Protective Guarding: 10 Questions to Answer When Choosing Power Systems

Speed and efficiency are goals of any business today, especially in material handing, distribution and warehousing. You must ensure your facility is operating at its highest level. With almost everything in your warehouse going online, have you considered updating your safety equipment with power operation?

Electrical power is the most popular option, but you can also tap into pneumatic systems to power protective guarding.  Power operation and complementary technologies are needed to automate your safety systems for picking and pallet drop applications.

Power operation offers no-touch safety solutions, as well as easier social distancing in material handling operations. There are many different ways to configure power and technology, from push button stations to remote control operations. There are also a host of sensors, lights, alarms and other technologies that can be added with the power to allow your safety equipment to communicate with the rest of your facility. And, the good news is you can retrofit existing safety gates with power.

How to Wisely Choose Power Systems

If you are adding power to existing protective guarding, like our safety gate systems, or purchasing new safety equipment, answer the following ten questions to ensure you select the best way to configure power for the pallet drop safety gates and other guarding for your facility.

1. Where is the safety hazard (pallet drop area, mezzanine, pick module, etc.)?
2. Are you looking for a new system or to add power to an existing system?
3. Is the area in a climate-controlled or hostile environment?
4. Is the area located in or near a wash-down area?
5. How much space is available in and around the equipment?
6. What is being loaded into the area?
7. How are employees interacting in the area and with the material?
8. How often is the safety equipment operated?
9. Are lift trucks or AGVs used in the application?
10. What automation technologies are you currently using in your facility?

A version of this post first appeared on the MHI blog.