Combilift & A-SAFE

Combilift is a leading manufacturer of specialist, multidirectional materials handling solutions, based in Monaghan, Ireland. When the company was looking for a solution to improve pedestrian safety from the many vehicles in circulation on the shop floor, safety barrier testing standards and independent certification were essential considerations.

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Customer

Combilift designs and manufactures specialist, multidirectional materials handling solutions. The company’s innovative products are made with efficiency and safety in mind. From pallet trucks to straddle carriers, Combilift supplies versatile, smart solutions around the world.

Situation

After celebrating its 20th anniversary, Combilift established a new global headquarters and manufacturing site in Monaghan, Ireland, to help drive its ambitious growth plans. The new site is purpose-built and spans 46,500 m². It is it is one of the largest manufacturing operations in the Republic of Ireland. The company has 690 employees and at any given time, there might be 300 forklift trucks moving around its busy shop floor. Incorporating the latest sustainable manufacturing processes, the new factory includes four 90-metre moving assembly lines, 60 welding bays, 12,000 pallet storage locations and a 50-seat cinema training room.

To protect employees and infrastructure within its state-of-the-art facility, Combilift wanted to invest in the best workplace safety systems. The management team investigated various types of safety barriers available on the market. They were looking for a safety barrier manufacturer whose products were of the highest standard and offered first-rate protection. A-SAFE proved to be the best choice. Combilift Operations Manager Martin McKenna knew that he could trust A-SAFE because its barriers are PAS 13 compliant and independently certified by TÜV NORD. “We wanted something with good, high standards. “It’s important when selecting a safety barrier that you can trust the product that you’re selecting,” said McKenna.

Solution

A-SAFE experts carried out a comprehensive, PAS 13-compliant site survey at the new facility. They executed an extensive risk assessment and mapped out pedestrian routes, walkways, work area zones, vehicle routes and crossing points. The A-SAFE team also identified critical structures and vulnerable equipment that needed protecting.

To ensure employee safety, effective pedestrian and vehicle segregation were the top priorities for Combilift. McKenna said, “One of the concepts we were looking at was how to protect employees when they were walking throughout the facility.” A-SAFE safety experts considered the weight of vehicles in operation and traffic speeds. They also looked at potential angles of impact. They then specified the appropriate strength, height and configuration of barriers to ensure that the solution provided the best levels of protection.

• Protected workforce and assets
• Increased operational efficiency
• Reduced risk of accidents

A-SAFE installed a range of traffic segregation barriers, including iFlex Double Traffic and iFlex Single Traffic, as well as iFlex Single Traffic Barrier+ and Swing Gates for areas where pedestrians were crossing active traffic routes. Column protection and racking protection were also installed to safeguard Combilift’s crucial structures and valuable assets. Combilift was extremely pleased with the quality of the installation. Martin Ward, Combilift Facility Technician said, “We are more than happy to invest a lot in A-SAFE because it guarantees high protection for our employees here at the facility.”

Assembly Line Fitter Daniel Soden added, “It’s good that Combilift cares enough to invest time, money and research in our safety and the best barriers out there.”

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