Success stories
Innovative forklift system boosts occupational safety
A new forklift system ensures greater safety at our production hall in Winterthur (Switzerland). Visual warning signals and automatic speed control significantly reduce the risk of accidents. Find out how the system works and how it benefits workers.
The article was written by our apprentice commercial clerk Selina Malgo.
Imagine that you are walking through the production hall. Suddenly, a forklift shoots round a blind corner at high speed. You must move quickly to avoid a painful collision. To prevent such dangerous situations and significantly increase occupational safety, we have installed a new traffic control system at the production facility in Winterthur.
How does the system work? Let’s go back to the beginning of this frightening scenario: you are walking down the aisle when suddenly you see a warning sign on the floor. As a pedestrian, you know immediately that a forklift is nearby. This visibility is the first step to avoiding accidents, by warning pedestrians at an early stage.
Photos: visual representation of the technology
Now let’s look at the forklift drivers. As soon as the forklift approaches a danger zone, it automatically slows down, thanks to devices that communicate with the forklift via a pulse signal. Simply put, as soon as the forklift gets the signal that it is in a danger zone, it automatically reduces its speed – and the driver cannot override it. Pretty clever, right?
Jürg Trachsler, Head of Logistics & Materials Management and Member of the Management Board of PAWI Packaging Schweiz AG, explains that although there has never been an accident, prevention is better than cure. What is more, the system has already received positive feedback from the SUVA audit.
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