Beaming in on cargo safety

MANOUVERING CARGO in and around warehouses on forklifts can be a tricky business. A driver's vision is often blocked with large boxes, so moving cargo in and around tight spaces is often a hit and miss affair, with resultant damage to machinery, property and the cargo itself.
A major advancement in this respect at Johannesburg International Airport is the installation of Pulnix beams adjacent to warehouse doorways. This is a photoelectric beam sensor that sounds an alarm, warning forklift and delivery drivers to stop when they are too close to the edge or height of the doorway.
These beams have now also been installed vertically above the front edge of the scales in the loading bays. In addition, a rugged reflector has been installed on a mount plate on the floor. When a forklift truck or delivery vehicle edges too close to the scale, an alarm sounds and warns the driver to stop.
These beams not only ensure that damage to our property is minimised, but that client's cargo is safely manouvered in and out of our facilities, says Charles Fairweather, executive manager for South African Airways Cargo.
It's all part of our improvements as we strive towards ISO 9002.
I don't think many people realise that we are continually upgrading our facilities in this manner to ensure that both property and cargo are safe from potential damage.