Castell Safety International Ltd - The Interview
Castell's 'Salvo' - First choice for loading bay safety
The 2007 Fork Lift Truck Association Safety Conference is all about encouraging safer working in the materials handling and logistics sector, including in loading bays and loading docks. A key part of achieving safer working practice is making proper use of effective safety devices from reliable suppliers. Leading safety solutions provider Castell Safety International's Salvo drive away prevention system provides safety at loading bays or loading docks by requiring lorries to be fitted with air brake couplings or chocks, which release a key once fitted. Castell's outstanding track record for safety innovation began in 1922, when founder James 'Harry' Castell invented the mechanical trapped key interlock technology that has developed since then with the needs of industry. Establishing Castell firmly in the forefront of loading bay safety in the 21st century, the company recently launched its Salvo drive-away prevention system, now the fastest growing part of its business. Warehouse & Logistics News spoke to Castell Safety International's Neal Partridge, New Product Development and Marketing Manager for Salvo.
Warehouse & Logistics News - First of all, Neal, to set the scene, what injuries to personnel and damage to property might be incurred in a typical drive-away accident?
Typical injuries range from fractures to loss of limbs and fatalities, and are caused mainly by forklift trucks going off the end of dock plates and drivers being caught, squashed or crushed between the forklift and HGV.
WLN - Have you got figures showing how frequently drive-away accidents occur in the UK?
Over the period 2002-5 there have been 165 fatal injuries to workers as a result of workplace transport accidents. HGVs and wheeled tractors accounted for 57%.
A quarter of all factory and warehouse accidents occur at the loading bay. The most serious ones are caused by premature vehicle drive-away. But this isn't the whole picture. Accidents get reported, but how many near misses are there?
WLN - What are the possible consequences for a business of such accidents?
After an accident, the HSE gets involved and so do the local authorities. Both have power to put the company under caution and carry out enquiries into the precautions that were taken. Salvo is accepted as proof of due diligence in these circumstances.
WLN - How did Salvo come into being?
We developed Salvo after a major UK logistics company had a fatality in a loading bay following a drive-away. They received a heavy fine, then after the prosecution came the civil action from the dead person's family, which cost the company a further £2m.
The company was aware that Castell Safety International had been around for 80 years, and that our core business was solutions to prevent accidents. They recognised our expertise in areas such as food processing, and asked us to use our trapped key technology to develop a solution to prevent further incidents.
 WLN - Can you explain what the Salvo system involves, and how it works?
Salvo is available in two formats - one fits the emergency airline of a trailer and the other is used to chock the vehicle wheel. In both instances the Salvo device is designed to prevent the accidental movement of the vehicle.
Every HGV has a brake line. On trailers, removal of the emergency airline automatically locks the trailer's air brakes on. The Salvo is fitted to the exposed coupling on the trailer's bulkhead and the Castell coded key released. The Salvo prevents reconnection of the airline until loading is complete and the key is released.
After fitting the appropriate Salvo device and releasing the coded key, the key is fitted to the control system of the relevant loading bay. Inserting the key enables the opening of the door or operation of the dock leveller: the specific system configuration is agreed on site during the specification procedure.
Once loading has begun, the key is 'trapped' in the control panel, putting the loader in total control of the operation. Only when the operation is completed and the door shut, does the key become available to release the Salvo device.
WLN - What are Salvo's key benefits?
Salvo forces the end user through a set procedure. The operator cannot operate the door or dock plate until the key is transferred to a secondary lock, which activates the door traffic lights or other activation device. As soon as the door starts to open, the key becomes captive. Loading and unloading commences, then, when the door shuts again, the key is released.
Salvo delivers safety for personnel at loading bays at affordable costs and suits all commercial vehicle types - rigid, semi-trailers and HGV.
We offer quick installation with minimum disruption. Salvo can be retrofitted, with no civil work: it takes about 5-7 man hours to fit to each bay, with no need to shut down the site, and removes the need for written procedures.
Salvo also improves operations, enhancing the level of communication between warehouse staff and driver: the driver fits the coupling and the light changes, telling the warehouse people the driver has finished.
Salvo speeds security, stopping people opening doors until the vehicle is parked. Finally, Salvo is an item you can fit and forget, as it is virtually maintenance free.
WLN - What products are in the Salvo range?
The specific Salvo model used depends on the trailer's configuration. The Salvo Susie suits UK articulated trucks, Salvo Palm suits EU articulated trucks, and the Salvo Duo suits semi-trailers.
On rigid vehicles or those without a brake line, the Salvo Chock is utilised. This takes the basic principle of wheel chocks further by forcing the fitting of the chock prior to the release of the coded Castell key. If the Salvo Chock is not fitted, loading cannot start.
Castell also supplies a Salvo control panel, which 'talks' to the dock plates and doors. It is PCB-based, hardwired into the loading bay controls.
WLN - Where are Salvo products made?
All Salvo products are designed and produced at Castell's premises at Kingsbury, London NW9.
WLN - What industry regulations and standards does Salvo comply with?
Salvo complies with the Health & Safety at Work Act, which stipulates that it's the company's duty to ensure safety at all times. Our UK product Salvo Susie interfaces with the British standard for couplings, and the EU product Salvo Palm interfaces with the DIN standard. The control box is CE-marked and meets the EMC (electromagnetic compatibility) directive and low voltage and machinery directives.
WLN - When did Castell first launch the Salvo range?
We first launched Salvo in 2004.
WLN - What kinds of companies have bought Salvo to date in the UK?
The companies we supply are all blue-chip names - the current list includes Procter & Gamble, Walkers Crisps, Unilever Foods, Warburton's, Morrison, Wincanton and UPN Shotton Paper, the UK's biggest paper distributor, plus car parts and drinks companies. We have about 70 'live' accounts, and regularly publish case studies.
WLN - How can people get to see Salvo in operation?
If they contact us, we can arrange for them to visit one of our customer sites.
WLN - How does the UK rate for adoption of loading bay safety systems like these, compared to other countries?
UK companies are more likely to adopt such systems than other countries, partly because the HSE have tightened the regulations. Compared to Europe the UK is a lot more advanced.
We're starting trials in Europe; Salvo was launched in the US in 2006. Around the world, the companies who are likely to adopt Salvo tend to be manufacturing companies with factories and distribution warehouses, who know of Castell and spend money on safety measures as part of being the best in their market.
WLN - What does a Salvo system cost? How long before you see a return?
The price per bay is around £1,300 plus installation, which averages £700 per time, a total cost of £2,000. The benefits are primarily soft ones - you can't put a price on safety - but companies may see reduced insurance premiums.
WLN - How does Salvo compare with other safety solutions on the market?
Salvo is uniquely cost-effective: you can buy restraining systems for anything from £5,000-10,000, and then face a further £3,000-5,000 of civil engineering costs per bay. With other systems you also have high maintenance costs plus the added risk of ripping the tail bars off trailers!
WLN - What would you say is the level of appreciation in UK industry of the problems of accidental drive-away?
I'd say it's pretty good. As part of our relationship marketing, we phoned existing users of Salvo. The response was very positive: the overwhelming answer was that Salvo does prevent accidental drive-away, there are no major technical problems, and they would consider it for other sites.
WLN - To get the maximum benefit from Salvo, presumably staff need a wider appreciation of workplace safety. Do you get involved in educating customers' staff about safety, or working with customers to evaluate their safety problems?
We carry out risk assessments on site, and give full demonstrations to all personnel and run training programmes on Salvo for all shifts. We educate customers' workforces, including shunter drivers and loading bay employees, about Salvo's safety benefits.
WLN - How big is Castell now in turnover? What other safety products does it make?
Castell is part of Halma PLC, a publicly quoted company turning over more than £360m. Halma provides process safety, fire protection, water treatment and various other specialist areas, but Salvo is our main offering for the warehouse and logistics market.
WLN - How big a part of Castell's business is the Salvo range of loading bay products?
Salvo is growing fast and is set to become a substantial part of our business. It's one of Castell's four strategic areas of development.
WLN - What share of Castell's turnover is in the UK? What proportion of Salvo sales is in the UK?
The UK represents 10% of total Castell turnover. Around 90% of Salvo turnover is in the UK. The rest is in the US and Continental Europe.
WLN - How much does having a Salvo system reduce the chances of a drive-away accident?
Used as part of normal operational procedures, Salvo prevents one hundred percent of drive-away accidents.
WLN - Which applications is Salvo designed for?
It's suitable for loading bays and tanker loading. You can have a trapped key mechanism fitted at pumps.
WLN - Has Salvo any won awards for technical innovation?
Salvo has been nominated for awards from the FLTA and the Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport. It was also runner up in Halma's internal innovation awards, against 59 other companies in the group.
WLN - How big is the potential market for Salvo?
The potential is for every loading bay in every warehouse worldwide to be fitted with Salvo, but there will always be companies who prefer to take the risk and save money. We've not yet found a site where Salvo will not fit in with their current operations. It can adapt to the way they work, with no major cultural shift.
WLN - Who in a company is responsible for loading bay safety and for buying safety devices?
The main people are health and safety managers and operations and warehousing managers. Other decision makers and influencers include warehouse project managers and engineering managers. We target the health and safety managers initially; they then have to convince their operations people and senior management and prepare a business case. We support them with presentations, design drawings and feasibility studies.
WLN - How long is it from order to installation?
We install within four to eight weeks of order, with installation time depending on the site size and number of bays.
WLN - Do you carry out follow-up checks to ensure Salvo systems are being used properly?
Salvo products come with 12 months' standard warranty. We also offer maintenance contracts, which give a twice-yearly check.
WLN - How is Salvo sold - direct or through distributors?
Salvo is sold direct in the UK, and European and US sales are through distributors, who tend to be loading dock and door suppliers, offering Salvo as part of their portfolio.
WLN - Are you involved with the relevant UK industry bodies?
We have close links with the Road Haulage Association, FLTA, CILT, HSE and Freight Transport Association.
WLN - I understand you're relaunching your marketing. What does that activity involve?
We're stepping up our marketing for Salvo over a six-month period. We're building a database of 5,000 health and safety managers, whom we are addressing with direct marketing. We're also working with logistics consultancies, and have joined the FLTA's Health & Safety Forum. We have intensified our PR activity and upgraded our web site, www.salvosafe.com with live animation. Looking ahead, we also have a programme of 'Open Days at Castell' planned for 2008.
WLN - Finally, how do you see Salvo developing from here?
There's good general market acceptance, and Salvo is showing strong signs of growth. We're looking to grow UK sales in 2008 by 30% and the following year by 50%, build in the US and explore the EU as an area of opportunity.
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For further information about this company's activities in the warehouse and logistics industry please contact:
Castell Safety International Ltd
Tel: 020 8200 1200
www.salvosafe.com |
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