When it comes to safety systems where traffic and pedestrians meet, Armco barrier models are undeniably the best option. What can be a grey area, is how to site Armco barriers properly, and the correct ones to specify.
Wherever HGVs, LGVs and off-road vehicles operate, you will be constantly balancing two primary needs. Creating an efficient traffic flow that meets your productivity deadlines. Alongside managing vehicle and pedestrian movement to meet your H&S compliance goals.
Keeping everyone safe on site is also a moral duty. Plus, proper structural and operational management avoids damage to your building and vehicles.
This is all especially problematic in and around warehouse environments. These rely on visits from a constant stream of vehicles at docking bays, and a buzz of forklifts, pallet jacks, order picking machinery, platform trucks and other off-road vehicles inside.
You have the ideal solution.
Armco barrier systems are respected throughout the world. They have a superb track record for vehicle management and site safety. However, knowing this and putting it into practice are two different things.
You need to commission the right barriers and accessories based on a strategic plan of the best places to install warehouse Armco products. This is something we can advise on – to match your exacting workplace demands.
However, here are some handy general insights on how to optimise Armco barriers for warehousing.
Placing Armco safety barriers
The starting point is to map out all the possible places a vehicle could encounter either pedestrians or protrusions.
This includes locations like loading bay entrances, but also the ends of pallet racking aisles, shelving legs, support columns and wall structures. Are there places that expensive equipment, conveyor belts or other vehicles need to be shielded?
As they are so cost-effective, Armco barriers can also simply act as a visual reference to guide drivers into position.
Once you’ve completed your risk assessment, and sketched out Armco safety barrier installation locations, you can decide which size is best to create a reliable obstacle for those occasions when lorries or off-road vehicles veer off course.
Replacing the barriers is a great deal cheaper than rectifying structural and vehicle damage from a nasty collision. It is certainly an important way to keep your safety record and reputation intact. However, to maintain a good line of vision and keep your site clutter-free, you may want to limit the spread of your barriers.
Fortunately, Armco barriers are incredibly versatile. You can specify them in heights and lengths to match your site and its traffic type. For example, low-level safety barrier sections can guard against incursion from low ground clearance vehicles like forklifts. Or opt for a heavy-duty double crash rail to protect against a hit from HGV vehicles.
Best use of Wall Mounted Armco barrier
Warehouse walls and the sides of ramps for example are likely to be the scene of scuffs, grazes and prangs as vehicles manoeuvre around. Especially in locations that are tight for space, or which require that drivers reverse.
In many cases, mounting a warehouse Armco barrier on vertical planes can be the best solution. These barrier sections come with built-in ImpactSAFE shock-absorbing buffers, to further improve their performance. Yet, they are relatively quick and easy to mount on the brick, block or pre-cast concrete surfaces.
Think outdoor and indoor Armco barrier
Though there are various warehouse Armco barrier models, many of them are designed to be multi-purpose. Including being a great traffic management solution both inside warehouses and externally.
There can be so much emphasis on warehouse efficiency and control in your aisles, that a potential outdoor hazard gets overlooked.
Regularly evaluate the risk factors on all the approaches and within parking areas around your warehouse. Then, you can remain alert to ways to use a warehouse Armco barrier to good effect. The galvanised steel is weather-resistant, as well as being incredibly impact-resistant
Get the end right!
Lastly, once you have drawn up a purchasing list of Armco safety barriers for warehouses, you need to think about the end. Or ends to be exact.
Brand safe sells a range of Armco safety ends and cap posts, to increase their visibility to pedestrians and drivers, reduce the chances of impact, and avoid sharp edges injuring staff.
We are always happy to provide help in mapping out the best configurations of our strong and durable Armco barriers (and accessories). Including the best ways to install them to ensure you have the ultimate warehouse site safety systems.
