lightweight, shock-absorbing horizontal fall protection system designed for use in railcar and truck tank container loading and unloading applications. The SafeRack cable system can adapt to any working environment to provide operators with OSHA-compliant fall protection that won’t interfere with getting the job done efficiently. It’s particularly advantageous in environments with limited access, low frequency of use, or with railcars of differing lengths.

The post Road Report – Lifeline installation at a Cement facility appeared first on SafeRack.

If you’re in the aggregate or chemical industries, you understand the importance of truck spotting for successful loading operations. Whether your facility manages as few as 25 or as many as 500 trucks per day, adequate safety systems including reliable fall protection and fall prevention for operators have the greatest impact on throughput.

In this episode of SafeRack Podcast, hosts Kenny Rogers and Ray Evans discuss the significance of proper truck spotting including topics such as loading arms and hoses, open and closed loading, ISOtainers, specialized safety cages, hatch access, as well as top and bottom unloading from truck and rail. Kenny and Ray share their years of experience using SafeRack’s best MSHA and OSHA-compliant customer solutions to address safe access challenges in the aggregate and chemical industries.

KENNY ROGERS

SafeRack’s Cement, Mining & Flatbed Fall Protection Specialist
An industry expert with 20 years of successful experience in business development and project management, Kenny has the ability to provide progressive, out-of-the-box solutions on complex plant projects.

RAY EVANS

SafeRack’s Bulk Chemical Market Specialist
With over 25 years of experience, Ray has been instrumental in collaborating with the top Bulk Chemical companies and works closely with local and national chemical trade associations keeping abreast of the latest legislative news and initiatives in the Agro Chem/Fertilizer, Petro, and Specialty Chemical space.

Transcript

[Kenny Rogers]
Hey. I’m Kenny Rogers. I’m a vertical market specialist for cement aggregate mining here at SafeRack?

[Ray Evans]
And I’m Ray Evans. I’m the vertical market specialist for bulk chemicals. We also include agro chem petrochem and specialty chemicals.

[Kenny Rogers]
We’ll talk a little bit today about truck spotting and why it’s important to customers. A lot of times in the cement and aggregate world, we see a lot of trucks coming through. It could be as little as 25 trucks a day, but it could be up to 300 350, depending upon the type of industry. Frac sand can see up to five, 600 trucks a day when it’s really busy.

[Kenny Rogers]
And that creates obviously some safety issues when you’re out there The more throughput that you see, the more chances for people to fall. And that really puts a big strain on putting in a very good, safe system for cement in aggregate.

[Ray Evans]
Exactly. In the bulk chemical world, we don’t see as much traffic as you guys do, but we want to have a safe environment for the operators when they’re working on top of a truck or railcar. So, yes, spotting is important as well.

[Kenny Rogers]
So whether it’s one or two a day like you’ll see in the chemical world or 600 a day, we want to talk a little bit about why putting the trucks in the proper spot makes a big difference. You know, with Ray, he has to deal with loading arms. I don’t really deal with that a lot. Tell me a little bit about why loading arms are important with spotting in the chemical world.

[Ray Evans]
Well, the loading arm can only be so long, so we need to make sure that the truck or the real car is spotted correctly. You can have an open hatch loading you can have a closed hatch. We’re dealing with some environment, some really nasty chemicals as well. So you’ve got an operator suited up. You need to have a safe work environment.

[Ray Evans]
So spotting is very important. That’s right.

[Kenny Rogers]
So you just have trucks in your industry, typically pneumatic hopper trucks or sandboxes or what you’ll see with submitting mining. What about the chemical world? What do you know?

[Ray Evans]
And a lot of the aggressive chemicals we’re dealing with are ISOs, right? ISOs are those little framed units that are 20 by eight-foot-tall and they have a limited walk surface on top of there. So we need to make sure that when that pulls in our solution, the operator is going to be able to safely make his connection on top there, either with a hose or with a loading arm.

[Kenny Rogers]
So you’ll see ISO, which is used to travel overseas, you’ll see chemical I guess just regular chemical liquid trucks.

[Ray Evans]
Correct. You’ll see small acid trailers. They’re kind of challenging because they’re usually loaded from the rear and their smaller diameter trailers. So that can kind of create a challenge. So spotting is important there. If you’re loading plastic pellets, they’re going to be the three-chamber trucks so we need to make sure that we can access all that either through a tracking gangway or a wide gangway with the safety cage.

[Ray Evans]
But all spotting is very, very critical for that as well.

[Kenny Rogers]
You have a lot of stuff that we really don’t deal with. Basically, it’s just hatch access and it typically is from the top. We’ll do some bottom unloading from railcars occasionally, but you know that it’s not very hard to set up a gangway that goes to the top of a railcar typically. What are some of the challenges you have?

[Kenny Rogers]
Some of those struts have crash boxes or cages on top of them to where a gangway interferes with the gangways to go up there. Whenever you’re spotting those trucks.

[Ray Evans]
It really depends on the segment. Okay. So on top of an ISO, no, it’s just going to be a flat walk surface up there with the acid trailers. Yeah, there’s like a little platform on the side of the trailer and that can be kind of challenging, not only spotting. We need to make sure our platforms are up high enough so that I can traverse over and get and get a gangway and have the safety cage so it’s not too big so that you could fall off the outboard side.

[Ray Evans]
So we see that occasionally. So in my world, we see a lot of different configurations.

[Kenny Rogers]
So when we have our operatives go out and take a look at some of these applications, you know, you have to take a holistic view of what’s going on out there, right? Absolutely. The different types of railcars, trucks, the dams on top of them, also, you know a little bit about the space going into and out of these loading spots is not an issue with what you do.

[Ray Evans]
Absolutely I probably say 65 to 70% of what the reps are bringing to me. These are existing facilities and they didn’t have any type of full protection. And it’s like, how do we get a solution in there in a confined space or a space constraint?

[Kenny Rogers]
Yeah, I see a lot with our terminals in our plants that are out there. They were built years ago and a lot of them are in urban environments now. They used to not be, but the cities have grown up around them. Sure. Some of them were 70, or 80 years old. Sure. So when we go out there, we really have to have an experienced view on how to lay our equipment out because they don’t have a lot of space.

[Kenny Rogers]
These trucks are coming in and out of terms, going into the silos, and that makes a big difference whenever you’re laying out our equipment because it could be if they’re coming into a turn, you know, the radius is different, the coming out of a turn. So you could have shorter, longer equipment. You may need bigger cages for certain applications because they.

[Ray Evans]
How do you address that? Can you offset a cage if you’re coming around a corner? Or how do you what’s the best solution?

[Kenny Rogers]
Well, I mean, that’s a great segway into why some of the equipment is different and submit in aggregate, we have these specialized cages that have to fit on tops of these hatches that whenever they’re opening left, right, throw it back, which you don’t see a lot of. We have to have specialized cages that work for those particular hatches.

[Kenny Rogers]
And we’ve worked with the major manufacturers over the years to come up with solutions that they like. It’s been a customer-driven kind of voice of the customer, and it’s worked out pretty well. We’ve been the Go-To Company when it comes to safe access equipment for the rail and truck and submitting an aggregate.

[Ray Evans]
Gotcha.

[Kenny Rogers]
How about over there in the chemical world?

[Ray Evans]
Similar talking about space constraints. A lot of times there might have been an access gangway or some sort of plank that goes down to meet the truck. But back in the day, there was no mention of fall protection, which wasn’t even on anybody’s radar. So the challenge is if you’re up underneath the existing canopy you need to spot the truck correctly so that when the cage comes down because now we’re adding a cage and then so you have an existing loading arm to make sure that all works in harmony.

[Ray Evans]
And it can be a challenge at times.

[Kenny Rogers]
Yeah. I’ve seen a few locations where you have these racks that are just clustered with a bunch of different equipment you know, you have lines for products that go up there. Don’t see that as much in aggregate. There’s a whole other host of challenges that you see. Whatever you’re making sure that you spot their vehicles properly and navigating some of those issues that you have on the racks themselves.

[Ray Evans]
Spotting is so important because now with the ocean moisture, we need to make sure that we adhere and actually our solutions actually meet and exceed all the OSHA regs. So OSHA minimum you have to have a gap of fewer than 19 inches. Personally, when I’m working with our reps, I like to help design a solution. So when that cage sits down on top of that truck, we’ve got about 12 inches or less.

[Ray Evans]
That’s what I like to see.

[Kenny Rogers]
Yeah. You really talk a little bit about how the loading rack industry has evolved. You know, the rolling stock really doesn’t have any guidelines, hard guidelines to follow. And what we have done as a company is adopted. The platform regulations over to the rolling stock which has a 19-inch gap obviously apply to the platforms and handrails that people walk on daily within these facilities and we’ve taken it to the next level.

[Kenny Rogers]
I know that you know, that MSHA is the guiding force in cement in aggregates, not OSHA for the most part. There would be some terminals that do follow in the offshore, but if there’s a mine involved and the name comes into play, but that 19-inch gap has slowly come down, this new cement cage can put that gap down to as little as five or six inches, which makes the cut the customers feel more comfortable and more importantly, the operators that are tops of those.

[Ray Evans]
Absolutely. Absolutely. We’ve had some customers out there that want to have less than 12 inches. So that creates more of a challenge. But with our once we get accurate measurements out in the field, we know platform heights, we know the vehicle heights. We can work with our engineering design team and we can come up with a solution to meet their meet requirements.

[Kenny Rogers]
Are you seeing that some of your customers out there have more stringent regulations than OSHA within that gap?

[Ray Evans]
Absolutely. As I was alluding to, I’ve seen it as low as nine inches. They want to have less than a nine-inch gap.

[Kenny Rogers]
So that is a policy in some of these. Yes.

[Ray Evans]
Yes. It’s not written in stone for everybody, but these are specific company standards that they have. Correct. And we actually have different solutions for that.

[Kenny Rogers]
So they’re trying to become safer. I mean, they obviously have put a big emphasis on going above and beyond what is required through the regulation.

[Ray Evans]
Exactly. And we can help those customers meet those criteria.

[Kenny Rogers]
Gotcha. So as far as the spotting goes with the trucks themselves, I know that in cement, what we’ll see is there are some physical barriers where they can put inline speed bumps, things that not only can you see, but the trucks can feel by going over if those barriers aren’t in place and these trucks tend to drift away or too close to the platforms, which could do to a couple of things one, the equipment not going to work properly that that’s the biggest thing.

[Kenny Rogers]
Right. But if they miss a spot and the equipment hits the top of the vehicle, sometimes it could damage our equipment, which is bad in itself. Right. Because it creates additional unsafe environments. And with that big cage is really easy for it to hit the vehicle before it goes down properly unless there the trucks come in at the exact spot.

[Ray Evans]
So then you’re suggesting like lineman guides or maybe the operator or the plant manager paint some lines on the driveway for the trucks to align themselves up properly.

[Kenny Rogers]
You know, at a minimum lines or better if you have barriers.

[Ray Evans]
Barriers or bollards or something like physical.

[Kenny Rogers]
Barriers, you know, trucks can move a lot of these out of the way and damage them. So customers who use, you know, some alignment tools that can take some abuse is probably better than, say, putting in Jersey barriers or something like that where, you know, they can damage the equipment, damage the trucks, I should say they’re coming in.

[Kenny Rogers]
And, you know, I’ve seen that those are better solutions than these big curbs that are put out there. Sometimes, you know, drivers do have a mind of their own. Sure. Sure. They do take out the equipment and, you know, kind of less is more has worked out better in my opinion.

[Ray Evans]
So if I’m understanding you correctly, if you spot too close to the platform, the gangway may not come down properly. You’re going to have a huge gap on the outboard side. And inversely, if they spot too far out, your gangway goes down and there’s a gap they’re going to have to jump over to get to the top of the truck.

[Ray Evans]
Is that correct?

[Kenny Rogers]
Absolutely.

[Ray Evans]
So that’s what we want to try to prevent.

[Kenny Rogers]
Yeah. Yeah. There’s a misnomer out there that you can just by gaining gangway in a cage and it just operates properly. You really have to educate the drivers. You have to put in these protocols or these barriers that allow the trucks to properly be spotted for our equipment to work properly so I guess that kind of concludes what we’re talking about today.

[Kenny Rogers]
You know, there’s one takeaway that we would like to get across is the fact that you know, our equipment although, you know, it’s made to provide the greatest coverage in safety and full protection that’s out there. It doesn’t work properly unless you go out there and you put in measurements to put the trucks where they’re supposed to be.

[Kenny Rogers]
Anything closing for you? Right.

[Ray Evans]
No. This was a good topic. Thank you, Kenny, for your time this morning as well. Catch us on our next podcast.

The post Truck spotting with Kenny and Ray – The Podcast appeared first on SafeRack.

With this crazy year, there’s been a focus on workplace safety. Herbie the Elf, an aspiring safety manager, spreads the message of safety, making the world a safer place for everyone. Don’t let rickety and unsafe equipment ruin the Christmas Spirit. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you, from all of us at SafeRack.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Frosty: Fred Harmon, Co-Founder Jeff Reichert, CEO: Himself Jack Murphy, VP of Sales: Himself Rob Honeycutt, Co-Founder: Himself

Head Elf: Dan Matz, National Account Manager Herbie, the Elf, and aspiring safety manager: Tom Semiklose, Sales Manager Sir Cheese Grater: Jason Wilder, VP of Marketing Rickety Old Ladders: – Graeme Murphy, VP of Strategy Business Development – Xan Miller, Project Manager, Marketing – Tom Semiklose, Sales Manager – Dan Matz, National Account Manager

The post Christmas 2021 – The Land of Misfit Platforms and Steps appeared first on SafeRack.

“Time is money and money is time, and ErectaStep helped us with both.”

– Alan Ward, Saint Paul Mountain Vineyard

Testimonial

We are Saint Paul Mountain Vineyard, Appalachian Ridge Artisan Hard Ciders. We’re located in Western North Carolina within the Crest of the Blue Ridge AVA, and we’ve grown into the position where we needed to have our wine-making capabilities here.

So, when we decided to build a winery, we visited many facilities to see what the owners would have done differently. And the catwalks were one of the most important aspects for the winemaker getting access to the tanks and being able to service the tanks which is a crucial portion of making the wine.

https://www.saferack.com/go/vineyard-stair-installation/
Most of them are custom in that once they’re made you can’t move them unless you come in with a welder and a saw and you have a big mess. What we like about ErectaStep is that it is flexible, but it still has the highest quality. The aluminum was very lightweight. The powder coating was just top-notch. They’re all OSHA-approved. It was a very pleasant and economically viable process for us.

The bottom line was that their product was very, very competitive. More so than the folks that we had quoted. It was very affordable for us but in our opinion a higher quality and a more versatile product in that if we change the location of our tanks or add some extra catwalk, it’s very flexible.

They do a lot of commercial work for large companies, and we were very fortunate to work with them. It surprised me how flexible they were working with a small winery like ours. We’re very fortunate to have ErectaStep in our process.

I couldn’t believe how quickly we got it erected today. You know, in a 10 000 square foot winery, we were able to complete it in one day which is just unimaginable. It’s top-of-the-line, in my opinion. It’s just really a high-quality product.

I can’t tell you enough about how you need to talk with these folks, not just because of your time constraints but just because of the quality of the product and the uniqueness of the flexibility of being able to make it fit what your needs are instead of making your needs fit to what it is.

I’m old enough to have seen a lot of things in the wine industry, and this is just one that’s a pleasant surprise. And if you’re a mid-sized winery, a small winery, or a large winery, I would recommend you talk to these folks if you’re adding or changing your catwalks because it’s a unique and high-quality product that you can get going quickly. And time is money and money is time, and ErectaStep helped us with both.

The post ErectaStep Catwalk installation at Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards Testimonial appeared first on SafeRack.

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In 2020 we felt it would be appropriate to take a different approach to our annual Christmas video and decided to make a difference.

The post Christmas 2020 appeared first on SafeRack.

This video demonstrates just one example of how SafeRack has increased safety and productivity for businesses like Roxul. By focusing on the needs of Roxul, we’ve developed a unique product, useful in countless applications and industries. Our goal at SafeRack is to increase your employees’ safety and productivity.

More on SafeRack’s Flatbed Overhead Tarping System

Regardless of where you’re located, our experts can help your operation achieve a high level of safety and improved productivity. We will visit your site to analyze the type of work done on the flatbeds, including understanding how the flatbed truck is loaded, the type of load and what the operator typically does on top of the truck or load. After that, we’ll present you with a solution that will ensure your compliance and—more importantly—your workers’ safety.

[Video Transcription] We are heading to Roxul to check out the tarping system we just installed for flatbed tarping.

Here at Roxul we produce insulation. To make it the simplified version, we take rocks, melt them and we produce our insulation. We have different types of insulations that we deal with. We have a retail field, the commercial, we have industrial and our roofing or market.

Roxul looks at safety… our employees are our number one asset to have. You need to have employees safe so it is a top priority to have a safe work environment.

About three years ago, we had an issue with safety. With these flatbeds putting tarps on the flatbeds. Problem is we used to do it outside for one and the guys would have to climb up on these flatbeds which are five feet off the ground plus on top of the product which is another eight feet they’d be 13 feet off the ground trying to put these tarps on that are 24 feet long. They become a big sail, you’d be holding it, the wind picks up and just a big sail out there while they’re up 13 feet in the air. You can’t have that. That was just unsafe condition to have, to put anybody in that position.

So we had to stop doing any of our flatbeds any of this loading at all which is a big part of our market which is the roof board, we just couldn’t do it.

So what they did is come to us, they researched us on the internet, found us and asked us to come up with a design that would alleviate the people having to get on tops of these truckloads and tarp all these loads safely. Basically, you’ll come in within flatbed. They will shut the doors so that the environment, all of the wind is taken out of the equation but then they hook it up, the tarp is up, use your pendant control to pick it up and over, with pendant we will put it back down and snap it and then you can strap your load safely. Pull it out and continue the process with the next truck.

When one of these flatbeds came in, it would take us two and a half hours to load up; very unproductive and very unsafe. But now we can take that tarp and we can have it hooked up with straps on it within 15 minutes from the start to the end of it.

It’s been a great time saver and also great for safety. I really enjoyed working with SafeRack right from the start when we first met Kenny. Kenny came up here to talk to us about systems and right from the get-go he knew what we needed. He said I got a great system that we’re developing that would be perfect for you and right from there, right from day one he was right on the on the ball with everything. So we’re really excited about the roofing business because we can now service our customer and you know that’s a big thing in any businesses to service your customer and do it in a safe manner and that’s what we’ve done.

The post Roxul has SafeRack Install a Safe Flatbed Overhead Tarping System appeared first on SafeRack.

ErectaStep’s unique bolt together system, uses only five modular components to create a virtually unlimited number of crossover configurations reducing the typical process from weeks to only a couple of days. Choose handrails, work platforms, lightweight aluminum stairs, tower platform supports and platform ladders, all pre-engineered to meet OSHA standards. So there’s no need for costly time-consuming engineering. Simply measure configure and assemble often with just one or two men in a matter of minutes.

We even throw in the wrenches. We have customers that configure the solution, place the order and install the solution all in the same week. Erectastep also relocates and repurposes with ease. Simply unbolt, reconfigure and install in its new location.

Contact us and we’ll help you configure the right solution to suit your needs.

The post ErectaStep Crossover Stairs and Platforms appeared first on SafeRack.

The post SafeRack G4 Series Gangways appeared first on SafeRack.

The post SafeRack’s New GX Gangway appeared first on SafeRack.

[Transcript] RollaStep is built with a wide base and stairs. Non-slip self-draining treads, robust powder coated hand rails, six square feet of work platform and a full toe board to prevent tools from falling. RollaStep is extremely lightweight and with 360 degrees swiveling wheels, it can be easily maneuvered into even the most confined work areas. Choose from four base models, all in stock and ready to ship or work with our engineering team to design a completely custom solution for your specific needs. 

Contact us to learn more.

The post SafeRack RollaStep Mobile Platforms and Stairs HD appeared first on SafeRack.

[Video Transcript]

High Capacity Loading Terminal

Today this has been a good experience to see how the rack works. It’s more than I expected.

So our complete team has been involved with the Kinder Morgan team, the white coat team as well as the engineering team to make sure that all the components will come together, make sure they’re going to work efficiently for the operators in railcar loading.

This crew by rail movement is something that’s really new, that’s been only around for about three years. Typically crude oil was transported by either a pipeline or a barge. And the Bakken oilfield North Dakota is really where the crude oil by rail started, so SafeRack was fortunate enough to be building the first system up there as we continue to build systems up in North Dakota, now we need to build unload systems all across the U.S.

When we go in, it’s not just about providing the rack and the gangways, we try to work with the client to do as much or as little as they want us to do. We actually try to exceed the customer’s expectations. We’ve used our proprietary technology to model this in the design, make sure everything is going to work before we actually start installing the first piece of steel.

The engineering is really the hardest part; trying to make sure everything is going to work up front, understand the client’s needs, understand the restrictions, the guidelines we get from the railroad, from their downstream customer.

This particular project was all outsourced, so we had engineers that are strategically placed all over the United States. SafeRack worked with these guys.

Once we get all these parameters established, then we can go out start designing our system and also procuring the materials were going to need.

There was constant communication between SafeRack and these folks to make sure that what you’re designing for the remainder of the project matched up with the SafeRack and that’s why we had the product we have out here.

The rack itself, we got the continuous walkway where we have on the face of our platform, we used track mounted gangways. This gives the gangways horizontal movement, there’s no railcar really the same so we have to be able to move our gangways horizontally so that the operator can safely access the top.

That way they bring the rail and you don’t have to have the car in one certain spot, you can move it to try and make sure that it comes down where it needs to come down at.

We just completed phase 1a as we call it out here. We’re starting on phase 2 as you can see in the background the continuous line that will run. When we’re all finished there’s going to be about 2700 foot of platform on this job. When we get this finished they’ll be able to unload 70 rail cars at a time for the crude oil.

To successfully put together a crude by rail terminal of course, it’s not just speed mark with the new terminal but it’s also making sure that your terminal has the ability to quickly turn cars because railcar utilization, the cost of rail cars and how quickly you can turn them through a rack is a critical economic component of these deals.

One of the things that have really impressed us about SafeRack is their alignment with the project. We’ve been impressed with SafeRack’s attendance, weekly production calls to understand the complexities of the project that aren’t necessarily related to their deliverable but in some regard, it impacts the overall project.

After we are done and we start walking the project with operations, we said oops, by the way, we need a walkway right here to access this vial or we need this right here to go over this berm and the good thing about safe rack system is they’re able to go out on site, physically look on the stuff in the field, they can measure it right here put it on paper or iPad, give me a bill of material, give me a price on the spot, take out the middleman and we can have this stuff turn around quickly.

The number one concern we have is safety. In addition to that, we really wanted to consider the idea of speed. This facility will be unique in its ability to handle more barrels than any other facility in the Gulf region. So the SafeRack design really allows us to assure safety, the speed that we promise to our customer.

We strive for perfection. We like to know that when we commit to a customer that it will be on time, they can make their start date. So we can actually do that. Design a system that’s going to be safe to their operators really like running. We want to make sure that when they see it, they say yeah this is the SafeRack.

The post SafeRack Collaborates with Kinder Morgan & Watco to Build High Capacity Load-Unload Terminal appeared first on SafeRack.

MAUI is a self-supporting and portable stair and platform for accessing the top of vehicles and can be taken anywhere in your facility when workers need to load, unload, or inspect trucks. Oiltanking Joliet facility is using the MAUI with great results. 

MAUI – Mobile stairs and platforms for loading trucks

SafeRack’s MAUI mobile loading platform is a portable truck or railcar access platform to get workers safely on top of vehicles safely. Because the MAUI is built with durable materials, it requires minimal maintenance and has a long dependable service life. A telescoping ladder adjusts to different vehicle heights with a base design that is rugged and stable. All the SafeRack products put workers safety first with OSHA compliant solutions, but also consider throughput to increase productivity.

The MAUI mobile access stair is in-stock and ready-to-ship. Don’t wait for OSHA compliant fall protection for your employees.

Transcript:

Today we’re going to Oiltanking in Channahon, Illinois. It’s the Joliet terminal.

We’re the Oiltanking Joliet facility, we’re located just a couple miles south of the village of Channahon. We’re a bulk chemical facility. We handle barge, rail, just liquid chemical. We ship out by tank truck. 

Our number one goal every day is to protect our people, protect the environment. Our biggest issue is safe access to the top of the trailers. This is probably a typical ladder you have on a truck. The runs are real thin for climbing it in the cold weather and when it’s icy out, your feet can slip off of it pretty easily. We just don’t let our guys go up these ladders. The safe Rack is a self-supporting unit which is the main reason I wanted to go with that. We don’t have to let the unit down on the trailer. It’s a portable unit, we can take it anywhere along this rail siding when we have to unload tank trucks, it’s right there, it’s handy. 

The MAUI unit is a portable access system to get on top of either rail cars or trucks. This unit is designed with the [full real – 01:15] cage to get on top of trucks and enclose the hatch area. 

We put it in place, we chalk the wheels on the truck and then we would set the supports here so that the trailer doesn’t move. Then after that we would adjust the height of the ladder. More the ladder in place, adjusts it to a place where it snaps into place, then I can climb up to the top of the trailer. Our system is self-supporting, meaning it does not have to rest on the rail car of the truck and it’s important because the top of the trucks are not always flat. Sometimes they have grading and it’s flat, sometimes it’s not flat. So being self-supporting, we don’t have to worry about tipping over and unstable for the operator. 

I’ve seen some trailers where I wouldn’t stand up when I was up there. I’d stay on my knees and reach over in there and open the dome lid and things like that, instead of actually standing up to do my work, it makes it easier if you can stand up instead of working off of your knees. More comfortable and safer. 

The other rack we had, I’m not sure of the manufacturer, it had to be sported on the trailer before you went up. Otherwise it wasn’t rated to be freestanding. So you had to lower it down to the trailer before the operator climbed up and you can see the foam pad, they are for it to set on the truck without damaging the truck. So that’s what is your main support once you get it up. It’s just like, that’s one of the points of contact for sport. And I think what eventually happened, right here it was like the weight stress and it just kind of finally cracked on it. I’m not climbing up there. And the other thing about the older unit we had is that the tires were pneumatic and it was always a possibility that you’d have a flat tires on the safe rack or solid rubber tire so you don’t have to worry about getting a flat on the unit. I’m hoping this will last a lifetime. I mean it’s an affordable rack, its self-supporting and our guy can climb up it without worrying about it tipping over and it’s got a big platform up top to do all the work he needs to do around the hatch.

The post Oiltanking’s experience with SafeRack’s MAUI Mobile Access Stairs appeared first on SafeRack.

SafeRack uses the latest advanced manufacturing technologies to ensure quality product with years of low maintenance operation. Take a look at this.

Today this has been a good experience to see how the loading racks work. It’s more than I expected. So our complete team has been involved with the Kinder Morgan team, the Watco team as well as the engineering team to make sure that all the components will come together, make sure they’re going to work efficiently for the operators.

This crude by rail movement is something that’s really new, that’s been only around for about three years. Tivoli crude oil was transported by either a pipeline or a barge and the Bakken oilfield North Dakota is really where the crude oil by rail started. So SafeRack was fortunate enough to be building the first system out there as we continue to build systems up in North Dakota. Now we need to build unload systems all across the U.S.

That’s engineering, procurement and construction. So whenever we go in it’s not just about providing the loading rack and the gangways, we try to work with the client to do as much or as little as they want us to do. We actually try to exceed the customers’ expectations. We’ve used our proprietary technology to model this in the design, make sure everything is going to work before we actually start filling the first piece of steel.

The engineering is  really the hardest part; trying to make sure everything’s going to work upfront, understand the client’s needs, understand the restrictions, the guidelines we get from the railroad from their downstream customer.

This particular project was all outsourced so we have engineers that are strategically placed all over the United States. SafeRack worked with these guys.

Once we get all those parameters established, then we can go out start designing our system and also procuring the materials we’re going to need.

There was a constant communication between SafeRack and these folks to matched up with SafeRack and why we had the product we have out here.

The Rack itself, we got the continuous walkway where we have on the face of our platform, we put tracking gangways. This gives the gangways horizontal movement. There’s no railcar, really the same. So we have to be able to move our gangways horizontally so that the operator can safely access the top. That way they bring the rail in you don’t have to have the car in one certain spot, you can move it to try and make sure that it comes down where it needs to come down at.

We just completed phase 1A as we call it out here, we’re going to be starting on phase 2 as you can see in the background the continuous line. It will run when we’re all finished. It’s going to be about 2,700 foot of platform on this job. When we get this finished we’ll be able to unload 70 rail cars at a time of the crude oil.

To successfully put together a crude by rail terminal of course, it’s not just speed to mark with the new terminal but it’s also making sure that your terminal has the ability to quickly turn cars because of railcar utilization, cost of rail cars and how quickly you can turn them through a rack is a critical economic component of these deals. One of the things that have really impressed us about SafeRack is their alignment with the project. We’ve been impressed with SafeRack’s attendance, weekly production calls to understand the complexities of the project that aren’t necessarily related to their deliverable but in some regard, it impacts the overall project.

After we are done and we start walking the project with operations, by the way, we need the walkway right here to access this valve or we need this right here to go over this berm and the good thing about SafeRack system is, they’re able to go out on-site, physically look on the stuff in the field, they can measure it right there, put it on paper or iPad, give me a bill of material, give me a price on this spot take out the middleman and we can have this stuff turn around quickly.

The number one concern we have is safety and in addition to that, we really wanted to consider the idea of speed. This facility will be unique in its ability to handle more barrels than any other facility in the Gulf region. So the SafeRack design really allows us to assure safety and accomplish the speed that we promise to our customers.

We strive for perfection, we like to know that when we commit to a customer that it will be on time. They can meet their start date so we can actually do that. Design a system that’s going to be safe that their operators really like running. We want to make sure that when they see it, they say yeah this is the SafeRack.

So there you have it. If you need a loading platform on time and on budget, contact us today.

The post SafeRack Loading Platforms appeared first on SafeRack.