Business profile
As rail operators strive to avoid tragic deaths at the UK’s 6,500 level crossings and the fines that follow,Bernstein’s SafeGate offers a solution
T
he Network Rail executives with £130 million to invest in improving the safety of the UK’s level
crossings could do worse than consider the innovative SafeGate that captured visitors’ attention at this year’s Railtex. Safety switch, sensor and enclosure manufacturer Bernstein launched its revolutionary safety gate in response to the industry need for an effective remedy to the global level crossing issue.
Managing director Robert Emms believes Bernstein’s innovative electromagnetic force access gate provides an effective solution to the problem of how to ensure level crossing gates remain locked when trains pass by. The West Midlands-based company showcased a working prototype of the SafeGate at Railtex and, according to Emms, there was particular interest in it’s innovative solution to one of the
industry’s gravest problems. Emms sees the SafeGate as ‘having huge implications for rural user operated crossings’. It may well have prevented the three fatalities recorded at level crossings since December and currently under investigation by the RAIB.
Level crossing safety remains at the top of the industry’s agenda – nine deaths were reported to have occurred at crossings on the UK’s rail network last year and rail chiefs are currently looking at a number of ways of addressing this issue. Emms says: ‘Rail safety is a huge growth industry and one that is becoming increasingly significant to our business. We were really pleased with the reaction to the SafeGate at Railtex and will be working closely with key figures from the rail industry to combine our specialist knowledge as we develop the product further. Any innovations that can reduce the number of deaths on the UK’s rail infrastructure will be welcomed by industry and passengers alike.’ SafeGate uses a solenoid locking safety switch (SLK) which was originally designed for machine guarding applications. It works by electromagnetic force, using a monitored solenoid switch to hold gates closed when a train is detected.
The volume of both trains and passengers, and the industry’s rigorous operational demands, including a round- the-clock service in some cases, mean only the highest quality; robustly constructed components meet the standards required by the rail safety sector. Bernstein has worked with some of the industry’s most high-profile manufacturers to ensure it’s stock offers the highest levels of safety for both passengers and staff. The SLK switch benefits from insulated slim-line plastic housing, 5 quick select actuator approach directions, spring lock or power lock versions (2000N) and comes in 24VAC/ DC or 110V/230VAC versions. It shares a number of features with the SLM model including a variety of contact configurations and stainless steel actuator. Both the SLK and SLM switches are IP67 rated, making them suitable for some of the most demanding applications.
September 2013 Page 97
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