Feature Machine Safety Opening the door to safer environments


Christopher Knollys, managing director of sara LBS, explains how integrating machine protection doors into your automated production areas can reduce the risk of accidents whilst boosting productivity


A


ccording to the HSE, almost 700,000 workplace injuries occur every year in the UK. This is estimated to cost employers a total of £3.17bn. Unsurprisingly the manufacturing industry suffers from one of the high- est accident rates, meaning that it bears the brunt of these costs. To avoid workplace injuries and costly insurance payouts, employers need to be aware of the latest technologies available to make the workplace safe. There are many environments in the workplace where certain areas need protection. For example, many produc- tion cells may involve operations which are potentially hazardous to personnel or machinery that is nearby and there- fore, need to be sheltered. Because the Health & Safety at Work Act (HASWA) requires all employers to protect the health and safety of everyone in the


Right: many production cells may involve operations which are potentially hazardous to personnel or machinery that is nearby and


therefore, need to be sheltered


may need to be repeated regularly and in some cases the machine may need to be isolated prior to entry, so proper integration with the production sys- tems is crucial.


Because of the vital work that these safety doors perform in maintaining a site’s efficiency and the safety of person- nel, many industrial door manufactur- ers now offer products which are bespoke designed for the job. For exam- ple, sara LBS has developed the Rapid Protect series of high speed roller shut- ter doors which have been designed in consultation with manufacturing clients to take their needs into consideration. The high speed doors can be fully inte- grated within the production facility to ensure both machinery and personnel are properly protected.


Reliability With access systems such as this, relia- bility is a key consideration as any per- formance issues directly affect production efficiency. The combination of speed and repeated opening needs to be carefully controlled to ensure safe and smooth operation. This can only be achieved by designing a system based on expert knowledge and working closely with the client to ensure the required system is delivered. A major part of


the design is the


workplace, including those just visiting the premises such as delivery drivers and visitors who may not be familiar with the site, it is important that such sheltering works at all times.


Integrated automation


Automated production lines bring huge benefits to manufacturers as they can operate continuously with no risk of human error. Automated cells which may cause welding splatter or flying sparks etc, are often positioned behind machine protection doors which improve the efficiency of a work space by reducing the area that needs to be kept clear due to a poten- tial hazard. As with all safety equip- ment, it’s important to ensure that doors specified for machine protection application incorporate all the required features. Access to a machine


Automation JANUARY 2014


Above: sara LBS’s range of machinery protection doors include doors suitable for most locations and environments


materials used to produce the finished product as they must simultaneously provide protection from hazards and enhance reliability despite frequent use. The use of transparent sections of curtain to allow visibility of machinery may be required, or in the case of weld- ing equipment, the use of flame retar- dant material or the provision of anti-UV windows. All aspects of opera- tion must be considered in order to deliver not only the customer’s require- ments but also those of HASWA.


Innovation and performance sara LBS’s range of machinery protec- tion doors includes doors suitable for most


locations and environments -


including the Rapid Protect 2000, a high speed aluminium door designed for machinery and laser protection, or the Rapid Protect 300 which comes as standard with a noise reducing RollTex curtain, with optional including


transparent coloured safety stripes.


alternatives PVC with


The Rapid Protect range has been designed to cause minimal interference with the production process whilst still delivering


absolute protection. The


doors can be integrated into the auto- mated assembly process and feature a failsafe Category 4 PLe - ISO 13849-1 switch which detects when the door is fully closed and prevents machine start- up until then. This enables a rapid switch from complete isolation of a pro- duction stage to easy access in a matter of seconds. The fast operation is made possible with sara LBS’s patented MCC Vector Control System that delivers smooth acceleration and operation and reduces wear. This allows the Rapid Protect doors to reach the UK’s fastest operat- ing speeds of up to 2.4m/s and gives operators the chance to programme sep- arate opening heights for different com- ponents passing through.


Automated production is a fantastic tool for improving a site’s efficiency. However, because of the inherent lack of supervision in these areas it is essential that safety is treated as a priority. Most good suppliers will be able to specify and install a bespoke system of machine protection doors which are tailored to your specific needs - as well as provid- ing after sales servicing and mainte- nance support. sara LBS, for example, offer design and performance which has led to the company being a registered supplier of almost all major automotive manufacturers and its equipment can also be found in a large number of distri- bution depots across Europe.


sara Loading Bay Specialists www.saralbs.co.uk T: 01442 245 577


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