OSHA 3146 Guardrail System Question

[Berniedog]

We have been asked to provide a cable guardrail system for a steel erector. The system will be up only for the steel erection and floor construction and then it will be taken down. My design will require fastening the cable to a clip angle at the columns and then to intermediate vertical members (angles welded to the bent plate at the edge of the floor slab).

What kind of connector should be used at the column. Can the cable be tensioned accurately with a turnbuckle?

 

[Ron]

Yes. A properly sized turnbuckle will work fine for this application.

 

[racookpe1978]

Right, but you do not want the cables to be "tightened" so much that they have no flexibility.

A cable that is "infinitely" tight cannot deflect outward and form the horizontal catenary that actually will support the man (the sideways load) who is leaning against the cable. (Obviously, too loose and the cables cannot hold a person in against his falling forces - so there is a balance needed.) You want just a little bit of wiggle room over the length of the cable.

As a guard rail, the top cable needs to be 42" above deck level. Check for a 4" toe board at the bottom also.

A handrail (at the stairs) needs to be also provided +36" above the nose of the steps, ending with a 12" horizontal extension at the top and bottom - for final access. Don't know if that handrail extension is req'd for temporary construction stairrail though.