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Case Study: Recresco – Pedestrian Safety in a Glass Processing Plant
The challenge: Managing vehicle and pedestrian traffic in an enclosed space
Recresco, a specialist in processing bottled glass for various global applications, faced a critical safety challenge common to recycling sites: the requirement for pedestrians and heavy vehicles to work in shared, enclosed areas. Due to the nature of their work inside factory buildings, 360-degree visibility is difficult to maintain, making transport a key risk factor for worker safety, particularly due to the danger of coming into contact with large equipment like loading shovels.
While Recresco is committed to a “layered approach” to safety – already implementing systems like walkways and physical barriers – it found that these standard measures were insufficient, as staff “can’t always stick to the walkways” when operational duties require access to the main loading areas. Recresco identified that a proximity detection system was necessary to allow vehicles and people to coexist in a safer work environment, providing a critical final layer of protection where traditional separation methods were not feasible.
The solution: A no-line-of-sight proximity system with mandated access control
To meet this requirement, our approach relied on close collaboration to understand Recresco’s workflow. After reviewing various technologies, including 360-degree cameras, Recresco decided that the ZoneSafe system of electronic RFID tags offered the most reliable and effective solution. The system was chosen because it provides a proximity warning that does not rely on a line of sight, which was essential for their environment with poor visibility.
The solution provides a robust system to manage access control across the site. The ZoneSafe system is mandatory: staff, contractors, and transport companies visiting the site are issued a ZoneSafe armband, and “you can’t get into the factory unless you have a ZoneSafe tag.” This effectively complements existing walkways and physical barriers, adding the required protection for staff working in the main loading areas.
The result: A final layer of protection and 100% safety improvement
Since implementing the ZoneSafe System five years ago, Recresco has seen a dramatic improvement in site safety. As Kevin Edwards, Site Manager, remarked, “ZoneSafe has improved our onsite safety 100%.”
The system has successfully provided the final level of protection needed to ensure a safety system that mitigates against complacency and human error. Crucially, the system has boosted internal confidence: “The guys on the shop floor feel a lot safer with having ZoneSafe on their person and knowing that the person in the shovel knows they’re in that area.”
ZoneSafe was also well-received by external stakeholders, including contractors and visitors. Notably, Recresco has been complimented by The Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales for installing this extra layer of safety.
Recresco Director Eric Gent commented, “We have a strong commitment to worker safety… we felt the incorporation of a sensor and warning system was an essential investment.” Ultimately, the investment’s value far exceeds the initial cost, underscoring the company’s core principle: “You just can’t put a cost on somebody’s life.”
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