Patent ID: 8474575

Claim:
A safety system for use with a structure having a surface that has variations in inclination over the surface, the safety system comprising: i) a plurality of vacuum anchor devices for securing to the surface of the structure, each vacuum anchor device having a cylindrical socket; ii) a plurality of barrier guardrails; iii) a plurality of support posts corresponding to the plurality of vacuum anchor devices, each support post with at least one coupler corresponding to the at least one barrier guardrail, the coupler configured to couple to the corresponding barrier guardrail; and iv) a plurality of mountings corresponding to the plurality of vacuum anchor devices and the plurality of support posts, each mounting for mounting a respective support post on a respective vacuum anchor device, the mounting including a cylindrical stem configured to be removably received in the cylindrical socket of the respective vacuum anchor device, a connector operably connected to the respective support post, the connector being articulated with respect to the cylindrical stem to pivot about a pivot axis over a range encompassing a plurality of different attitude orientations with respect to the cylindrical stem, wherein the connector includes an interface that mates to an end of the respective support post, and a securing arrangement that is configured to limit pivoting movement of the connector relative to the cylindrical stem and fixably secure the connector to the cylindrical stem at a user-specified attitude orientation of any one of the plurality of different attitude orientations of the connector with respect to the cylindrical stem, wherein the securing arrangement comprises at least one mechanical fixing having a configuration wherein the at least one mechanical fixing abuts against the connector at a level above the pivot axis about which the connector pivots relative to the cylindrical stem; wherein the plurality of barrier guardrails are arranged to extend between adjacent support posts, and the securing arrangements of the plurality of mountings are configured independently with respect to one another by user operation in order to compensate for the variations in inclination of the surface of the structure.