Call for safety barriers to replace painted lines

Halifax, UK - The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) should legislate increased safety standards for pedestrian and vehicle segregation across the manufacturing industry, argues A Safe, a Halifax-based manufacturer of safety barriers.  

HSE figures show that over the past two years there have been 3,827 major injuries to workers as a result of workplace transport accidents, with 117 workers fatally injured over the past two years as a result. Being struck by a moving vehicle accounts for more than half of all fatal transport-related injuries.

Currently, the law states that road and pedestrian walkways should be demarcated. However, this can be interpreted widely from physical barrier systems to a simple line painted on the factory floor, according to A Safe director, James Smith.

“Warehouse accidents involving pedestrians and vehicles are unfortunately a high risk associated with the manufacturing and warehousing industry, and currently there is no standard to provide workers with the best protection available," said Smith.

"There is no comparison when it comes to a painted white line versus a tough barrier system, and companies have to ask themselves whether the cost of a safety system is justified against the value of keeping their staff safe,” the company director added.

A Safe is seeking to make safety barrier systems with independent loading tests and safety specification criteria an industry standard. This, it said, would avoid companies only looking to introduce safety barriers with poor safety and performance standards or only once a serious accident has occurred.

"As it’s not currently law, we are asking company owners to look at the cost implications of installing physical barriers versus the value of protecting their workforce from accidents and the consequences and penalties this would incur,” Smith concluded.