Separating Forklifts and Pedestrians in a High-Volume Freight Environment
When you’re running one of the busiest logistics depots in the country, you don’t do safety by halves.
The pressure in a facility like this is constant. Forklifts are moving freight, trucks are loading at the docks, and staff are on their feet all day to get orders out the door. In an environment this fast paced, the risk is obvious: heavy machinery and people sharing the same floor space.
The client needed a traffic management solution that would physically separate their staff from forklift traffic, without slowing operations down. Painted lines and visual warnings weren’t going to cut it. They needed barriers that could take a hit.
That’s where we came in.
The Job
The scope was significant. This wasn’t about protecting a single walkway. It was about mapping out safe pedestrian zones across a large portion of a busy distribution centre.
The challenge was designing a traffic flow that works for the people on the ground. You can’t just wall everything off. Staff need to reach the racks, drivers need floor access, and freight needs to keep moving. The solution had to be safe, but it also had to be practical.
We identified three critical areas needing protection:
- Walkways – needed complete segregation from forklift lanes
- Racking – end-of-aisle uprights are a constant target for impact damage
- Building columns – structural supports that can’t afford a nudge
The Solution
For a major freight hub, standard barriers don’t cut it. We specified our Impact HDP Barrier™ (Heavy Duty Polymer) range throughout the facility.
The HDP system works as a physical shield that flexes on impact to absorb energy, rather than ripping out of the concrete the way rigid steel barriers often do. It’s Australian-made, UV-stabilised, and built to hold up in exactly this kind of environment.
Here’s how the fit-out broke down.
Creating the Green Zone
We installed 410 lineal metres of Impact HDP Barrier™ to create a clearly defined pedestrian zone across the facility.
The concept is straightforward: if you’re behind the yellow barrier, you’re in the Green Zone, safe from forklift traffic. If you’re on the other side, you’re in forklift territory. There’s no ambiguity, no guesswork. Staff know exactly where they’re safe to walk.
Controlling the Crossing Points
Barriers create separation, but people still need to move between zones. To manage this, we installed 25 self-closing pedestrian gates at crossing points throughout the facility.
These aren’t just gaps in the barrier line. Each gate is inward-opening and self-closing, which forces a person to pause, check for traffic, and then cross. It’s a simple physical prompt that prevents serious incidents.
Protecting the Racking and Structure
It’s not just people that need looking after. The building and storage systems are assets too.
- RackPro End-of-Aisle Protection (51LM): Placed at the ends of pallet racking aisles to stop a careless turn from taking out a structural upright. Cheap insurance compared to the cost of racking damage, or a stock collapse.
- Impact Column Protectors™ (19 units): Wrapped around 19 structural columns throughout the facility. Each one absorbs and deflects impact before it reaches the concrete or steel beneath.
Flexible Access Where It Was Needed
Parts of the facility required variable zoning. Some areas needed to be opened up for certain operations and secured again afterwards.
- Expanding barriers (10 units): Used to create temporary access zones that can be opened quickly and locked back in place. No tools, no fuss.
- Retractable belt barriers (8 units): Installed at loading docks for quick access control. Fast to deploy, clear to read.
The Result
The facility now has a clearly defined safety system that physically separates pedestrians from forklifts across the entire working floor.
Staff move through green zones. Forklifts operate in forklift zones. The crossing points are controlled. The racking and structure are protected. Operations continue at full pace.
This client invested in doing it properly. The result is a site that sets the standard for logistics safety, and a team that gets home safe at the end of every shift.
Thinking About Your Facility?
If your warehouse runs forklifts and pedestrians in the same space, we can help you work out what’s needed.
We offer free site appraisals. We’ll come out, assess your traffic flow, identify the risk areas, and give you a clear quote.
Request A Quote or call us on 1800 765 539.
