Bustin Industrial Products Enhances Fabrication Safety with Gorbel® Tether Track™

Protecting the Safety Experts

Bustin Industrial Products has fabricated safety access equipment in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, for over 80 years. The company produces custom work platforms, step stairs, and safety handrails. However, their "engineered-to-order" manufacturing process created a specific problem [Video 00:23]. To build this safety equipment, their own teams often had to work in dangerous conditions.

The Challenge

Fabrication of these large metal structures requires welders and assemblers to work at heights of 10, 12, or even 15 feet [Video 00:33]. Workers often stood directly on the incomplete platforms to install top rails and join segments.

As a facility that adheres to strict ANSI and OSHA standards, Bustin needed a reliable way to protect these employees. The solution had to cover the area where platform building occurred without disrupting the custom build process.

The Solution

Bustin worked with a Gorbel dealer to identify the right system for their business. They selected a Tether Track™ Ceiling Mounted Monorail System. By mounting the track to the ceiling, the facility utilized the space directly over the work platform building area.

Installation and Execution

The system uses the existing overhead structure of the building. In practice, workers put on a full-body harness and clip into the system [Video 00:24].

Video footage from the facility shows a worker ascending a steep industrial stair unit while the anchor point remains directly overhead [Video 00:30]. This setup allows the team to bolt units together or make modifications at height [Video 00:36]. The trolley moves with the worker, minimizing the risk of a swing fall.

The Result

Productivity relies on worker safety during these custom builds. With the monorail in place, workers can concentrate on the job without fearing for their safety. The company avoids the worry that a simple misstep could injure a valuable employee or shut down production.

"Tether Track is a unit that I had seen in publications, I know Gorbel has a good name in the industry for fall protection systems, so that's why we went with Gorbel." — Tom Transits, Plant Engineer, Bustin Industrial Products

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why was a Monorail system chosen over a Bridge Crane fall protection system? A Monorail system works best for applications requiring movement along a single, linear path, such as the assembly line at Bustin. Since the fabrication follows a linear progression rather than covering a wide rectangular area, the Monorail provided the most geometrically appropriate coverage.

2. How does the Ceiling Mounted system handle the load of a fall event? The Tether Track™ is engineered to withstand the dynamic forces of a fall arrest. The ceiling connections are verified by structural engineers to ensure the building's existing roof trusses can support the potential impact load, transferring the force safely into the building structure.

3. Does the system restrict the worker's movement during delicate fabrication tasks? No. The enclosed track design of the Tether Track™ prevents dirt and dust accumulation on the rolling surface. This ensures the trolley moves with minimal drag, allowing welders and fabricators to move freely without feeling the resistance of a heavy system.