When choosing roller doors for your warehouse, it pays to consider the following four areas of safety.
Operators of vehicles such as forklifts need sufficient training in how they should approach roller doors without collisions. It may sound simple, yet all too often forklift drivers miscalculate the speed at which the doors open and shut. The possibility of accidental damage is further amplified by the fact that automatic doors may close without warning.
Not only is a lack of training bad for your equipment, your staff could get seriously injured. For example, in 2008 a West Australian worker who had little training and no qualifications had to have his leg amputated because of an accident involving a forklift colliding with a roller door.
Some of the smarter high speed doors available today, such as the Movidor HS35 High Speed Rapid Roller Door, are fitted with integrated traffic lights that provide tangible indicators for management to train staff in the safe operation of the doors. The operator can be given the confidence that the opening is safe to pass through when the traffic light is green, or instructed to wait if the lights are red or flashing.
It’s important for your doors to be visible – especially if you have a high-traffic warehouse. Not only visible in the sense that oncoming traffic can see when the door is up or down, but also with clear vision panels within the door so that employees have notice of oncoming traffic.
PVC strip doors are a good option for applications requiring visibility within a cheap barrier offering easy access. However, they are susceptible to scratching and strong winds.
A rapid roller door provides efficient and fast access, as well as a better seal against the outdoor elements. Roller doors are also fitted with clear, scratch-resistant panels within the door structure itself to provide vision on both sides of the door. This allows vehicle operators to clearly see if there are any potential hazards or people in their path.
Extreme weather conditions can cause damage to your doors over time. Are your doors robust enough to face the harsh winds that affect certain parts of Australia? For example, in Western Australia winds can reach speeds of 150 km/hr, causing doors to buckle as result.
You may need a more heavy-duty model or custom wind-bars if your warehouse is in such a high-wind area, so it’s important to check when you’re narrowing down your requirements for roller doors. Also make sure that you tell your supplier if you experience high winds so that they can recommend the correct product for your application.
Similarly, mention if your doors need to be sensitive to temperature or moisture control for your area.
Some rapid door manufacturers offer additional safety systems, such as the Movidor rapid door which can be integrated with LED traffic lights that show when the door is free of oncoming traffic (or not).
Integrated traffic lights protect doors and employees against accidents and costly damage by providing an early detection system for approaching traffic.
It's important to properly evaluate your warehouse to determine whether you could benefit from installing roller doors – and if so, what kind of roller door would work best for your business.
For more information about rapid doors for your facility, contact Remax Doors online or call us on 1800 010 221.
To learn more about what you must consider in selecting roller doors for your warehouse, download our free guide: