New configuration keeps employees safe in Cluster Picking Applications
Mezzanine Safeti-Gates, Inc., an innovator in the design and manufacturing of pallet drop safety gates that provide fall protection in material handling and manufacturing facilities, distribution centers, and warehouses, has announced that it now offers a Rack Supported Roly® safety gate configured for multiple pallets deep. This new standard design is released on the heels of the Rack Supported Open Top safety gates which are configured to provide fall protection in pallet flow cluster picking applications.
With the rapid growth of e-commerce in the last year, cluster picking operations are becoming more popular applications in material handling and warehousing facilities. Typically one or two flow lanes are located in a bay with an aisle between the lanes; employees on the platform then enter the lanes to pick from various pallets, putting items on a takeaway conveyor to be packaged and shipped. Often cluster picking operations are located in multi-level rack supported pick modules in which multiple deep pallets are pushed into the pallet flow systems.
Rack-supported safety gates work well within-cluster picking applications in busy distribution centers or material handling facilities because of the limited space within the rack system. The Rack Supported Roly multiple pallet deep design is a dual-gate system that attaches directly to the rack uprights in rack systems or pick modules. Attaching to rack uprights maximizes space in the area and creates a secure connection without having to anchor the gate into the decking. The gate can be designed to match the depth of the pallet flow lane to capture multiple pallets.
The extra-deep dual-gate system prevents pallets from holding the gates open when the lane is full and creates a completely enclosed workstation while providing fall protection for the workers in picking positions and around the empty pallet or tote return bays.
“With so many material handling facilities working to increase their throughput, pick modules with cluster applications are becoming more popular,” said Aaron Conway, president of Mezzanine Safeti-Gates, Inc. “Many of these applications are using flow lanes to push multiple pallets through the system, and there is a need for a larger area of protection for employees working within the system. Our Roly gate design can be expanded to ensure it can protect workers that are picking from the multiple pallets.”
The Rack Supported Roly pallet flow safety gate uses dual, counterbalanced gates to secure the ledge and keep employees out of the flow lanes while the lane is being replenished with pallets. When the ledge-side gate is open, allowing the material to be delivered to the pallet drop area, the rear-side gate is closed, protecting the worker from falling off the ledge. When the rear-side gate is raised to gain access to the pallets, the ledge-side gate closes and compacts into the rack bay, maintaining a safe environment during all stages of the operation. If the rack does not extend above the decking on the top level of the pick module or if it’s located on a work platform, the gate can be designed in a free-standing model.
In addition to the Rack Supported Roly in a multiple pallet deep configuration, most of the safety gates from the company are offered in rack supported or free-standing configurations. The dual-gate design ensures OSHA, IBC, and ANSI fall protection compliance. The safety gates fit any manufacturer’s rack configuration and are available in powder-coated mild steel.
Mezzanine Safeti-Gates, Inc. will be exhibiting at the ProMat DX Show online April 12-16, 2021. To learn more about the full line of safety gates from Mezzanine Safeti-Gates, visit the ProMat DX booth to book a meeting or view the product demo.
