CEILING-MOUNTED MONORAIL FALL PROTECTION SYSTEM PROTECTS RV MAINTENANCE WORKERS
Products used
Overview
Stoltzfus RV’s and Marine is an RV and boat dealer in West Chester, Pennsylvania, that provides a range of boating and camping services with a focus on customer satisfaction. In addition to boat and RV sales, Stoltzfus RV’s and Marine also offers RV rentals, parts and maintenance products, and boat and RV repair and maintenance services.
Service technicians maintain and repair damage to customer boats and RVs, including body damage, mechanical failures, and equipment malfunctions. Technicians also fully inspect and make necessary repairs to RVs that are traded in by customers to prepare them for sale as used equipment. These services include both external and internal maintenance.
Many modern RVs are built with household conveniences, such as plumbing, furniture, and home appliances, which all require maintenance services. RVs also require vehicle maintenance, and trailers may need maintenance for electrical wiring, brakes, tires, stabilizers, and more. Motor homes require all of the same services, as well as additional automobile maintenance, such as engine and transmission service, drivetrain maintenance, and oil changes.
Boats and RVs come in many different shapes and sizes; many large trailers and motor homes can reach heights over 12 feet, and workers frequently have to access rooftop equipment. From the roof, they can access air conditioning units, rooftop vents, and solar panels, as well as protect and repair rooftop seals and other hardware.
When workers climb on top of a 12-foot tall trailer, they risk serious injury in the event of a fall. When Stoltzfus RV’s and Marine built a new maintenance facility, they knew they needed to provide their employees with a secure fall protection system in the new building. The company was already familiar with Rigid Lifelines fall protection systems, so they decided to return to Rigid Lifelines for their needs.
Solution
Stoltzfus RV’s and Marine worked with Rigid Lifelines dealer McDal Corporation to find the best fall protection solution for their specific needs. They decided to fit the new 13,200 square-foot facility with 17 complete Rigid Lifelines Ceiling-Mounted Monorail Fall Protection Systems to cover 22 fully-equipped service bays where technicians perform all necessary maintenance functions. Eleven main bays are located inside the facility and 11 overflow bays are located outside under the roof overhang.
The main bays are covered by long monorails that span the width of the building to reach two bays, and each monorail supports two users to allow both bays to be used at the same time. Two workers can work at each end of the monorail or on the same RV to make the most use of the entire fall protection system. Each monorail also uses a buffer between the SRL anchor points the prevent individual users from getting too close to each other for the strength of the supports. The overflow bays are covered by shorter monorails that allow an additional worker to access an RV in each bay.
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Impact
The use of ceiling-mounted monorails dramatically improves safety for workers working on top of tall RV units without interfering with their work. The additional safety measures make technicians feel more secure by knowing that they won’t be injured in the event of a fall, and the company knows that its employees are protected and won’t be out of work because of fall-related injuries.
The workers have been very satisfied with the new fall protection system. Rigid Lifelines provided all the necessary training for employees using the system, and they began using it immediately. It was easy for workers to become comfortable with the new system quickly, as the Anchor Trolley moves easily to provide constant protection without getting in the way.
Some employees commented that it is surprising that more companies in the industry don’t have similar protective measures for their own employees because of the simplicity and effectiveness of the system. Bob Cox, President of Stoltzfus RV’s and Marine, said, “The system gives us peace of mind; if someone falls, we know they’ll be protected and they won’t get hurt.” He says they wouldn’t hesitate to put a similar system in any future expansion, and he would recommend it to anyone in the industry.