Mezzanine Safeti-Gates Inc., an innovator in the design and manufacturing of industrial safety gates that provide fall protection for employees in warehouses, distribution centers and manufacturing facilities, has designed a hingeless, self-closing safety gate to provide fall protection in elevated pallet flow applications that are often featured in pick modules and material handling operations.

The rugged design provides for little lifetime maintenance as it has no hinges that may fail or mechanisms that need tension resettings.

Pallet flow lanes are often found in pick modules, elevated above OSHA’s fall protection requirement of 48 inches; quite often pallet flow lanes as are decked over which can serve as invitation to employees to walk onto lanes, even though it’s discouraged.The elevated ledges of pallet flow lanes should be guarded to provide a safe environment, providing fall protection for employees at all times.

The new hingeless pallet flow safety gate design utilizes the technology in the Dock-Lift design that is patented under U.S. Patent 9,630,823 for swinging-style safety gate operations. The Pallet Flow safety gate automatically opens as the pallet is pushed through into the system, and closes behind the pallet once it is through, preventing employees from stepping onto or falling from the edge of the flow lane.

The new hingeless pallet flow safety gate design utilizes the technology in the Dock-Lift design that is patented under U.S. Patent 9,630,823 for swinging-style safety gate operations.

“Pallet flow lanes by nature are hard on safety gate mechanics, as the pallets continually are pushed through the safety gates into the system,” said Chris Conway, vice president of Engineering, Mezzanine Safeti-Gates. “Hinges can loosen, fatigue and even fail, and after a certain volume of pallets moving through the systems, tension settings for the gates must be reset. By utilizing the same self-closing technology we use on the Dock-Lift safety gates, we can virtually eliminate the need for maintenance and extend the life expectancy of the gate because of the hingeless operation.”

The newly designed Pallet Flow safety gates feature an easy and controlled automatic opening and closing style as the pallet flow through the system. Pallet flow lanes can also be secured with a dual-gate system such as the Roly safety gate, depending upon the handling application.

Used in thousands of material handling, warehousing and manufacturing facilities throughout the world, the dual, counterbalanced gate systems offered by Mezzanine Safeti-Gates creates controlled access areas that meet the ANSI standard requirements for pallet drop areas, as well as OSHA and IBC fall protection requirements. All safety gate designs are available in single and double wide pallet widths, and customized to accommodate specific pallet widths, depths and heights. Power operation and technology is available for all models, including safety gates for the loading dock and lifts, and can be constructed in powder coated mild steel or electro-polished stainless steel. To learn more about the full line of safety gates, visit www.MezzGate.com.