Heras Mobile Fencing & Security
(0)808 164 2250
Time is money. In no other sector does this principle apply quite as literally as in transport and logistics. For example, if freight traffic has to wait too long to unload goods, this causes a knock-on effect where the entire chain is disrupted and delayed. So how do you, as a logistics service provider, guarantee efficient, controlled and secure processing of freight traffic on your site? Jan van Putten, Key Account manager at Heras, gives four concrete tips.
“Every week I visit different logistics service providers. Every time it impresses me again: the large number of trucks and vans that enter and leave a site. Some deliver goods, others pick up goods. The challenge is to do all of this as quickly and efficiently as possible. So what should you take into account when designing your site? How do you keep the security of your site optimal? I will here provide four invaluable tips.”
“One of the most important tips is to separate freight traffic from other traffic immediately when they arrive at your site. By providing visitors, staff and other parties who do not come to deliver or pick up freight with a separate entrance, there is no interference with the flow of freight traffic. This way you can offer both streams of traffic independent, quick and controlled access. Also, you prevent unauthorized vehicles from entering the site. This is simple to achieve with signposting, for example. In addition, you also want to prevent visitors and staff from entering the logistics environment on site. This is possible by compartmentalizing parts of the terrain with fencing.”
“How much freight traffic enters your site daily? When are the peak times? When is it quiet? By understanding these issues, you can regulate your capacity accordingly. This way you know exactly how many access points your site requires, and whether these should be open all day or not. An additional advantage is that with this insight you are also able to, for example, plan more efficient personnel for loading and unloading.”
“Of course, external security should never interfere with traffic processing capabilities. The same applies the other way around, because your site must remain well protected. The choice for the correct protection of your site is therefore very important. Do you handle a lot of freight traffic all day? Then a Speedgate is a fast and safe solution. Do you only have a few suppliers on a day that enter your site? Then a sliding gate or a barrier may be a better and more efficient alternative.” You can read more about this in our blog Barrier, sliding gate or speed gate: what type of access security fits your situation?
“You may have to deal with heavy goods vehicles on your site. That is why it is important that you offer sufficient space and that you take into account issues such as turning circles of freight traffic. This way you ensure that suppliers can easily maneuver on and around your site. In this way you prevent lorries from wasting time, for example, or damaging the façade or fencing in the event of too narrow access points. With the appropriate arrangement and landscaping, applying clear signposting and fencing, you make it easy for drivers and they can do their work faster.”
“By taking the above factors into account when designing your site, you ensure that you process freight traffic as efficiently as possible. In the long term, this saves you a lot of time and therefore money. However, never let speed or efficiency circumvent the safety and security on your site. Those things go hand in hand and must be prioritized. Because if you have security problems, you will still be delayed!”