Rangers show raised railings with beveled top

[Old Sweater]

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=Atkp03vomdMF9OvCAv5PM9ERvLYF?slug=ap-rangers-renovations-railings

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP)—The new raised railings at Rangers Ballpark have beveled tops and lean slightly inward, making it safer for fans in front-row seats throughout the stadium.

Rangers officials showed off one of the first sections of new protective railing Thursday during a tour of renovations at the stadium.

The team announced plans to make all front-row railings 42 inches high after the July death of Texas firefighter Shannon Stone, who fell about 20 feet after reaching out to grab a ball tossed his way by Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton.

Some rails will have to be raised as much as a foot. The higher railings include thinner rod-like material to avoid adversely affecting sight lines.

“We accomplished what we wanted to accomplish,” Rangers executive vice president Rob Matwick. “We got the structural integrity that we were looking for.”

The $1.1 million project to replace the railings is on schedule to be completed before the season opener April 6, as are $12 million in stadium upgrades that included a reconfigure visitors bullpen and new concession and bar areas in the center field plaza.

When the accident occurred I touched on the point of the 42 inches that OSHA requires during construction of a ballpark. Then I was sitting at Coors Field when it hit me, it would block the fans view, so good luck on this move by the Rangers. Also, I bet every other clubs railings aren't at 42 inches, so this could happen in the other 29 ballparks.

[Old Sweater]

Dinger, the Rockies mascot quit launching free T-shirts(in rolled balls) into the 2nd and 3rd levels at Coors Field after the accident in Texas, except for the last game of the year. Why the last game? who knows.

[RickD]

Well I think all teams should do this as a pre-caution. If sitelines are blocked, lower the prices in the affected seating areas.

[Old Sweater]

Well I think all teams should do this as a pre-caution. If sitelines are blocked, lower the prices in the affected seating areas.
Agreed, the current 30-32 inch heights is just good if you remain seated and who does that in the front row. Surprised that public safety let them get by.

[Mr. Baseball]

It's a shame someone needs to die in order for better safety procedures to be implemented.

[RickD]

I hear ya on that one Mr. Baseball. Teams should have been proactive not reactive.

[OutfieldGrass]

I often wonder if this unfortunate event never happened would anybody be pushing for higher railings? Was this just a freak accident or something that was bound to happen? I don't want to sound like I don't care about what happened. Its sad and very unfortunate.

I haven't seen the area that Shannon Stone fell into but from what I remember it sounded as if there was a very narrow area that he fell into? Is it possible that they could have closed that gap?

The way I look at it is this. If I had a balcony with a railing and nobody had fallen in 20 years yet one day a freak accident occurs and somebody falls. Was it a hazard for those 20 years or was this just a freak accident?

[Old Sweater]

I often wonder if this unfortunate event never happened would anybody be pushing for higher railings? Was this just a freak accident or something that was bound to happen? I don't want to sound like I don't care about what happened. Its sad and very unfortunate.

I haven't seen the area that Shannon Stone fell into but from what I remember it sounded as if there was a very narrow area that he fell into? Is it possible that they could have closed that gap?

The way I look at it is this. If I had a balcony with a railing and nobody had fallen in 20 years yet one day a freak accident occurs and somebody falls. Was it a hazard for those 20 years or was this just a freak accident?

Sure they could have closed the gap. During the building is the easiest where you put weld plates in the concrete, then later, weld a perforated(allow sunshine) metal grate across the span. Then if you didn't do this, all you do is hammer drill some anchors into the concrete to hold the metal grate.

At Coors Field last year, another fan fell to his death by trying to ride the railing on a stairwell up in the Rock Pile area. Now to idiot proof this, you could weld a perforated metal grate from railing to railing.

No matter what you do though, misjudgement or a 10 beer decision is going to get the best of a fan, here and there.

Every public safety office knows that 42 inches is the standard for safe railings but even then, I know this isn't as safe for anyone 6ft 6 inches or taller.

[Mudge]

The world is a dangerous place, as so many of these kinds of events demonstrate. The amount of trust I must have (in myself and, more important, in others) before just driving to the store, for example, is worth pondering.

We as a society can do all we can to make it a safer place -- and well we should within reason -- but inevitably there are going to be unfortunate incidents. The individual must take care if that individual is going to risk going "out there." But the risk is always there, and the individual must therefore also take responsibility for his or her decision to go "out there."

[RickD]

If the railing was at the proper height and he fell then yes, accidents happen. When there is an un-safe height then that is also a contribuing factor.

[Old Sweater]

This picture was hanging in trailer of my very first commercial construction job in the fall of 1972.

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd280/OldSweater/cowboyosha.gif

I always call it the 'lightning strike' factor. You can never prevent everything, no matter what you do. I never did appreciate OSHA weighting us workers down like pack mules. One thing that leads to many accidents is exhaustion and carrying around 5 extra pounds of safety equipment on your work belt, will exhaust the heck out of you in a 8-10 hour shift and you start taking short cuts, which is the main cause of accidents.