NICET Electrical Power Testing Level 1 Practice Exam 2025 - Free Practice Questions and Study Guide

Guard rails are designed as collective fall protection measures rather than personal fall protection equipment. They serve to physically prevent workers from falling off edges and elevated surfaces by providing a barrier. This makes guard rails a passive safety feature that benefits multiple workers in an area, rather than being worn by an individual.

On the other hand, safety harnesses, safety nets, and lanyards are all classified as personal fall protection equipment because they are specific to individual workers. Safety harnesses are worn on the body to secure the worker, safety nets catch falls from heights, and lanyards are used to connect the harness to a secure point. Each of these components is intended to protect a singular individual from fall hazards while they are engaged in work at heights. Therefore, guard rails are distinct in that they do not directly attach to or ensure the safety of an individual, which is why they are not considered part of personal fall protection equipment.