Troax safety systems protect staff at Harper Collins

Industrial safety specialist Troax UK Limited has designed and installed an extensive machine guarding system to protect staff at leading publisher Harper Collins' state-of-the-art distribution centre in Glasgow. The safety fencing encloses a complex layout of automated conveyors and cranes linking a buffer store to a picking area in the warehouse.

The new conveyor lines were constructed in a newly extended part of the warehouse building which provides additional storage and handling capacity at the site, Harper Collins' main distribution centre for the UK and Europe.

Troax custom-designed the machine guarding layout using its Safe-Fix fencing system, creating safety zones around the potentially hazardous conveyors and cranes which cover an area of over 50 sq metres.

Daifuku Europe Limited, which installed the conveyor and crane systems at the warehouse, specified Troax Safe-Fix fencing for its exceptional strength and resistance and its ability to meet safety distance requirements in the warehouse.

Safe-Fix incorporates the renowned Safe-T panel. These panels are constructed from steel tube and are designed to resist distortion and deformation, providing complete physical protection for anyone working nearby in the event of an item becoming dislodged and falling from a conveyor.

An unusual aspect of the project was devising a method of providing controlled access to cranes within the restricted areas.

To solve this problem, Troax installed three step-over platforms which straddle the conveyor line at strategic points to provide access for authorised staff carrying out maintenance or repairs.

Interlocked sliding doors provide access to each platform. Sliding doors were fitted, as there was not enough room to open a conventional swing door in the limited space available.

Comments Richard Bailey at Daifuku: “We use Troax regularly and always find them to be helpful and flexible in their approach. During this project, one of the most challenging aspects was finding a way to provide access to the cranes. It was an unusual problem and Troax really came through for us, installing the step-over platforms which have been a great success. Troax helped us out all the way and we're very happy with the result.”

Contact:
Troax UK Limited,
Tel: 01793 542000
Fax: 01793 618784 email: info@troax.co.uk