OVERVIEW

State Garden, Inc. is a Massachusetts based company which processes and distributes a variety of tender leaf produce items in the United States. They are a leading provider of vegetables like spinach, celery, beet greens, lettuce, arugula, carrots, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower. Although they generate income by processing and distributing a variety of produce items, many of their employees work in an environment that can present a real safety issue without the right equipment to prevent accidents. Jeff Bennett, the Safety Director at wholesale produce for State Garden, Inc., was constantly faced with concerns about the safety of his workers, many of whom work from rooftops fixing evaporator fans and condensers and taking care of general maintenance for their newly acquired building.

SOLUTION

As the Safety Director, Mr. Bennett develops policies and procedures to keep his employees safe with the help of hazard analysis and other similar techniques. After acquiring a new building in Chelsea, Massachusetts, Mr. Bennett assessed the potential fall risk for his maintenance workers. That’s when Bennett decided to contact Rigid Lifelines to purchase and install a fall arrest system to prevent accidents due to poor weather conditions and human error. He chose the XSPlatforms Fall Arrest system because it is unique, and he couldn’t find anything else like it on the market. According to Bennett, “The XS Fall Arrest System offered him the peace and security that when his guys are up there, they are safe.”

Each year, hundreds of workers are injured, permanently disabled, or killed after falling from rooftops. XSPlatforms from Rigid Lifelines offers rooftop fall arrest and fall restraint systems that are reliable, user-friendly, durable, and efficient. XS active and passive fall protection systems are suitable for most industrial and commercial roof constructions, including those using concrete decks, metal panels (including standing seam, secret fix, and built up on site roofs), and plywood sheathing as thin as 1/2 inch.

IMPACT

Bennett says he likes how well the system is designed, how easy it is to install, and how simple it is to use. His main concern, after acquiring the new building, was keeping his guys from falling over the edge or getting too close to the edge of the building. According to Bennett, “Human error is definitely a factor, along with weather conditions, which can also present a safety issue.” The XSPlatforms Fall Arrest System gives him peace of mind that if employees are working on a slippery or icy surface, they are going to be protected.