According to OSHA, falls are the leading cause of death in construction. In 2010, there were 264 fall fatalities out of 774 total fatalities in construction. These deaths are preventable.
Guardian’s Purlin Glide FP insulation system is a patented, OSHA-compliant leading edge fall prevention system used to insulate the roof and walls of pre-engineered metal buildings. It consists of three components; the patented Purlin Gliders, wide rolls of cross-woven polyethylene fabric and unfaced fiberglass insulation.
The Purlin Glider is a lightweight device that runs down the length of a building dispensing the Purlin Glide FP fabric ahead of the roof’s leading edge. The Purlin Glide FP fabric is an odorless, bright white support fabric that is applied directly to the top of a metal building’s secondary steel. The last component of the Purlin Glide FP system is Guardian’s unfaced fiberglass insulation. The unfaced insulation is installed above the support fabric in varying thicknesses to obtain desired insulating values.
How can contractors and owners benefit from Purlin Glide?
Fall Prevention – Protects the installation crew while the building is being insulated and roofed by providing OSHA-compliant, leading-edge fall prevention.
The Purlin Glide FP system meets OSHA requirements for leading-edge fall prevention (29 CFR 1926.754 (e)(3)(i)). To meet OSHA guidelines an insulation support and fall prevention system must restrain and support 400 pounds dropped from at least 42 inches above the system. The Purlin Glide FP system passes this rigorous test!
Clean, Bright and Durable Interior – The Purlin Glide FP fabric resists tears and provides a smooth, bright, aesthetically pleasing and durable finished surface while providing resistance to fungi and bacteria growth.
Minimal Seams and Increased Productivity – Guardian’s Purlin Glide FP fabric is laser aligned and vacuumed into place prior to being hot-air compression welded. Precision winding results in square, tight, and easy-to-unwind rolls. Fabric rolls in widths up to 27 feet and lengths up to 325 feet allow for increased productivity by reducing seams by up to 70 percent when compared to traditionally faced metal building insulation. Our fabric roll overlap does not require any staples or tape.
Tensile Strength Testing – Guardian conducts daily testing on actual production samples of welded Purlin Glide FP fabric to ensure safety. Extensive drop testing has been performed to determine the actual failure point of the welded seam. Production samples must exhibit seam strength of more than double the noted failure strength to meet Guardian’s standards and be considered acceptable for use in a Purlin Glide FP system.
Lightweight Equipment and Quick Set-Up Time – Using the lightweight, well-maintained equipment with the wide fabric rolls makes set-up quick and easy.
Exceptional Fire Performance – Both the fiberglass insulation and Purlin Glide FP fabric feature a FHC 25/50 flame spread and smoke developed rating per UL 723/ASTM E-84.
The Purlin Glide FP insulation system can be used on a maximum roof pitch of 4:12 for a single-layer system and 2:12 for double-layer systems. To get started, we need the detailed steel erection drawings that contain the roof framing plan on the building cross sections.
Purlin Glide FP is fall protection at the leading edge only and is just one component of a total fall protection plan for the job. Other means of fall protection are still required within 6 feet of any exterior roof edge, roof opening or common rafter where the system has not been installed in both bays. Please contact a Guardian sales representative or see the Energy Saver FP Contractor Sale agreement and installation instructions for more details.
Falls remain the leading cause of death and injury in the construction industry. Companies must protect their workers by following safety regulations and using the proper equipment like the Purlin Glide FP insulation system from Guardian.