20 Feb Inspect Your Railing for Rust to Ensure Proper Fall Protection
Metal and particularly MS Railing rusting is more than just a visual problem. Rust is the cancer of the MS metal world. It eats away at the material from the inside. Many railing manufacturers just paint the railings without galvanizing. The result is a product that rusts after a few years of use. Rusted railing is not just an eye sore; it is unsafe. When metal is rusted it loses it structural integrity, resulting in a product that will not perform to manufactures specification. In short, if your railing is rusted and someone falls into the railing, both the railing and the person will fall off the platform or roof.
Inspection
To assure a safe environment while working at heights, be sure to annually inspect railings for rust. Pay attention to the joints where welds are made. If the joint is rusty, it may no longer be structural.
Prevention
The best way to prevent rust is to invest in a railing product that has proper material of construction.
Avoid railing that is welded. Even if your MS railing pipe is galvanized, welding requires that the galvanization be removed. Most of the time on a welded railing, the joints begin to rust long before the main sections of pipe. To avoid welding, build a railing based on – Aluminum Structural Fittings. Fittings provide a connection as strong as a weld, but the galvanization is not broken, resulting in a longer lasting railing.
• Build with aluminum. Aluminum is great for moisture rich environments. It will not rust, and it provides a great look. You’ll pay extra for aluminum, but if you are looking to the long term the results will be worth the cost.
• Add Anodising for an added level of protection. When all aluminum railing is built, protect it with anodized to increase corrosion resistance and to allow dyeing (coloring) it Also adds longevity and aesthetic value to the railing.
• Add powder coating for an added level of protection. Standard paint usually chips off easily. Powder coating is a baked-on paint that provides a protective coating over the entire surface of the metal. Powder coating can usually be done in any RAL color and adds longevity and aesthetic value to the railing. If MS pipes are used,be sure that the metal underneath is galvanized to prevent rusting if the paint coating should chip.
