Built to last…it’s a phrase that has been used to describe so many things, from companies to all kinds of products. We take pride in the fact that we build our safety gate systems to last for years - they are durable, ergonomic and provide a safe environment for users. The systems require very little lifetime maintenance.
The concept of built to last really hit home for us over the last few weeks. We heard from two customers that have had our gates in their facilities, each for over 15 years. One company was looking to replace a single part of their safety gate; a roller that had been worn out over years of use. The other company invited us in to take a look at their gates to ensure they were working properly since nobody had serviced the gate over all those years, and also to review additional areas that needed to be secured. We loved seeing the safety gates in action - even our older models are working well after many years, providing fall protection day after day. And it was enjoyable to take a trip down memory lane remembering how we built certain components back then and how we have improved on them today.
We tried to think about what products we have in our office, and even homes, that were over 15 years and still working well. Computers and phone systems have a fairly short shelf life these days - our rack systems and some of our equipment have been in use for about 15 years, but it’s not many pieces.
Every one of our pallet drop safety gate models is constructed from square tubular steel - either powder-coated mild or electro-polished stainless. The rugged steel construction ensures that the safety gate can be used in any environment and can hold up through daily use even when encountering the lift truck.
Over the years we’ve also made enhancements to our gate designs. In today’s models, we provide impact plates on posts to minimize the damage the impact of a lift truck while it’s loading or unloading pallets to that area. We replaced the original cable drive system with a the heavy-duty chain and sprocket design that now features chain guards with a proprietary locking mechanism that locks the chain in place. We eliminated standard garage door components and now fabricate a rugged welded track system with rounded dull edges to create a smooth, ergonomic transition when the gates are in use.
All of these factors play into the longevity of our safety gate models. They apply to all of our models, whether they are standard or custom designs. Our goal is to provide the best safety gate systems that can provide fall protection years into the future.
The longevity of the gates is something to keep in mind when looking for a safety gate for your facility. What may appear to be the cheapest design may end up being the most expensive if the device falls apart after a love-tap from the lift truck. Instead, look for something well constructed, and talk to people who have installed the gates themselves. And if you hear from someone who has had a dual-gate system for over 15 years, then you know it was supplied by us.
Thirty-five years in any industry is a long time…we’re celebrating that milestone this year. Mezzanine Safeti-Gates was created 35 years ago by James Conway, and the family business has focused on providing safety gate systems for industrial facilities ever since.
Back then, material handling and manufacturing facilities looked much different - there were not as many levels or intricate picking modules, and machinery was very different. Safety was not really top of mind; chains were the most popular way to secure a pallet drop area for falls, and were often left open and didn’t do a whole lot outside of providing a tripping hazard when they were closed.
In addition, OSHA regulations were not as strict as they are today, and ANSI standards were not even created 35 years ago. These regulations and standards ensure companies take a proactive approach to safety, and today’s professionals are very well-informed about safety, often integrating it into company culture. Industry groups like MHI’s ProGMA and trade shows like ProMAT have also helped to educate the industry about the importance of fall protection.
We can thank Eastman Kodak for starting our focus on safety gates and fall protection. Jim was visiting their facility and noticed a need for fall protection. With a unique background and degrees in engineering, law and business, Jim worked to design the first dual-gate safety system, the Roly® safety gate model for Eastman Kodak’s facility. The pallet drop safety gate’s design used two counterbalanced gates to secure openings on the mezzanine in the facility. When the ledge gate is down, the rear-side gate is up, providing a barrier at the ledge to prevent employees from falling and allowing access to the material. When the ledge gate is up, the rear-side gate is down, allowing the area to be replenished with material while preventing employees from accessing the area.
After the Roly model was created, we continued to see a need for additional mezzanine safety gate designs, depending on the application and facility. The Pivot safety gate came next, and was a custom design for Pierce Leahy Archives, which was later purchased by Iron Mountain. There was very limited height where records were being stored, so we engineered the Pivot safety gate to limit the moving parts; the gate operates on just two pivot points, which made it ideal for the areas with low headroom. The design makes the Pivot model a good choice for many applications, including food processing plants where the entire design can be fabricated out of stainless steel.
We invented the Tri-Side model for Walgreen’s. We had worked with the company in the past, installing hundreds of Rack Supported Roly safety gates to secure bays in pick modules in their distribution facilities across the country — that rack supported design was also a first and now a part of our standard product line. When they built a new distribution center, it was noted that they had a few areas in which the pallet drop area was in a walkway and space was an issue. We created the Tri-Side model to take up minimum space on the walkway, and allow side access to the pallet.
Our engineering has continued over the years, and we’ve created many designs that are now standard in our product line. This year we have looked closely at fall protection in docks and on dock-lifts, and created new safety gate designs that protect workers in those operations. In addition, we’ve consistently worked to improve our designs, ensuring they stand up to the rigors of the industry.
Ergonomics has always been a focus of our company, as we know safety gates have to be easy to use to work properly. As technology has improved, we’ve implemented that into our safety gate designs; our gates include kick plates, and we offer a host of accessories, from wire mesh panels to power operation to adding sensors to work with automated vehicles.
Our custom engineering department has also created many unique designs for challenging applications…it continues to be our specialty. We look forward to more years of creating fall protection solutions for industrial applications and keeping your employees safe.
