Client Challenge:

In fast-moving environments where people and vehicles cross paths, safety isn’t optional—it’s essential. For QuayConnect, as an integrated warehouse, transport, and logistical service, preventing these incidents from happening is their top priority.

Based in the heart of Marlborough, QuayConnect connects the wine industry and other cargo owners with local and international markets. Providing a comprehensive service, they offer storage of bottles, dry goods, and finished products, as well as inventory management, container freight, and other related services.

When they began building the first inland port in Marlborough , finding the most protective safety solutions for their new site was a must. To achieve that goal, they needed to be able to separate and protect staff, visitors, vehicles, and all other moving parts.

This included:

• Finding a safe way for staff and visitors to walk around the warehouse and through the outside canopy area when trucks, forklifts and Materials Handling Equipment (MHE) were moving in and out of the site.
• Introducing a safety system at the entrance and exit to the warehouse that would decrease the risk of damage to structures, vehicles, and MHE from impact.

That’s where the Vanguard team came in.

Solutions Recommended

To fully understand QuayConnect’s challenges and objectives, our NZ Workplaces Sales Manager, Tim Boon, visited the site and met with the Branch Manager, Richard Graham, to conduct a walk-through of the port facility. This allowed us to assess their areas of concern and ensure the solutions we recommended were fit-for-purpose and outcome focused.

These are the solutions QuayConnect used to improve pedestrian safety and protect assets on site:

d-flexx Pedestrian Barrier

The d-flexx Pedestrian Barrier is a certified, shock-absorbent and highly impact-resistant safety barrier. QuayConnect utilised this barrier to create a safe walkway along the warehouse wall, separating pedestrians from trucks, forklifts, and MHE.

d-flexx Self-Closing Gate

QuayConnect then incorporated the d-flexx Self-Closing Gate into the pedestrian barrier to create pause points along walkways, guiding pedestrians to stop, take note and be aware of their environment before stepping out into a busy, live traffic zone. Thanks to the product’s top-quality adjustable hydraulic hinges, the team were able to reduce maintenance and increase their longevity.

Double Rail Steel Protection Barrier

For the outdoor canopy area, QuayConnect installed double rail steel protection barriers to create a safe walkway through the space. The double rail barrier is used for traffic management and protecting against forklift injury to personnel and damage to buildings and assets. Double rail offers them more protection and a higher strength rating.

Steel Pause Gate

QuayConnect  also added Steel Pause Gates at each end of the steel barrier to provide pedestrians with safe entrance and exit points from the walkway. The gates open in a single direction, preventing people from walking directly into live traffic by bringing them to a pause to open the gate toward them.

d-flexx Energy Absorbing Bollard

The final stage of the safety plan involved installing a series of d-flexx Energy Absorbing Bollards at the entrance and exit to the warehouse. Surface-mounted to concrete, these bollards gave them instant, high-quality protection for structures and equipment against damage from light vehicles and machinery.

Related: Ready to Install Safety Barriers & Bollards? Prep Your Site in 10 Steps.

The Outcome

With the help of these Vanguard solutions, QuayConnect delivered:

• Safe Pedestrian Zones: designated safe zones to ensure that pedestrians, including staff and visitors to the site, could enter and exit the facility safely, without being at risk of injury from moving vehicles.
• Enhanced Asset Protection: Surface Mount Energy Absorbing Bollards at the warehouse entrance and exit will provide sturdy physical protection for structures and equipment, act as a visual deterrent, and slow vehicle traffic.
• Cost Savings: These solutions work to proactively prevent damage to expensive equipment and significantly reduce the risk of operational delays.

Need help with traffic management controls and pedestrian safety at your Workplace?

If you’re ready to find the right solutions for you and your site, get in touch with us to start the conversation! Simply fill out the form below, speak with one of our team members via our live chat, or give us a call to explore your options.