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Case Study: Thamesdown Recycling – Safety in a Complex Recycling Centre
The challenge: A high-traffic, high-risk environment
Thamesdown Recycling’s Kingshill Recycling Centre in Swindon is a bustling hub for waste processing, handling high volumes of mixed recycling daily. The site’s layout and operational flow present a unique set of safety challenges.
Pedestrian workers in the yard and warehouse are at high risk due to the constant movement of large industrial vehicles. This environment is cluttered with skips, stacks of materials, columns, and fencing, which create blind spots, blind corners, and other obstructions to view. Dim and damp conditions further reduce visibility, making it difficult for workers to be seen and for vehicle operators to spot them, especially when vehicles are manoeuvring, reversing, and loading. This leads to numerous high-risk “conflict points” where pedestrians and vehicles must work in close proximity.
With the safety of their team and visitors as the highest priority, Thamesdown Recycling needed a reliable system that could proactively prevent collisions in this complex and busy environment.
The solution: ZoneSafe proximity warning system
To address these critical safety risks, Thamesdown Recycling implemented the ZoneSafe vehicle-pedestrian proximity warning system. This solution uses advanced RFID technology to create an invisible safety zone around industrial vehicles, providing an instant, unmistakable alert when a collision risk is detected.
A system with 27 antennas has been installed across the site to enhance safety. All staff and visitors are now equipped with RFID tags, which are detected by the system. The technology was specifically configured to protect against key vehicle-related risks: forklifts have antennas on the front to safeguard pedestrians in the warehouse, while a shovel loader has a rear antenna and one on the end of the boom to provide full 360-degree coverage as it manoeuvres in the yard.
The RFID technology is effective even when the line of sight is obstructed, thereby eliminating the persistent danger of poor visibility and driver blind spots in critical areas.
The result: A proactive and safer site
By implementing the ZoneSafe system, Thamesdown Recycling has successfully transformed its work environment. The system’s audible and visual alarms instantly alert vehicle operators and pedestrians, preventing potential collisions before they can occur.
The system has eliminated major risk factors associated with vehicle operations, particularly during manoeuvring, reversing, and loading/unloading tasks.
The staff and management now have peace of mind knowing that every person on site is protected by a system that actively manages safety, regardless of the site layout, working conditions, or daily operational demands.
The investment in ZoneSafe demonstrates a clear and unwavering commitment by Thamesdown Recycling to creating a safer work environment for everyone on site.
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