FELS has learned that a Central Valley agricultural employer has been cited by Cal/OSHA for employees loading harvested produce onto a trailer that created a working platform greater than four feet in height lacking guardrails.

Cal/OSHA General Industry Safety Order (GISO) 3210 Guardrails at Elevated Locations specifies situations where employers are required to furnish guardrails at locations like roof openings, sides of buildings, balconies or porches, platforms, runways, ramps or working areas more than 30 inches above the floor, ground or other working areas of a building.

GISO 3210(b) Other Elevated Locations requires guardrails at “… unprotected sides of elevated work locations that are not buildings or building structures where an employee is exposed to a fall of 4 feet or more…”

Agricultural employers are advised to avoid use of trailers or working platforms higher than 4 feet unless guardrails are provided. This might be accomplished by swapping trailer wheels for smaller units or other modifications to harvest trailers that do not other compromise the safety or road-worthiness of these trailers.