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Author Archives: North American Safety Products

  1. OSHA & ANSI Safety Standards: What You Need to Know

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    The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) establish safety standards designed to protect workers from a wide range of hazards in commercial, industrial, and municipal facilities, including falls, collisions with moving objects, and machine-related injuries. These standards address both active and passive safety measures, from personal fall protection gear to permanent guardrails, safety gates, machine-guarding barriers, and retractable or portable barricades used during maintenance or facility layout changes.

    Organizations benefit from having personnel who understand these regulations and can select compliant safety solutions that protect employees, visitors, and equipment. Learn more about OSHA and ANSI requirements and how our safety products support full-facility compliance.

    What Are OSHA and ANSI?

    OSHA establishes mandatory workplace safety requirements that apply to different categories of safety, including fall protection, machinery safety, and more. ANSI is a non-profit organization that develops best practices for various products and processes, including workplace safety. Adherence to ANSI safety standards is voluntary, though it’s often part of the requirements for some certifications.

    As a government agency, OSHA can legally enforce its requirements by having compliance safety and health officers (CSHOs) make unannounced inspections. Noncompliance (especially repeated noncompliance) leads to hefty penalties and fines.

    Due to the benefits of ANSI compliance and the need for OSHA compliance, safety product manufacturers create products and services that directly align with the relevant safety standards. These solutions help organizations make purchases that they can trust to adhere to safety protocols and reduce the risk of noncompliance penalties.

    Safety Equipment Standards Explained

    OSHA’s 29 CFR 1910 and 29 CFR 1926 standards define the requirements for machine guarding and fall protection, including proper signage, training, and reporting. Much of the guidance, however, specifies the minimum design and performance attributes of safety equipment. For example, OSHA defines the required heights for mid-rails and top rails on perimeter barriers, as well as the types of barricades needed for guarding different machines, the perimeter coverage they must provide, and the acceptable construction materials.

    While ANSI compliance isn’t required, many OSHA requirements reference ANSI safety standards, and maintaining both standards provides better results for overall worker safety and organizational standing.

    How North American Safety Products Helps You Stay Compliant

    North American Safety Products (NASP) specializes in facility safety, starting with our flagship Versa-Guard® system—an OSHA-compliant, 25-pound expanding barricade designed to create safe, clearly defined barriers down aisles, around hazardous machinery, and throughout warehouse environments. Beyond Versa-Guard®, we offer a full range of OSHA- and ANSI-compliant safety solutions to help your facility meet regulatory requirements, including:

    All our OSHA safety equipment is customizable to meet the size and configuration needs of your facility.

    Request a Compliance Consultation

    The first step to complying with safety standards is identifying potential gaps in your facility and processes so you can provide targeted training and physical resources. Since 1995, North American Safety Products has provided facilities with Versa-Guard® and other retractable OSHA safety equipment guarding solutions. Talk to our safety experts to find out where our solutions can protect your staff and help your business maintain OSHA compliance.

  2. Why You Need Versa-Guard® Accordion Gates

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    Accordion gates are simple and reliable barriers that fold up compactly when not in use and can quickly expand to block aisles, create a perimeter, or manage foot traffic. Industrial facilities can use accordion gates to limit access to dangerous work areas or hazardous machinery, providing a clear visual cue and a sturdy physical barrier. Not only can accordion gates help industrial facilities comply with OSHA machine guarding regulations, but they can also create multi-purpose barriers in locations like:

    • Retail centers, including big-box stores
    • Commercial buildings
    • Home improvement stores
    • Government buildings
    • Airports
    • Warehouses

    Accordion gates are extremely versatile, and they come in a wide range of styles and specifications to fit different applications. Learn more about solutions like Versa-Guard® accordion gates and how they can improve your operations.

    What Are Accordion Gates?

    Accordion gates are expandable and collapsible gates made of a grid of metal bars. Also called folding security gates or scissor gates, these barriers can collapse into a very slim profile by pushing the bars into a vertical position. Operators can then expand them by pulling one edge, moving the bars into an X-shaped configuration. Facility managers can have them installed in hallways, near entry or exit points, around hazardous equipment, and in aisles. They block access while maintaining visibility and air circulation into the area.

    Manufacturers can build accordion gates from a wide range of metals, like aluminum and stainless steel. They can also finish them with high-visibility colors or stripes.

    Common applications for accordion gates include:

    • Managing foot traffic and crowds by creating clear pathways
    • Restricting access to hazardous areas or equipment
    • Preventing unauthorized access
    • Deterring theft
    • Cordoning off areas for maintenance, construction, and repairs
    • Providing extra security

    What Is Versa-Guard®?

    At North American Safety Products, we develop safety solutions for commercial and industrial facilities. Our extensive line of accordion gate products can help provide OSHA compliance, better access control, and more peace of mind. Clients choose our Versa-Guard® barriers to restrict access around hazardous machinery or restricted areas. Each gate comes in NRC, DOT, and OSHA standard safety color options and meets OSHA machine guarding standards.

    Versa-Guard® gates feature aluminum bars with rounded edges and no pinch points, making them lightweight and safe to handle. We finish each gate with a vibrant, high-gloss powder coat finish. Our Versa-Guard® products are available in the following three standard sizes.

    VG-1000

    The VG-1000 is the smallest gate, with a height of 37″ and an expanded width of 11’4″. It has two supporting feet with 14.5″ axles. When collapsed, the gate has a closed width of 17″ and only weighs 25 pounds, allowing for easy handling and repositioning.

    VG-1015

    This large-sized gate has a height of 37″ and a total expanded width of 15’1″. It includes three supporting feet with 14.5” axles. The gate weighs 36 pounds and has a closed width of 22″ for easy carrying.

    VG-1048

    For taller applications, the VG-1048 has a height of 48″, an expanded width of 11’4″, and two feet with 18″ axles. It closes down to 17″ and only weighs 27 pounds.

    Additional Accessories

    Facilities can install additional features to Versa-Guard® for greater safety, convenience, and versatility. For easier and more secure installation, we offer floor-mounting brackets, locking caster feet, and wall-mounting kits. Other accessory products include:

    • Fixed-position locking bars
    • Flashing lamp and flag holders
    • Hand sanitizer dispensers
    • Sign-hanging brackets

    Versa-Guard® Applications

    Versa-Guard® products are versatile solutions for various safety, security, and crowd management applications. They are easy to install, expand, and reposition based on your facility’s evolving needs. Some of the most common locations for accordion gates are:

    • Active construction sites
    • Airports
    • Outdoor and indoor events
    • Hotels
    • Industrial sites and factories
    • Parking garages
    • Public transit stations
    • Schools
    • Shopping centers
    • Warehouses

    Choose Versa-Guard® Accordion Gates From North American Safety Products

    North American Safety Products is a trusted source of versatile, easy-to-use accordion gates and other safety solutions. Our in-house engineers develop modular, made-in-the-USA accordion gates that comply with OSHA regulations and fit the needs of commercial, industrial, and municipal sites. In addition to Versa-Guard®, our full array of gate solutions includes:

    We also provide our clients with custom accordion gates, installation hardware, accessories, and more. Contact us today to learn more about our standard accordion gates or to start developing a custom solution. You can also request a quote for pricing details.

  3. OSHA Machine Guarding: How Rear-Guard® Can Help

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    The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets guidelines and safety standards that govern commercial and industrial facilities, construction sites, and remote work applications. OSHA machine guarding standards focus on guarding hardware and essential safety processes that protect workers from machinery. Unguarded commercial and industrial machinery can cause injuries, including:

    • Crushed fingers or hands
    • Amputations
    • Blindness
    • Burns

    Some machine-guarding installations can physically obstruct people from reaching hazardous equipment, while other machine-guarding systems require two-handed controls or authorized access. North American Safety Products, Inc. develops machine guarding solutions like Rear-Guard®, our portable and modular accordion barricades, to create OSHA-compliant barriers. Learn more about how to equip your facility and worksites with the right OSHA machine-guarding products.

    Understanding OSHA Machine Guarding Guidelines

    OSHA standards and guidelines lay out specific requirements for processes, training, and hardware that adequately meet required safety criteria. OSHA 1910 standards define minimally acceptable practices in general industry, and various subsections of 1910 apply to different industrial workplace hazards. Under OSHA 1910.212, machines identified as potential hazards must utilize one or more OSHA-compliant solutions to protect workers from harm.

    Some of the most common sources of potential injury from workplace equipment include:

    • Sparks, such as from welding equipment or industrial power sources
    • Flying chips from machining equipment
    • Rotating parts on process equipment or manufacturing machines
    • Ingoing nip points on cutting tools
    • Heavy weights and crushing elements on hydraulic presses
    • Sharp blades on lathes and saws

    There are multiple strategies businesses can use to follow OSHA guidelines and pair the right protections with various equipment. Popular options include two-hand tripping devices, electronic safety devices, and physical barriers. Physical barriers like gates and barricades can cordon off dangerous equipment at all times or be quickly moved into place during active operations. As a general rule, safety systems should be installed directly onto the machinery they guard, but they can be attached to other points if necessary. Safety systems should also prevent risks of injury or harm from the equipment without creating additional hazards.

    Why Rear-Guard® Is an Ideal Machine Guarding Solution

    North American Safety Products produces Rear-Guard®, a line of accordion-style collapsible barricades that operators can quickly set up and take down. Both commercial and industrial sites can install Rear-Guard® around dangerous equipment to minimize unauthorized access. These barricades can also sit at the entry and exit of warehouse aisles or different sections of industrial sites to quickly prevent access or manage on-site traffic.

    The benefits of using Rear-Guard® include:

    • Ease of use. The barricades are easy to install, set up, and collapse. Users can quickly expand the barricade into place in seconds. It’s even possible to attach multiple Rear-Guard® barricade units to create longer sections. Each Rear-Guard® is only 25 pounds for easy transport.
    • Versatility. Facilities can use Rear-Guard® barricades to completely enclose dangerous equipment, mark unsafe areas during business operations, and direct the flow of traffic.
    • Safety. Rear-Guard® can prevent proximity to industrial hazards. They also don’t introduce new safety hazards, satisfying OSHA requirements.

    How Rear-Guard® Helps You Stay OSHA-Compliant

    Rear-Guard® barricades are incredibly versatile, and safety teams can install them throughout commercial or industrial worksites to comply with OSHA machine guarding requirements. Whether you want to establish a clear perimeter, restrict access, or direct the flow of foot traffic, our accordion barricades can help. For even clearer adherence to safety best practices, each gate is available in high-visibility NRC-, DOT-, and OSHA-standard safety colors.

    Protect Workers and Meet OSHA Standards With Rear-Guard®

    Keep your facility safer and ready for your next workplace audit with OSHA-compliant machine guarding solutions like Rear-Guard® from North American Safety Products. We produce all our barricades in the United States, and we’re committed to creating high-quality products your teams can rely on when using hazardous equipment. Contact us today to learn more about our safety products, or request a quote for pricing details.

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