Aggreko First in UK to Install Berry Soft Stop Bollard

Aggreko plc, the world leader in the field of power and temperature control rental, has become the first company in the UK to have Berry Systems new Soft Stop bollards installed at its new 170,000 sq ft Dumbarton facility.

All companies that move heavy goods or equipment about their premises are faced with health and safety issues. The ubiquitous fork lift truck, loaded or unloaded is a very dangerous beast that can do horrific damage to buildings, plant and equipment although the greatest potential danger is obviously to people. Berry Systems offer a wide range of safety barriers and other products to provide high levels of protection but the Aggreko factory presented some extreme requirements. A fork lift truck may typically weigh 3½ tonnes but Aggreko transformers, generators and temperature control units are moved by specialist vehicles with a gross laden weight of nearly 20 tonnes.

The many, internal and external vehicle doorways at the brand new Dumbarton site were identified very quickly as needing special protection if they were not to suffer almost inevitable damage from such heavy and powerful vehicles. Glasgow architects Bradford Robertson considered a number of options before concluding with main contractors Morgan Sindall that  the new Berry Systems’  Soft Stop Bollard would provide a cost effective and technically sound solution.

This dynamic energy-absorbing protection system consists of a base on which a protective pole, post or similar is attached. During a collision, the kinetic energy of the impact is progressively absorbed as the post tilts, compressing an elastomeric sleeve within the base. The post is able to tilt from its vertical position to an angle of 20° before it locks within the base. After the impact the post will return back to its vertical position, ready to perform once again. A single Type 3 Soft Stop Bollard has been found under independent tests to have a hold power of nearly 13,000 Joules. That’s more than enough to cope with a frontal impact from a 20 tonne vehicle at 4kph.

A total of 104 Soft Stop Bollards were installed at Dumbarton along with 400 metres of ball type handrails, 18 self closing gates and 17 door guards. Other equipment was protected using 80 metres of single warehouse rails mounted on RB 235 mini spring steel buffers. Internal columns, many carrying electrical or other services, were protected by double warehouse rails mounted on full size RB 610 spring steel buffers. External protection was provided by over 400 metres of Barrier Rail mounted on Berry Systems unique Flexi-Posts with extensions mounting a pedestrian handrail at 1100mm high. These barriers protect walkways round the building and various pieces of plant and equipment mounted on or near the external walls. The contract was completed by the installation of 3 ‘Sitecop Plus’ speed restraints to control the speed of all cars and HGVs on the site.

Berry Systems MD said “the new Soft Stop Bollard enables us to offer a very cost effective solution to a difficult problem with a product that looks good in any environment, with a performance that’s way in excess of traditional bollards and will go on performing year in and year out.”

For further information please call 01902 491100 or visit www.berrysystems.co.uk

All photographs courtesy of Aggreko plc.