Coca-Cola's Refreshing Approach to Safety

Safety barrier specialist's A-Safe have been working closely with Coca-Cola as part of an ongoing policy to raise on-site standards and to improve the protection for its workers. HSE figures show that in the UK, food and drink manufacturing report a disproportionately high number of transport-related accidents compared to other manufacturing sectors. Almost 60% of injuries reported are the result of workers being struck be vehicles on the warehouse floor.

One site A-Safe has been working with is its Wakefield plant, which is the largest general soft drinks factory in Great Britain, responsible for producing over 100 million cases per year. Every minute of every day up to 6,000 bottles of soft drinks are produced and therefore the need to provide strong and durable protection throughout the 77,000 sq m site is paramount.

With approx 600 people on site at any one time, any safety system needed to be robust, hard-wearing and visible. John Steele, Safety Manager at the site identified A-Safe as the solution and a critical part of the team's approach to its Site People and Traffic Safety policy.

John explained: “The A-Safe barriers give the sight a more professional aesthetically pleasing look to pedestrian and traffic safety. Significantly the installation has also supported a change in behaviour from our FLT drivers in that they are driving more carefully and are more aware of the designated routes. Cleaning and maintenance is also greatly improved.”

A-Safe will be demonstrating its high-performance plastic barrier systems at IMHX 2010 at the NEC, Birmingham from the 16th to the 19th November. So come and talk to the A-Safe team direct at Stand No. 20F24.