Safety railing system for roof access hatch

Abstract

A safety railing system for a roof access hatch includes a three-sided rectangular base configured for resting on a roof adjacent to and surrounding a roof access hatch. Four upright frame members are attached to and extend upwardly from the base to define the four corners of the safety railing system. A plurality of cross-members extend between the upright frame members for rigidly holding the upright frame members relative to one another. An opening or entry is defined between two of the upright frame members at one end of the safety railing system. A gate or removable barrier is provided at the opening or entry to allow selective access through the safety railing system and to the roof access hatch. The safety railing system is secured relative to the roof access hatch to prevent movement of the safety railing system relative to the roof access hatch.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention relates generally to a safety railing for a roof access hatch, and more particularly, to a safety railing that surrounds the roof access hatch, rests on the surface of the roof or other surface accessed by the hatch, and is coupled to the roof access hatch so as to prevent movement of the railing system relative to the roof access hatch.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] Roof access hatches have traditionally been a major source of workplace injury. Typically, roof hatches consist of an opening or hole in the roof which is accessed by a ladder. The roof access hatch is generally surrounded by a flashing that stands a foot or two high and which, together with the roof hatch cover, protects the hatch from rain, snow and other adverse weather elements. The roof hatch cover also protects people from falling into the roof opening when people are walking on a roof, as when performing repairs or during construction. During early stages of building construction, a roof hatch covering may not even be present to cover the roof opening. And even when the hatch is in use, the roof hatch cover tends to be left open, exposing the roof hatch opening in order to provide reentry into the building from the roof. In any event, the exposed roof hatch opening presents a serious danger to those on the rooftop that may be injured or killed if one falls into the roof hatch opening.

[0005] As such, roof safety measures have been specifically implemented to address roof hatch safety. The Operational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) now requires roof hatch railing systems to be placed around roof access hatches in all employment situations. As a result, roof hatch railing systems have been developed which provide protection to the roof hatch and prevent individuals from inadvertently falling into the roof opening.

[0006] One such example is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,167,659 B1 to Swindell, III in which a roof hatch safety railing consists of a pair of poles attached to the roof hatch with one pole attached to the right side of a roof hatch and the other pole attached to the left side of the hatch. A person may grab the poles as he or she climbs from the roof or access hatch ladder, through the hatch and onto the roof or platform. The poles are also spaced away from the hatch, thereby allowing enough clearance for a lid of the hatch to close and cover the hatch. The poles are fastened to the roof hatch via a bracket is bolted to the base of the roof hatch. While the railing system of the Swindell, III patent may have met OSHA guidelines at the time the invention was filed, the railing system does not provide protection from all sides of the roof hatch to prevent an individual from falling through into the roof hatch opening. Moreover, the Swindell, III railing system requires the drilling of holes through the base of the roof hatch. Such hole drilling results in the unwanted side effect of voiding the roof hatch manufacturer's warranty.

[0007] Other patents of relevance include U.S. Pat. No. 4,546,855 to Lyons which discloses a safety extension adapted to be mounted by various adjustable means to the upper rungs of a ladder or the inside of a manhole. The safety extension comprises a rod which is moveable in a sleeve between extended and retracted positions. A counterbalance means mounted in a particular manner is optionally provided to facilitate moving the rod to the extended position with maximum ease and safety. The safety extension may be used in manholes or hatchways and is grasped by a person when entering or exiting the passageway. This safety extension must be engaged before each use in order to be functional. Furthermore, this safety extension does not meet the requirements for a roof hatch safety railing set forth by OSHA.

[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 3,598,200 to Thompson discloses a similar invention in which a sleeve is attached to the rungs of a manhole ladder. The sleeve has a slideable rod therein which is extendable from the manhole to provide a vertical railing for workman on the ladder. A support at the lower end of the rod releasably engages a ladder rung to retain the rod in extended position. When unneeded, the rod can be stored wholly within the manhole. The rod acts as a vertical railing or guide for the worker on the ladder. Because this safety extension must also be engaged before each use, this type of railing would not be suitable for use with a roof hatch ladder. Also, as with the previous example, the railing system of the Thompson patent does not conform with current OSHA standards.

[0009] Thus, it would be advantageous to provide a safety railing system for a roof hatch which does not require holes to be drilled in or through the base of the roof hatch in order to secure the railing, or modify the roof hatch in any way that would void the manufacturer's warranty. In addition, it would be advantageous to provide a railing system that is self supporting, easy to assembly and disassemble, and which provides protection around all sides of the roof hatch. In addition, it would be advantageous to provide a safety railing system for a roof hatch which conforms to OSHA standards.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] In accordance with the present invention, a safety railing system for a roof access hatch is comprised of a plurality of upright members affixed to a base. The base defines an perimeter which is greater than the perimeter of the roof access hatch so as to fit around the roof access hatch. A plurality of upright frame members are affixed to the base and extend upwardly therefrom. A plurality of frame cross-members extend between the upright frame members for rigidly holding the upright frame members relative to one another and for forming a railing. An opening or entry is defined between two of the upright frame members at one end of the safety railing system to allow access to the roof access hatch.

[0011] In one embodiment, the base of the safety railing rests on the roof or other surface proximate the access hatch. As such, the safety railing system is completely self-supporting and free-standing. To prevent lateral movement of the safety railing system relative to the roof access hatch, the safety railing may be bolted or otherwise secured to the flashing of the roof access hatch. Securing the safety railing system to the flashing provides sufficient lateral stability of the railing system relative to the roof access hatch without affecting the structural integrity of the roof access hatch that would otherwise void a manufacturer's warranty.

[0012] Because most roof access hatch assemblies are generally rectangular in configuration, the safety railing system of the present invention is configured with a three-sided, rectangular base configured for resting on a roof surface adjacent to and surrounding the roof access hatch. Four upright frame members are attached to and extend upwardly from the base to define the four corners of the safety railing system. A plurality of cross-members extend along and between three sides of the rectangular base and between the upright frame members for rigidly holding the upright frame members relative to one another and for forming a railing. An opening or entry is defined between two of the upright frame members at the one end of the safety railing system that does not include cross-members.

[0013] A gate or removable barrier is provided at the opening or entry to allow selective access through the safety railing system and to the roof access hatch. The gate or removable barrier may be comprised of a chain, a strap, gate or other gate-type or barrier device.

[0014] The safety railing system is secured relative to the roof access hatch to prevent movement of the safety railing system relative to the roof access hatch. For example, the upright frame members may be coupled to the flashing of a roof access hatch. This may be accomplished by providing one or more brackets coupled to one or more of the upright frame member. The brackets are then secured to the flashing of the roof hatch, as with a fastener.

[0015] In one embodiment, the safety railing system is comprised of plurality of upright frame members and a plurality of frame cross-members that are removably securable relative to one another for ease of construction and disassembly. The upright frame members and cross-members may comprise one or more panels that can be easily assembled into the safety railing system of the present invention.

[0016] In order to meet OSHA guidelines for such structures, the safety railing system of the present invention is configured to withstanding vertical or horizontal forces of at least 200 pounds applied within two inches of the top edge in any outward or downward direction at any point along a top edge of the safety railing system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of a first safety railing system in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

[0018] FIG. 2 is a partial exploded side view of an attachment mechanism for securing the cross-members of FIG. 1 to the side frame members in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

[0019] FIG. 3A is a partial side view of a gate attachment member attached to one of the uprights of FIG. 1;

[0020] FIG. 3B is a partial front view of the gate attachment member shown in FIG. 3A;

[0021] FIG. 3C is a partial side view of an opposite gate attachment member to the gate attachment member shown in FIG. 3A;

[0022] FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional top view of a bracket assembly for securing the roof railing system of the present invention to the flashing of a roof hatch;

[0023] FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of a second embodiment of a safety railing system in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

[0024] FIG. 6 is a top view of the safety railing system shown in FIG. 5 relative to a roof hatch in accordance with the principles of the present invention; and

[0025] FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional side view of a third embodiment of a safety railing system in accordance with the principles of the present invention attached to the flashing of a roof hatch.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference numerals have been used throughout the various figures to designate like elements, there is shown in FIG. 1 a roof hatch safety railing constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and designated generally as 10. The roof hatch safety railing 10 comprises a pair of railing sides 12 and 14 interconnected by two cross-members 16 and 18, with the railing sides 12 and 14 and cross-members 16 and 18 configured for being easily and quickly assembled and disassembled for transporting and installing the roof hatch safety railing 10 of the present invention.

[0027] Each railing side 12 and 14 is comprised of a base 20 formed from an elongate section 22 of plate steel and an upright elongate section 24 of plate steel for forming a “T” shaped base member. The base 20 is configured for resting upon a roof surface adjacent a roof hatch. A “U” shaped upright frame member 26 comprised of steel tubing bent into the desired shape forms the outer perimeter of each railing side 12 and 14. Of course, the U shaped upright frame member 26 may be formed from three or more individual sections of tubing that are attached as by welding or mechanical fastening. A cross-rail 28 extends between and is attached to the sides of the frame member 26 as by welding at about the mid-point of each leg 30 and 32 of the frame member 26.

[0028] The configuration of the base 20 and its attachment to the distal ends 34 and 36 of each leg 30 and 32, respectively, provides strong and stable attachment between the base 20 and the frame member 26. That is, the distal ends 34 and 36 of the frame member 26 is attached to the plate 22 at their bottom surfaces as by welding and along sections 38 an 40, respectively, of their lengths. This dual attachment of the legs 30 and 32 to the base 20 adds strength and significant structural support to the frame member 26.

[0029] Each frame member 26 is provided with a pair of female cross-member receiving members 42 and 44. These receiving members 42 and 44 are comprised of relatively short sections of tubing for relatively snugly receiving the cross-members 16 and 18 therein. Once the cross-members 16 and 18 are properly seated within the receiving members 42 and 44, the cross-members 16 and 18 may be removably secured as by a mechanical type fastener such as a transversely extending bolt or pin (as is illustrated in FIG. 2). The receiving members 42 and 44 and thus the cross-members 16 and 18 are positioned along what is the back of the railing system 10. For increased stability, however, the cross-members 16 and 18, however, are attached relative to different sections of the railing sides 12 and 14. Specifically, the cross-member 16 is attached relative to the top section 46 of the frame member 26, while the cross-member 18 is attached relative to the back leg 32 of the frame member 26. By attaching the cross-members 16 and 18 along different portions, that are essentially ninety degrees apart, the frame members 26 are substantially prevented from moving toward or apart from one another along the front and/or the bottom of the railing system 10. In addition to providing sufficient structural support to maintain the relative positions of the frame members 26, the cross member 16 also provides a convenient hand grasping member that at one point is above the person for assisting a person entering or exiting a roof hatch about which the railing system 10 is positioned without interfering with access to or from the roof hatch. Thus, by positioning the cross-member 16 to the top and back of the railing system 10, the cross-member can be conveniently grasped by a user without causing an obstruction above the roof hatch.

[0030] At the front 48 of the railing system are gate attachment members 51, 52, 53 and 54 (shown in more detail in FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C. The attachment members 51-54 are configured for removably attaching a pair of chain lengths (not shown) between the front legs 30 of the frame members 26 to allow selective access into the railing system 10 while preventing inadvertent access into the railing system that may result in injury. The attachment members 51-54 are secured to the front legs 30 as by welding thereto.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 2, the cross-member, for example cross-member 16 (only one end of which is illustrated), is secured to the cross-member receiving member 42 with a military pin 55. The cross-member 16 is formed from an elongate section of steel tubing having a transversely extending bore 56 that extends through both side walls of the tube. There is a similar transversely extending bore 56 on the opposite end of the cross-member 16 for engaging the opposite receiving member 42. The receiving member 42 is also provided with a transversely extending bore 57 which extends through both side walls of the tube. The position of the bore 56 relative to the end 58 of the cross-member 16 is such that when the cross-member 16 is fully inserted into the receiving member 42 and the bore 56 is in the some rotational orientation as the bore 57, the bores 56 and 57 are in alignment. Once aligned, the pin 55 can be inserted into and through the bores 56 and 57 such that the pin retaining members 60 and 61 are positioned on the opposite side of the retaining member 42 and thus prevent the pin 55 from being disengaged from the retaining member 42. Of course, those of skill in the art upon understanding the principles of the present invention will appreciate that there may be other means for releasably attaching the cross-members 16 and 18 relative to the frame members 26. The means described, however, provides secure attachment while adding structural stability to the interconnection. That is, because there is a length of engagement between the cross-members 16 and 18 and their respective retaining members 42 and 44, the engagement of the cross-members 16 and 18 to the retaining members 42 and 44 substantially prevent or at least significantly limit relative movement of the railing sides 12 and 14. Also, by simply varying the length of the cross-members 16 and 18, the railing system 10 of the present invention can be easily customized to fit any width of roof hatch as needed.

[0032] As shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C, a gate may be formed between the access into and out of the railing system 10 of the present invention by one or more chains draped across the opening and secured between the railing sides 12 and 14 along the front thereof. As shown in FIG. 3C, a first link 53 of a chain is attached to the front 48 of the leg 30, to which another link of a chain 62 (see FIG. 3B) is attached. The first link 53 may be attached by welding or other means of attachment known in the art. On the front 48 of the opposite leg 30 is a chain engagement or attachment member 51. As shown in FIG. 3A, the attachment member 51 is provided with a key-hole shaped aperture 64 for selectively receiving a link of the chain 62 therethrough and holding the link relative thereto until selectively disengaged by a user. A link 66 adjacent to the one 68 engaged by the aperture 64 abuts against a surface of the attachment member 51 to prevent the chain 62 from pulling through the aperture 64. The remainder of the chain is draped across the front of the railing system 10 to prevent inadvertent access into the railing system 10 and thus to an associated roof hatch.

[0033] Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown a partial cross-sectional top view of a railing system attachment bracket, generally indicated at 70, configured for attaching the railing system relative to the roof hatch with minimal modification to the roof hatch and certainly no modification that may otherwise void the manufacturer's warranty of the roof hatch. The attachment bracket 70 is comprised of first and second bracket members 72 and 74 having similar configurations each formed from an elongate metal plate bent proximate a mid-point thereof at an angel of about between 20 and 70 degrees. The first and second bracket members 72 and 74 are fastened together with fasteners 75 and 76 that are fastened through slots formed in the bracket members 72 and 74 to allow lengthwise and adjustment of the two bracket members 72 and 74 relative to one another. The second bracket 74 is provided with a U-shaped fastener 77 for extending around one of the legs of the frame member and for clamping the leg 30 to the bracket member 74. The first bracket 72 is attached to the flashing edge 78 of the roof hatch. This is accomplished by drilling two holes 79 and 80 into the flashing 78 at the desired location and then fasting the bracket member 72 to the flashing 78 with fasteners 81 and 82, respectively. By providing a plurality of such bracket assemblies 70, for example at each leg of the railing system 10, the railing system 10 can be securely fastened to the roof hatch without effecting the manufacturer's warranty and also while allowing the railing system 10 to firmly rest upon the roof top surface without requiring vertical support from the roof hatch.

[0034] The U-shaped fastener 77 allows for attachment of the bracket assembly 70 at any height along the leg 30 so as to accommodate roof hatch flashings of any height. In addition, the adjustability of the two bracket members 72 and 74 allows for some adjustability of the spacing and position of the leg 30 relative to the flashing 78 depending upon the configuration of the roof hatch and the width and/or length of the railing system 10 relative to the roof hatch.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 5, a fully assembled railing system, generally indicated at 100 is illustrated. The railing system 100 is comprised of various components forming the frame thereof that are welded together so as to not be generally able to be disassembled. The railing system 100 is comprised of a base 112 to which uprights, such as upright 114 are attached. The base 112 is comprised of elongate members, such as elongate member 118 having more or less a horizontal orientation. The base consists of a first elongate member 118 having a first end 120 attached to the upright member 114 and a second end 122 attached to the upright member 115. A second elongate member 124 is oriented at a more or less right angle to the first elongate member 118. The second elongate member 124 has a first end 126 attached to the upright member 115 and a second end 128 attached to the upright member 117. The first end 126 of the second elongate member 124 may be affixed to the second end 122 of the first elongate member 118 by any means known in the art, for example, by welding. A third elongate member 130 is oriented at a more or less right angle with the second elongate member 124 and more or less parallel with the first elongate member 118. The third elongate member 130 has a first end 132 attached to the upright member 117 and a second end 134 attached to the upright member 119. The first end 132 of the third elongate member 130 may also be attached to the second end 28 of the second elongate member 24 by any means known in the art, for example, by welding or means of mechanical fastening such as screws, rivets or bolts.

[0036] The base 112 of the roof hatch safety railing forms three sides of a rectangle whose perimeter is greater than the outside perimeter of a roof hatch. However, the base 112 may have fewer than three or more than three sides. Also, the base 112 may define any shape, including a circle, square, octagon or hexagon as desired by the user. In addition, the roof hatch safety railing system 100 may have either fewer or more than six horizontal rails. Furthermore, the roof hatch safety railing system 100 may have no horizontal rails by utilizing chain, mesh or chain link along the sides of the railing system and removing the horizontal rails.

[0037] The uprights 114, 115, 117 and 119 are attached to the base 112 by any means known to the art, for example, by welding, screws, rivets or bolts. Each of the uprights 114, 115, 17 and 119 are attached to the base 112 so as to extend upwardly therefrom. In addition, horizontal rails 161, 162, 163, 164, 165 and 166 connect the uprights 1114, 115, 117 and 119 relative to one another. The horizontal rails 161-166 are thus attached to the uprights by any means known to the art, for example, by welding, screws, rivets, or bolts. The rails 161, 163 and 165 extend around a mid-height of the uprights, while the rails 162, 164 and 166 extend around proximate the tops of the uprights.

[0038] The combination of uprights and rails is so arranged as to define an opening or access 170 into the railing system 100 through which the roof access hatch may be accessed. The opening 170 is enclosed with a gate or removable barriers 171 and 172. The removable barriers are comprised of two lengths of chain, both of which are affixed to and between the front uprights 114 and 119. Thus, a first end of a first chain 171 is affixed to the front upright 119 near the top of the upright 119 and the second end of the first chain is removably attached to the front upright 114 near the top of the front upright 114. Similarly, the second chain is attached at a first end proximate a mid-point of the front upright 119 and removably attached to a mid-point of the front upright 114.

[0039] It is further contemplated that a railing system of the present invention may comprise either fewer or more than four uprights. Furthermore, the uprights may be located at any location along the base, which still providing a useful railing system. Also, as depicted in FIG. 1, the railing system 100 is designed so that the base 112 rests on the roof 150, or other area accessed by the roof access hatch and thus provides vertical support for the roof access railing system 100. However, the railing system 100 may be configured so that the base member 112 does not rest on the roof 150 or other area accessed by the roof access hatch, and instead, the railing system 100 may be attached directly to the flashing of the roof access hatch, as shown in FIG. 4 such that the railing system 100 is suspended above the roof top.

[0040] FIG. 6 depicts a top view of the roof hatch safety railing 100 illustrated in FIG. 5. A roof access hatch 152 is positioned inside the roof access railing 100. A roof access hatch cover 154 is depicted in a closed position, covering the roof access hatch 152 and actually rests on the roof or other surface accessed by the roof access hatch a gate 155 hingedly attached between the front uprigts guards access to the roof hatch 152. The perimeter of the base 112 is greater than the perimeter of the roof access hatch 152, allowing the base 112 to surround the roof access hatch 152. Likewise, the base 112 may be sufficiently larger than the roof access hatch 152 that its perimeter extends beyond any excess roofing material that may extend beyond the bottom of the roof access hatch 152 where it meets the roof 150. In an alternative embodiment, the base 112 may be shaped or contoured so that it lies close to the roof access hatch 152 where there is no significant excess roofing material, but extends away from the roof access hatch 152 where significant excess roofing material exists, such as in the corner areas.

[0041] As further illustrated in FIG. 7, a roof access hatch railing system, generally indicated at 200, is attached directly to the roof access hatch 152. The roof hatch safety railing 200 can be attached to the roof access hatch 152 by any means known to the art, including screws, rivets, bolts or welding. In this example, the roof hatch safety railing system 200 is attached to the roof access hatch 152 with bolts 262. The bolts 262 are inserted through a hole 264 in the upright 266 and through similar holes 267 in the roof hatch flashing 268. The flashing 268 is provided to deflect water and keeps it from running into the roof access hatch 152. Because the perimeter of the base 212 is configured to be greater than the perimeter of the roof access hatch 152 and more particularly the flashing 268. In this example, by attaching the railing system 200 directly to the flashing 268, the railing system 200 can be suspended above the roof 150 and fully vertically supported by the flashing. As it is typically the case that the flashing is formed from a rigid steel plate material, such support by the flashing alone may be adequate to meet the requirements for railing system weight support requirements.

[0042] It should be noted that reference herein to specific details of the illustrated embodiments is by way of example and not by way of limitation. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many additions, deletions and modifications to the illustrated embodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A safety railing for a roof access hatch comprising:

a plurality of upright frame members, said plurality of upright frame members defining a perimeter at their lower ends, said perimeter being slightly larger than an outer perimeter of a roof access hatch; and

a plurality of frame cross-members coupled between said plurality of upright frame members to maintain said plurality of upright frame members in a rigid upright position and for providing a barrier between said upright frame members to the roof access hatch, said plurality of upright frame members and said plurality of frame cross-members defining at least one open side to allow access to said roof access hatch through said open side.

2. The safety railing of claim 1, further comprising a removable barrier coupled relative to said upright frame members at said open side for allowing selective access through said open side.

3. The safety railing of claim 2, wherein said removable barrier comprises at least one chain.

4. The safety railing of claim 1, wherein said plurality of upright frame members are comprised of tubing and said plurality of frame cross-members comprise a plurality of flat base members and a plurality of tubular barrier members.

5. The safety railing of claim 1, wherein said plurality of upright frame members and said plurality of frame cross-members are removably securable relative to one another for ease of construction and disassembly.

6. The safety railing system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of upright frame members are coupled to a flashing of the roof hatch.

7. The safety railing system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of upright frame members are configured to sit on the surface of a roof top.

8. The safety railing system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of cross-members include a plurality of base members configured to sit on the surface of the roof and support the plurality of upright frame members.

9. The safety railing system of claim 1, further comprising a gate hingedly attached to one of said plurality of upright frame members at said opening and a latching mechanism associated with said gate and another of said plurality of upright frame members at an opposite side of said opening.

10. The safety railing of claim 1, wherein said upright frame members and said frame cross-members are capable of withstanding a force of at least 200 pounds applied within two inches of the top edge in any outward or downward direction at any point along a top edge of said upright frame members and said frame cross-members.

11. A safety railing for a roof access hatch comprising:

a three-sided rectangular base configured for resting on a roof adjacent a roof access hatch thereof;

a plurality of upright members extending upwardly from said base and defining the corners of a safety railing system; and

a plurality of cross-members extending between the plurality of upright members for rigidly holding said upright frame members relative to one another and defining an entry between two of said upright frame members.

12. The safety railing system of claim 11, further including a gate coupled between said two upright frame members defining the entry.

13. The safety railing system of claim 12, wherein said gate comprises at least one length of chain.

14. The safety railing system of claim 11, further comprising means for affixing the safety railing to the roof access hatch.

15. The safety railing system of claim 14, wherein said affixing means comprises at least one bracket coupled to at least one of the plurality of upright members configured for securing to a flashing of a roof hatch.

16. The safety railing system of claim 15, further comprising at least one fastener for attaching said at least one bracket to the flashing.

17. The safety railing of claim 11, wherein the plurality of upright members and plurality of cross-members are capable of withstanding, without failure or movement relative to a roof hatch, a force of at least 200 pounds applied within two inches of the top edge, in any outward or downward direction, at any point along the top edge.

18. The safety railing of claim 11, wherein said plurality of upright members are comprised of tubing and said plurality of cross-members comprise a plurality of flat base members and a plurality of tubular barrier members.

19. The safety railing of claim 11, wherein said plurality of upright members and said plurality of cross-members are removably securable relative to one another for ease of construction and disassembly.