NZ Post is making a significant investment in a new site equipped with advanced high-tech conveyors. This new development is poised to enhance their operational efficiency and capacity.

The primary safety challenges faced by NZ Post at their new site included:

• Pedestrian Safety: There was a critical need to separate pedestrians on walkways from the heavy truck traffic prevalent at the site.
• Safe Crossing Points: Ensuring that pedestrians had safe crossing points and walkways was essential to prevent accidents.
• Protection of Machinery: The high-tech machinery and conveying systems required protection from potential damage caused by material handling equipment and pallet trolleys.

To address these challenges, Vanguard provided an end-to-end safety solution including:

• Tru-Gard 910-2 Double Rail Barrier: This barrier was installed to protect pedestrians from trucks on walkways, ensuring a clear separation and enhancing pedestrian safety.
• Tru-Gard 610-1 Single Barrier: These barriers were utilised to protect structures and conveyors, safeguarding the critical high-tech systems from potential impacts.
• Steel Guards: Installed to offer additional protection to the conveyors, these guards ensure the smooth operation of the conveying systems without interruption.
• Surface Mounted Bollards: These were strategically placed to protect doorways, ensuring that entry and exit points remained safe from potential collisions.

The implementation of these safety measures by Vanguard has enhanced the safety and operational efficiency at NZ Post’s new site. Pedestrians can now navigate the site safely, and high-tech machinery are also well-protected – reducing the overall risk of accidents and damage.

 

 

Citycare Water Construction installs new water pipes and replaces service leads to properties using directional drilling for watermain renewals. They previously used heavy steel or timber plates to cover trenches but switched to lightweight composite plates that can be installed by two people, saving time and money.

What kind of work does Citycare Water Construction do?

We mainly focus on watermain renewals, which involve installing new water pipes using directional drilling and replacing service leads to each affected property. So, our sites often have small excavations in the footpath or driveway that need constant access. To make sure people are safe, we are careful to cover any holes on site.

What kind of techniques were you using before for covering trenches, and what issues did you have with them?

Before we got composite plates, timber and steel were our only options for covering up excavations. Steel is tough enough to use on sidewalks, driveways, and roads, but it’s so heavy that you need a digger or other lifting equipment just to move it around. There was also always the risk that a steel plate might not be thick enough, and you could end up with an uneven surface that posed a tripping hazard if hot mix wasn’t applied to the edges. So setting them in place, or even shifting them a bit, was always a challenge.

How have composite plates changed the way you work? 

Composite plates have been a game-changer for us in terms of excavation safety. We are now able to handle and move the carriageway plates without needing any lifting equipment – all it takes is two people. The plates can support just as much weight as any steel plate but without the need to bring a digger on site. It’s saved us time and money as we no longer require machinery or other consumables.

Where have you seen the biggest impact in your work? 

We no longer need to use consumable products or expensive lifting equipment for our steel plates, which saves us a lot of money. Composite plates are light enough for two people to install. This reduces the Health and Safety risk of lifting loads and crush injuries substantially. They are also very quick to install, which helps efficiencies on site. The team are confident about the performance of the plate and the weights it can withstand, and they are more willing to open up driveways and footpaths as the protection is readily available.

What would you say to people who think composite plates are not worth the upfront investment? 

The cost of hiring a steel plate is between $50 and $80 per day, plus a pick-up and delivery charge of $150. If we take a typical watermain renewal site where you may have the requirement of between 2 to 3 steel plates for up to 4 weeks’ the total cost would be between $1000 and $1600 per site. In contrast, the cost of a composite plate is $495, last year, we completed 13 renewals sites and 72 site connections, and the composite plates paid themselves back fourfold. To me, it’s a no-brainer to switch to the composite plates.

Andy Hunte – Construction Manager

In October 2019 a major slip on State Highway 4 around Matahiwi (Te Ore Ore) destroyed a large section of the road, forcing its closure. Vanguard Group was called upon to consult with Higgins Palmerston North on managing traffic along the highway section that was disrupted. Higgins is a New Zealand-based civil construction business that specialises in major infrastructure and road maintenance.

Challenge:

In October 2019 a major slip on State Highway 4 south of Raetihi destroyed a large section of the road, forcing its closure. According to Waka Kotahi (New Zealand Transport Agency), “the slip caused major disruption to iwi, the community, businesses, and tourists who frequent the road. Around 2,000 vehicles on average use the road daily”. The closure meant anyone travelling between Ohakune or Raetihi and Whanganui had to take a detour via Fields Track that adds at least an hour onto their trip. Once engineers had confirmed the area had stabilised, a temporary road reconnecting State Highway 4 Raetihi to Whanganui was opened in December 2019.

Higgins Palmerston North were looking for a solution to help temporarily manage the traffic through this area for an extended period of time. This included a focus on speed reduction near the slip and separating traffic lanes. It was understood that regular maintenance on this remote site would be required due to the heavy traffic volume.

Road Safety Solution:

Higgins’ Project manager consulted with Vanguard Group to provide a solution for managing traffic through their worksite. Our solution involved the supply of our Traffic Separator Systems for the project, to assist with the management of vehicles in the area. Also dubbed as ‘the traffic snake’, the rubber separators work together as a robust interlocking system and are primarily used for vehicle/lane segregation, ensuring clear lane separation and preventing vehicles from crossing the centre line. The reflective flexible posts have a quick release system allowing easy removal and installation. The system can also be fixed for permanent or semi-permanent use, or laid loose for temporary situations.

On this project, our Traffic Separator System was placed down the centerline of a 400m stretch of State Highway 4 and acted as a lane separation measure. Vanguard Group’s Traffic Separators were used instead of standard cones along the centerline as they can be pinned to the road, and therefore require much less maintenance. This improved functionality makes the temporary traffic management setup easier to maintain over an extended period of time.

Results:

Malcolm Chiles, the Emergency Works Recovery Manager, who was the main point of contact for this project, confirmed that the Traffic Separator System was “very good compared to the traffic cones”.

The traffic separator system succeeded in reducing speed and managing traffic through this hazardous area and resulted in less maintenance than the standard road cone solution. They remained in place for over 12 months and Chiles noted, “we have undertaken maintenance on the base units and replaced missing posts approximately 6-8 times over this period [but] if we had used cones, maintenance would have been required probably every day!”

Thanks to the proactive approach from Higgins and the safety solutions provided by Vanguard Group, this hazardous area of road was able to be used by vehicles over an extended period of time and the lengthy detour avoided. The Traffic Separator System proved to be a robust, practical alternative to cones and one the client would want to use in the future. While currently pending official Waka Kotahi (New Zealand Transport Agency) approval, Chiles confirmed that if approved, he would “absolutely” use the Traffic Separator System again in the future on “long-term sites, say greater than say 1 to 2 months”.

To discuss your traffic management and safety needs, please get in touch with our team today.

Client Challenge:

Our client, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP NZ) –  faced a high-pressure situation at their Mt Wellington site in Auckland: with a newly extended and very busy Inwards Goods and railside operation area they now needed to upgrade traffic management controls to bring it up to corporate safety standards. On top of that, global management was due to visit the site and they had just 20 days to complete the upgrade. Sam Rogers, the NZ and Pacific Health & Safety Lead, knew the stakes were high. Her team was under pressure to upgrade their traffic management plan and implement physical controls within 20 days, while also maintaining daily site operations.

Key challenges included:

• Unprotected walkways: Many pedestrian paths relied solely on painted lines, with no physical protection between people and vehicles. 
• Unsafe truck driver zones: Lack of clearly marked, protected waiting spaces for drivers.
• Unsegregated high-traffic zones: Forklift and truck routes intersected with pedestrian areas, creating significant safety risks.
• Time: Completing a project of this size to completion in 20 days is usually considered unachievable

Sam knew exactly what she needed: a partner who could take the project brief and act fast, delivering results without delays or mistakes. Every stage had to flow smoothly to ensure the deadline was met, or the entire project risked missing the deadline.

Solutions & Process: 

Sam reached out to Vanguard to help with this project. Our team of consultants knew that time was tight, but we were up for the challenge and wanted to see Sam succeed.

Sam led a walkthrough of the entire site with the Vanguard project team, to help us understand the operational flows and specific risk areas that needed to be addressed. This hands-on approach allowed us to fully grasp what Sam was trying to achieve before we proposed solutions. 

After the full site scope, we got to work designing appropriate solutions for each area: 

• Pedestrian walkway upgrades: New pedestrian walkways were required, to meet Worksafe’s guidelines and allow for Coca-Cola’s site’s specific needs – recommended solutions included a combination of line markings, steel barriers, and energy absorbing barriers in high traffic areas,
• Pause-gates for pedestrian safety: We recommended pause-gates to prevent staff from walking straight into active forklift or truck zones.
• Driver Safe Zones: Clearly defined, protected waiting areas for truck drivers, giving them a safe space to wait while trucks were loaded and unloaded
• Line marking:  Walkways and exclusion zones needed to be painted throughout the site to provide clear demarcation of safe areas and operational areas. 
• Installation: Ground preparation and concrete work were required to prepare the site for installation; all barriers were then installed. 

These solutions were presented as visual design concepts to Sam and her team, showing how the recommended solutions would look on-site. This allowed them to visualise the outcome and make small adjustments to ensure that safety controls would not impact operational traffic flow.

To make sure this project ran smoothly, Ando Gagiano, Vanguard’s in-house installation manager, was involved from day one, to ensure the installation process was planned and also allowed CCEP NZ’s site to keep operating during the project. 

Once the designs were signed off, our installation team worked closely with CCEP NZ’s operational team to plan and implement the installation of recommended solutions. 

The Outcome

In just 20 days, with Vanguard’s assistance, Sam and her team successfully transformed the CCEP NZ a site into a safer workplace. The upgrades met safety and operational goals, creating a workplace they could confidently present to global management. 

The project resulted in several positive outcomes, including: 

• Peace of mind: CCEP NZ’s team can now operate the site with confidence, knowing their employees and contractors can safely perform their job in a protected environment.
• Improved team morale: The safety upgrades reinforced a culture of care, empowering the team to work with pride and purpose.
• Recognition from global management: Sam and her team showcased a site that met the highest safety standards, leaving a lasting impression during the visit.

By partnering with Vanguard, Sam and the CCEP NZ team achieved their desired outcome under tight timeframes. 

 

Needing to upgrade traffic management controls and safety at your Workplace? Get in touch with us to get started.

With a new warehouse spanning the length of eight rugby fields, it was crucial for Winstone Wallboards to find ways to protect their staff from the risk of falling objects without slowing down their day-to-day operations. Faced with this challenge in their new facility, Winstone Wallboards reached out to us, seeking an innovative safety solution to keep their pathways safe and efficient.

To address this concern, Vanguard collaborated with Winstone Wallboards to design a unique tunnel barrier system. These tunnels are not only long, spanning an impressive 130 meters, but also strong enough to withstand heavy impacts—certified to handle weights up to 400kg falling from as high as 800mm.

The result? A cutting-edge safety solution that ensures everyone in the facility can move around freely and safely, proving Vanguard’s commitment to innovative, end-to-end safety solutions. This case study demonstrates Vanguard’s capability to tackle big safety challenges and tailor solutions that go beyond the norm, making large spaces safer for everyone.

For a deeper dive into how Vanguard achieved this, you can read the full interview we conducted with Stewart Vaughan, the Project Lead at Winstone Wallboards, below. His insights offer a first-hand look at the collaboration and innovation behind making one of the largest plasterboard facilities in Australasia a model of workplace safety.

What was the particular problem Winstone Wallboards needed Vanguard’s safety specialists to solve?

Winstone Wallboards faced the challenge of integrating safe pedestrian pathways in a high-risk environment where goods were stored at heights. They needed a solution that would protect against the danger of falling objects while maintaining operational efficiency.

 How did Vanguard’s solution address this problem? 

Vanguard developed a tunnel walkway system that provided robust protection for the warehouse’s pedestrian areas. This solution involved custom-designed barriers that prevented any potential accidents involving falling goods, effectively securing the pathways below.

How has the solution impacted productivity?

The installation of the tunnel walkways significantly enhanced the layout of the warehouse, enabling Winstone Wallboards to utilise their space more efficiently. This measure allowed for smoother operations and increased storage capacity, directly boosting productivity levels.

What has been the staff reaction to the product? How have Vanguard created a safer environment for them?

The feedback from staff has been extremely positive. The Vanguard solution has made them feel safer and more confident while navigating the warehouse. By clearly defining and securing pedestrian zones, Vanguard has significantly reduced workplace hazards, contributing to a better working environment.

What was the story behind how Winstone Wallboards found Vanguard? What convinced them to work with Vanguard?

Winstone Wallboards sought a safety solutions provider who could tailor their services to meet specific and complex needs. Vanguard’s reputation for customised safety installations and their proactive approach to understanding client challenges were key factors that led to this partnership.

Has Vanguard met or exceeded these expectations? If so, how have they done so?

Vanguard has not only met but also exceeded Winstone Wallboards’ expectations by delivering a solution that surpasses standard safety measures. Their ability to innovate and adapt to the unique layout and risks of the warehouse ensured that all safety concerns were comprehensively addressed.

If you’re looking to discuss your current projects and enhance safety in your workspace, we’re here to help. Reach out to us at [email protected] to start the conversation.

Client Challenge:

With the newly constructed 3,600-space carpark (Park & Ride) at Auckland Airport, Fulton Hogan was running to a tight schedule to have this significant project opened on time for Auckland International Airport.

The project scope involved specifying and supplying traffic safety controls, and installation needed to start and finish over 4 weeks, to work around a tight schedule of asphalting and line marking work.

The chosen supply partner couldn’t drop the ball and definitely couldn’t say ‘sorry the delivery is going to be delayed…’ !

In addition to the time constraints, due to the number of wheel stops and bollards required, they wouldn’t be able to receive everything on site in one go as it would take up too much space.

Fulton Hogan needed a supply partner that could give them confidence in their ability to supply in full, on time, and work around a fast-paced construction schedule.

Solution:

Vanguard partnered with Fulton Hogan to deliver on specifying and supplying traffic management controls within the carpark. This included:

• 1,683 x wheel stops for carparks
• 211 x steel bollards to protect pedestrians and assets

Our team constantly communicated with the estimators working through design changes, liaising with the site team on deliveries and helping manage the full supply and delivery aspect so that Fulton Hogan could keep moving. 

We were able to store stock for the full project in our warehouse and then supply in stages as required, allowing the team onsite to keep moving on their schedule and be confident that the stock would be there when they needed it.