Forklifts are one of the most dangerous pieces of equipment in most industrial facilities. Facilities that do not install high-quality safety equipment leave their teams at a high risk for injury. According to OSHA, nearly half of fatal occupational injuries in 2021 occurred among “workers in transportation and material moving occupations and construction and extraction occupations.”
Worksite Injury
There are many reasons to take preventative measures against worksite injuries. Not only do worksite injuries cause personal suffering, but also insurance claims and halted production––which sets your customers back, too.
The good news is that installing high-quality equipment such as Bluff’s Crash Guard safety rails is highly effective at protecting workers, even in high-traffic times. Bluff is a proud member of MHI, where we participate in setting industry standards. A recent case study in the automobile industry showcases the effectiveness of installing safety railing to create safe zones for pedestrian traffic. After installing the railing, the facility in the case study saw an immediate return on investment in the form of protected personnel and inventory.
Damaged Equipment and Goods
In addition to ensuring the safety of workers, high-quality fixed safety guarding protects other surrounding equipment and goods, as well as the facility infrastructure. Product storage areas, including shelving, pallet racks, and cantilever racks are all vulnerable to forklift-related damage. “If a forklift were to hit a product storage area, it could damage it to the point of collapse causing entire rows of products to come crashing down,” says Bluff Senior Engineer Kyle Nobile.
When it comes to facility infrastructure there is a wide variety of potential damage. On the more severe side, damage to a weight-bearing column could halt operations until the structural integrity of the building can be evaluated and the column repaired. Even minimal damage, such as a bent door track guard, can cause downtime that affects your team and your customers’ experiences.
Downtime
Malfunctioning equipment means trucks can’t be unloaded or loaded and the companies involved are losing money and efficiency. Downtime affects profits for all the companies involved, from the equipment distributor to the warehouse––meaning your team and customers are absorbing the consequences of not having sufficient safety railings in place. If you are constantly having to halt operations to deal with damaged warehouse infrastructure, your customers are certainly going to notice. Customers want to know you’re doing everything you can to protect their goods and efficiency.
Why Choose Bluff?
Investing in high-quality equipment helps avoid premature equipment failure, injury, damage to goods and facilities, and minimizes downtime. Bluff Manufacturing has produced top-rated products to protect people, goods, and structure for more than 90 years.
What sets Bluff apart from the competition?
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- Service Matters: Bluff Manufacturing is known throughout the industry for exceptional pre- and post-sales support. Once you purchase Bluff products, the company will make sure they meet your standards, with excellent sales support that ensures every customer is happy with everything from delivery to installation. Once the product is in use, quality and performance remain a top priority.
- Award-Winning: Bluff Manufacturing has been named the “Most Valuable Supplier” by the Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association for eight years in a row.
- Trusted by the industry: From ramps to railings, Bluff’s products have been trusted by hardworking companies for more than 90 years.
- Made in the USA: Bluff manufactures its core line of products in Fort Worth, Texas, ensuring top quality throughout the manufacturing process.
- Industry Standards and Ratings: Bluff Manufacturing works directly with the Protective Guarding Manufacturers Association to set and adhere to ANSI standards that ensure quality and safety. Bluff tests all protective guarding equipment to make sure it meets or exceeds those standards. Bluff dock boards and plates are all MH30.2 ANSI compliant.
- Built to Meet Your Needs: Bluff safety products are purpose-built to meet specific customer’s needs, with more than 15 lines of safety products that can be customized to fit your specific situation. Each safety product has been purpose-tested for forklift impact and engineered using Finite Element Analysis to confirm its strength.
Contact Bluff to learn more about the full line of hardworking solutions.
651 N. Burleson Blvd
Burleson, TX 76028
Phone: 817-293-3018
Toll Free: 800-433-2212
FAX: 817-293-7570
