Modular perimeter guarding is easily installed by customer

Watson Steel Structures Ltd, which is part of the Severfield-Rowen Group, has an international reputation as a supplier of steel fabrications and complex tubework, with an average weekly capacity of 500 tonnes of fabricated steel. Recent and scheduled projects include steelwork for the Centre Court retractable roof at the All England Club (Wimbledon), Heathrow Terminal 5, Stansted Airport, the Emirates Stadium and the 2012 London Olympic stadium. The company has recently invested around 1million to refurbish and refit a sawing and drilling production bay at its facility in Bolton, with over 300m of new guarding installed throughout the production bay and adjoining stock yard. This perimeter guarding was supplied by Procter Machine Guarding, with Watson Steel Structures carrying out the installation.

While visiting one of the machine suppliers, the Works Engineer from Watson Steel Structures saw some perimeter guarding in use. Suitably impressed, he requested a quotation, and he also contacted Procter Machine Guarding. Procter's quotation for similar guarding was lower, so orders were placed for guarding and a small number of access gates. Rather than make use of Procter's installation service, Watson Steel Structures decided to install the guarding using its own workforce.

The vast majority of the machine guarding comprised standard Satech panels and posts, with bespoke items used only where necessary. Procter was able to produce these and finish them in the same yellow and black epoxy polyester powder coated finish as the standard Satech items.

Standards compliance

Three different guarding heights were specified around the machines, in compliance with BS EN 294 Safety of machinery. Safety distances to prevent danger zones being reached by the upper limbs (which has since been superseded by BS EN ISO 13857). All posts were of 40 x 40mm square tubular construction, with heights of 1120, 1660 and 2060mm as appropriate. Panels were constructed from 20 x 20mm square tube frames with infills of anti-climb mesh in a 22 x 100mm grid. The panels were installed on the posts using clips that are both simple and quick to fit.

In addition to the production bay machine guarding, bespoke guarding was supplied for the stock yard. This used 40 x 40mm posts with special welded baseplates, and the panels were constructed from 30 x 50 x 5mm RSA with the same type of mesh infill as above. Posts and panels for the stock yard guarding were finished by hot dip galvanising.

Martin Taylor, who was the Works Engineer when the orders were placed but is now a Maintenance Consultant to Watson Steel Structures, comments: "The guarding was certainly straightforward to install and it gives the production bay a twenty-first century appearance. I am very satisfied with the quality of the guarding - which has withstood a years' worth of use without any problems - and Procter Machine Guarding has been helpful and efficient at all times."

Malcolm Tyrer, who is the Assistant Works Engineer, adds: "This production bay contains bandsaws, coping and drilling machines, plus cross-transport and roller conveyors, so there is plenty of equipment to be guarded. The Satech guarding certainly looks very good and is doing its job of protecting personnel without hindering production."

Follow the link for more information about the Satech modular perimeter guarding system.