Handrails and Guardrails
Handrails
Measure the height of the handrail. The standard height for handrails is 42 inches measured from the floor to the top of the rail. Check that each rail is straight, smooth and securely attached. Where the rail is exposed to lifting activities, check that it is safety bolted into the pockets to prevent them from being lifted out and dropped. Confirm that all rails have an intermediate rail halfway between the floor line and the top rail and that they have a toe board at least 4 inches tall to prevent tools from being kicked off the edge.
All rails should be capable of withstanding 200 pounds of force from the top rail in any direction.
Guardrails
Check that the guardrail is securely attached to the main structure of the rig and, if used for pulling or snubbing, it has a load rating marked to indicate the safe operating limit. Check that guardrails designed to protect the driller’s or operator’s console are configured to protect the operator from broken chains, cables, or loose equipment from the floor.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
5-5. All handrails should be capable of withstanding _____ of force from the top rail in any direction.
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