Guardrail safety system and method

Abstract

A guardrail safety system is adapted for being temporarily installed at an elevated unfinished opening in a building under construction. The guardrail safety system includes a pair of cooperating brackets adapted for attachment to opposing vertical sides of the building at the elevated unfinished opening. At least one of the brackets has a downward extending lanyard tab adapted to reside adjacent a floor of the building. A protective rail is carried at its opposite ends by the first pair of cooperating brackets. The first lanyard tab functions to space the first protective rail above the floor of the building at the elevated unfinished opening, such that the first protective rail forms a toe rail at the unfinished opening. A flexible lanyard is attached at one end to the lanyard tab of the first pair of brackets and is attached at its opposite end to the first protective rail.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A guardrail safety system adapted for being temporarily installed at an elevated unfinished opening in a building under construction, the elevated unfinished opening being defined by at least a floor and opposing vertical sides of the building, said guardrail safety system comprising:
 a first pair of cooperating brackets adapted for attachment to the opposing vertical sides of the building at the elevated unfinished opening, at least one of said brackets of said first pair comprising a first downward extending lanyard tab adapted to reside adjacent the floor of the building;   a first protective rail carried at respective opposite ends by said first pair of cooperating brackets, wherein said first lanyard tab functions to space said first protective rail above the floor of the building at the elevated unfinished opening;   a first flexible lanyard attached at one end to said first lanyard tab of said first pair of brackets and attached at an opposite end to said first protective rail;   a second pair of cooperating brackets adapted for attachment to opposing vertical sides of the building a spaced distance above said first pair of cooperating brackets, and at least one of said brackets of said second pair comprising a second downward extending lanyard tab;   a second protective rail carried at respective opposite ends by said second pair of cooperating brackets, such that said second protective rail resides a spaced distance above said first protective rail; and   a second flexible lanyard attached at one end to said second lanyard tab of said second pair of brackets and attached at an opposite end to said second protective rail.   
     
     
         2 . A guardrail safety system according to  claim 1 , wherein each bracket of said first pair has a generally U-shaped integrally formed structure comprising spaced apart sides walls and a bottom wall. 
     
     
         3 . A guardrail safety system according to  claim 2 , wherein said lanyard tab depends from an underside of the bottom wall of said bracket of said first pair. 
     
     
         4 . A guardrail safety system according to  claim 1 , wherein each bracket of said second pair has a generally U-shaped integrally formed structure comprising spaced apart sides walls and a bottom wall. 
     
     
         5 . A guardrail safety system according to  claim 4 , wherein said lanyard tab depends from an underside of the bottom wall of said bracket of said second pair. 
     
     
         6 . A guardrail safety system according to  claim 1 , wherein one bracket of each of said first and second pairs is integrally formed with an elongated flat vertical bracket bar adapted for mounting to one of the vertical sides of the building at the elevated unfinished opening. 
     
     
         7 . A guardrail safety system according to  claim 1 , wherein said first and second protective rails are adapted to extend parallel to one another at the elevated unfinished opening of the building. 
     
     
         8 . A guardrail safety system according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said first and second protective rails comprises an OSHA safety color. 
     
     
         9 . A guardrail safety system according to  claim 1 , wherein said first and second protective rails are freely removable from respective first and second pairs of brackets. 
     
     
         10 . A guardrail safety system according to  claim 1 , wherein said first and second protective rails are each tethered only at one end to said brackets by respective lanyards. 
     
     
         11 . A guardrail safety system according to  claim 1 , wherein said brackets of said first and second pairs comprise a plurality of preformed fastener holes. 
     
     
         12 . A guardrail safety system according to  claim 1 , and comprising:
 a third pair of cooperating brackets adapted for attachment to opposing vertical sides of the building a spaced distance above said second pair of cooperating brackets, and at least one of said brackets of said third pair comprising a third downward extending lanyard tab;   a third protective rail carried at respective opposite ends by said third pair of cooperating brackets, such that said third protective rail resides a spaced distance above said second protective rail; and   a third flexible lanyard attached at one end to said third lanyard tab of said third pair of brackets and attached at an opposite end to said third protective rail.   
     
     
         13 . A guardrail safety system according to  claim 12 , wherein said first, second and third protective rails are equally spaced and adapted to extend parallel to one another at the elevated unfinished opening of the building. 
     
     
         14 . A guardrail safety system according to  claim 12 , wherein one bracket of each of said first, second and third pairs is integrally formed with an elongated flat vertical bracket bar adapted for mounting to one of the vertical sides of the building at the elevated unfinished opening. 
     
     
         15 . A method for protecting workers against falls from heights at a worksite, said method comprising:
 temporarily installing a guardrail safety system at an elevated unfinished opening in a building under construction, the elevated unfinished opening being defined by at least a floor and opposing vertical sides of the building, wherein temporarily installing the guardrail safety system comprises:   attaching a first pair of cooperating brackets to the opposing vertical sides of the building at the elevated unfinished opening, at least one of the brackets of the first pair comprising a first downward extending lanyard tab adapted to reside adjacent the floor of the building;   supporting a first protective rail at respective opposite ends by the first pair of cooperating brackets, wherein the first lanyard tab functions to space the first protective rail above the floor of the building at the elevated unfinished opening;   attaching a first flexible lanyard at one end to the first lanyard tab of the first pair of brackets and attaching an opposite end of the first flexible lanyard to the first protective rail;   attaching a second pair of cooperating brackets to opposing vertical sides of the building a spaced distance above the first pair of cooperating brackets, and at least one of the brackets of the second pair comprising a second downward extending lanyard tab;   supporting a second protective rail at respective opposite ends by the second pair of cooperating brackets, such that the second protective rail resides a spaced distance above the first protective rail; and   attaching a second flexible lanyard one end to the second lanyard tab of the second pair of brackets and attaching an opposite end of the second flexible lanyard to the second protective rail.   
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein the first and second protective rails are freely removable from respective first and second pairs of brackets. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein the first and second protective rails are each tethered only at one end to the brackets by respective lanyards. 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein the first and second protective rails are adapted to extend parallel to one another at the elevated unfinished opening of the building. 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein each of the first and second protective rails comprises an OSHA safety color. 
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein one bracket of each of the first and second pairs is integrally formed with an elongated flat vertical bracket bar adapted for mounting to one of the vertical sides of the building at the elevated unfinished opening.