Ensuring employee safety is one of the primary concerns of all employers. In 1999, over 1.7 million work-related injuries and illnesses were reported. The United States Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has proposed a Safety and Health Program Rule, 29 CFR 1900.1. Under the rule, each employer must establish a program to manage workplace safety and health in order to reduce injuries, illnesses and even fatalities, by achieving compliance with OSHA standards. The program includes hazard identification and assessment, as well as prevention and control.

Colorite Polymers, a Tekni-Plex company founded in 1949, is one of the world's largest suppliers of vinyl compounds for use in the medical industry. The company's medical-grade PVC compounds are used in the extrusion and injection molding of medical devices. With manufacturing facilities in Ridgefield, New Jersey; Sparks, Nevada; and Belfast, Northern Ireland, serving both domestic and international markets, Colorite has always considered employee safety of paramount importance.

One of the primary areas identified by the company as posing a high risk for potential employee injury was a number of elevated platforms on which raw materials are loaded and unloaded on a daily basis. According to Allen Bender, plant manager of Colorite's New Jersey facility, which also manufactures garden hoses, each platform is accessed through large doors, which, despite instructions to close after passing through, were occasionally left open by employees moving large pallet loads. 

"An open door on a platform eighteen feet above the floor posed a severe risk of injury resulting from an accidental fall," Bender said. "We immediately recognized that we needed to take steps to eliminate that risk."

After evaluating solutions from a number of companies, Colorite selected the Roly Safeti-Gate, manufactured by Mezzanine Safeti-Gates, the leading manufacturer of platform protective devices. A factory application engineer from Mezzanine Safeti-Gates visited the Colorite facility, surveyed the area and recommended that Colorite install the company's Tri-sided model, which is designed to provide maximum protection against accidental injury and material damage.

The Tri-sided gate's configuration, that allows access to the mezzanine workstation from three sides, is ideal for situations where the pallet drop areas are integrated with conveyors, walkways or other obstructions where depth of the platform is a concern. The Tri-sided model meets OSHA requirements and can be easily configured to meet any customer's unique requirements.

"We saw Mezzanine Safeti-Gates as a foolproof method to solving the  problem," said Bender. "In the 38 years I have been in the industry, safety has always been a major concern. Installation of these gates is an example of our commitment to providing a completely safe work environment. The cost for the gates is high, but sometimes you have to pay a price for safety. The gates are easy to install and operate, and they cannot be ignored or bypassed by our employees."

"Colorite had a unique safety concern, as it relied on employees to protect themselves, " said Aaron Conway, vice president, Mezzanine Safeti-Gates. "The problem was unique in that employees needed access to stairways and aisles adjacent to the platforms, which ruled out our standard Roly gate model. Our Tri-sided model has no fixed side rails and was easily configured to meet Colorite's specifications. It was clearly the best solution for their needs.

"We have made five platform openings completely safe from accidental falls," Bender said. "And with the installation of the Safeti-Gates, we have been able to maintain all operational procedures, as all doors continue to operate."

Bender stated that Colorite has already installed five gates, and plans to install two additional gates in the Ridgefield, New Jersey facility. He also said that he would recommend the gates to other Colorite plants based on the New Jersey success.

For more information on Mezzanine Safeti-Gates, Inc. and its product line, contact the company at 174 Western Avenue, Essex, Mass., 01929-1110, by telephone at (978) 768-3000, fax at (978) 768-1101, email at [email protected] or on the Web at www.MezzanineSafetyGates.com.

For more information on Colorite Polymers, visit the Web at http://www.tekni-plex.com/companies/colorpoly.html.