Moveable safety handrail system

Abstract

A safety device and methods for providing fall protection during the installation of roofing panels. A moveable safety handrail system includes a pair of safety rails that are supported in a generally horizontal orientation by a plurality of outrigger assemblies. The outrigger assemblies each include a support portion for support of the rail members and a rolling frame portion that engages the purlins of a rooftop structure in rolling contact. The handrail system also features a braking system that prevents inadvertent movement of the handrail device upon the rooftop understructure.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A moveable safety handrail system for use in preventing falls proximate a leading edge of a roof panel, the moveable handrail system comprising: 
 a generally horizontal safety rail member;    at least one outrigger assembly which comprises a horizontal rolling frame portion for rolling engagement with a plurality of rooftop understructure members, and a support portion for supporting the safety rail member.    
     
     
         2 . The moveable safety handrail system of  claim 1  wherein the rolling frame portion comprises: 
 a pair of roller assemblies arranged in tandem for rolling contact of separate rooftop understructure members; and  
 a strut adjustably interconnecting the pair of roller assemblies.  
 
     
     
         3 . The moveable safety handrail system of  claim 1  wherein the outrigger assemblies further comprise a friction brake shoe to selectively engage a rooftop understructure member so as to preclude rolling movement of the handrail system along the rooftop understructure.  
     
     
         4 . The moveable safety handrail system of  claim 3  wherein the friction brake shoe comprises a plate having a cut-out portion for receiving a rooftop understructure member, the cut-out portion further providing a downward-facing engagement surface for frictionally engaging an upper side of a rooftop understructure member and an upward-facing engagement surface for frictionally engaging a lower side of a rooftop understructure member.  
     
     
         5 . The moveable safety handrail system of  claim 1  wherein there are a pair of safety rail members.  
     
     
         6 . The moveable safety handrail system of  claim 1  wherein the rooftop understructure members each comprise purlins.  
     
     
         7 . The moveable safety handrail system of  claim 1  wherein the rooftop understructure members each comprise bar joists.  
     
     
         8 . A moveable safety handrail system for providing fall protection proximate a leading edge of a roof panel, the handrail system comprising: 
 a plurality of outrigger assemblies for contacting a plurality of rooftop understructure members for movement therealong;    at least one safety handrail member supported by the outrigger assemblies to be located proximate a leading edge of a roof panel; and    said moveable handrail system being moved along the rooftop understructure members by manually pushing against the at least one safety handrail member to slide the outrigger assemblies along the rooftop understructure members.    
     
     
         9 . The moveable safety handrail system of  claim 8  wherein the rooftop understructure members each comprise purlins.  
     
     
         10 . The moveable safety handrail system of  claim 8  wherein the rooftop understructure members each comprise bar joists.  
     
     
         11 . The moveable safety handrail system of  claim 8  wherein the outrigger assemblies each comprise a roller member that rollingly engages a rooftop understructure member.  
     
     
         12 . The moveable safety handrail system of  claim 11  further comprising a brake operably associated with the roller member for selectively frictionally engaging the rooftop understructure member to preclude inadvertent movement of the safety handrail system.  
     
     
         13 . The moveable safety handrail system of  claim 8  wherein the outrigger assemblies further comprises a rolling frame portion that comprises: 
 a pair of roller assemblies arranged in tandem for rolling contact of separate rooftop understructure members;  
 each roller assembly having a carriage housing that retains a roller for rolling contact with a rooftop understructure member; and  
 a strut laterally interconnecting the pair of roller assemblies.  
 
     
     
         14 . The moveable safety handrail system of  claim 13  further comprising a brake shoe mounted on at least one carriage housing for selectively precluding rolling movement of the roller along the rooftop understructure.  
     
     
         15 . The moveable safety handrail system of  claim 13  wherein the carriage housing has a central portion and two opposite end portions; 
 the roller is mounted upon the central portion of said carriage housing; and  
 wherein the handrail system further comprises a pair of brake shoes, each of said brake shoes being mounted upon one of said opposite end portions of said carriage housing, so that the brake shoes may be selectively engaged and disengaged with a rooftop understructure member by pivoting the carriage housing upon the roller.  
 
     
     
         16 . A method of providing fall protection during construction of a paneled roof upon a plurality of rooftop understructure members, the method comprising: 
 mounting a moveable safety handrail device upon a plurality of rooftop understructure members, the moveable handrail device having at least one safety handrail member for preventing falls proximate the leading edge of a paneled roof being constructed;    moving the moveable safety handrail device along the plurality of rooftop understructure members to maintain the at least one safety handrail member proximate the leading edge;    selectively engaging a brake assembly on the moveable safety handrail device to preclude inadvertent movement of the handrail device.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the step of moving the moveable safety handrail device comprises rolling the device upon a plurality of rollers.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the step of selectively engaging a brake assembly further comprises pivoting the safety handrail device upon said plurality of rollers to frictionally engage a brake shoe with a rooftop understructure member.