Pacific Cascade Corporation (PCC), ParkingZone, and the recently introduced Magnetic Gorilla Guard are all helping to reduce on-site construction safety hazards.
The Magnetic Gorilla Guard, which is part of the Gorilla Post Magnetic Mounting System, attaches to mobile heavy equipment to warn coworkers of potential crushing hazards.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) enforces workplace safety and health standards.
OSHA has regulations addressing Swing Radius Hazards in the work area around cranes and derricks in construction.
The requirements apply in areas where the rotating superstructure of the equipment poses a reasonably foreseeable risk of pinching/crushing an employee against another part of the equipment or another object.
The employer must erect and maintain control lines, railings, or other similar barriers to prevent employees from entering these hazardous areas.
Malcolm Drilling is one of North America’s largest specialty drilling and deep foundation contractors.
“We do not care for this method at Malcolm Drilling, our cranes and drills are constantly on the move on a job site,” Nick Noradoun, Safety, and Logistics Superintendent from the Hayward, CA Office, explained, “the Gorilla Guard allows us to change locations without having to remove and reposition the warning barricades. It’s a time and labor savings.”
Furthermore, Noradoun stated, “OSHA had come out to the job site and was satisfied that we’d covered all the requirements of the Swing Radius Hazards regulations.”
“This is truly a unique solution and construction companies and operators should check with local OSHA regulations for deployment placement, and how they are linked together,” Lyle Peters, Director of U.S. Sales for the Gorilla Post System suggests.
The Magnetic Gorilla Guard meets the WAC 296-155-53400 General Requirements for work area control and swing radius hazards, according to Bill Sloniker, WA State Dept. of L&I – Crane Certification Program Supervisor / Crane Technical Specialist.
When used in the manner shown in the photos, it meets the standard for protection against pinch/crush hazards posed by the superstructure.
Employers must also train their employees to recognize pinch/crush hazard areas.
Magnetic Gorilla Guards are fixed to the superstructure.
These guards employ neodymium magnets with a magnetic pull of 380 psi and a 360° swivel, pivoting spring base that flexes if it collides with an employee or an object.
There is an ergonomic removal tool that breaks the industrial-strength coupling, allowing for quick removal.
“Safety” Steve Summers, Safety Manager for Northbank Civil and Marine explains, “it’s a very practical solution to an ongoing problem, well built, durable and the magnets are very strong . . . I definitely recommend getting the tool to assist in pulling the magnets off.” Northbank Civil and Marine primarily works on marine, heavy civil, and industrial construction projects in the western United States.
“It’s thinking ‘outside-the-box’, our clients are using the Gorilla Posts for applications we didn’t think of. We have a corporation in Utah that has a mining operation and places Gorilla Posts on the walls of their mine to warn large-material vehicle drivers when they are getting too close to the mine walls. They found the Gorilla Posts were instrumental in reducing their costs to replacing vehicle mirrors,” Peters added.
