Posted to News on 30th May 2025, 10:30
Safety Perimeter Protection and Access Control in Harsh Environments
The watertight enclosures of ReeR Safety's light curtains enable them to be used in harsh environments with exposure to water and steam and external agents - for example: direct sunlight, salt spray, snow, etc.
Perimeter protection aims to prevent personnel from entering a dangerous area by using a combination of safety light curtains and physical fences with monitored gates. Such safety systems, particularly when used for monitoring large surfaces, are often installed in external areas exposed to atmospheric agents and in harsh operating conditions.
Robust perimeter light guards are needed to guarantee the functionality of the system. ReeR's WT housings from Plus Automation provide mechanical protection for the light curtain and the heated versions (H) feature a thermostatically-controlled heating system which enables them to work down to -25degC.
One of the requirements relating to safety in automated ports is the protection of access gates to areas where bridge cranes, platform cranes on rails and self-driving vehicles operate.
The safety solution in place is a combination of safety light curtains and physical fences with monitored gates and interlocked safety locks. The objective is to prevent personnel from entering the "Container Handling and Storage Area", Dangerous Area.
The dimensions of the gates and the operational conditions (outdoor) require the use of safety light curtains with specific characteristics: high operating range; UV and salt resistance; IP67 degree of protection; double beam system which allows to reduce the sensitivity of the barrier in relation to small objects (for example birds or material carried by the wind) which can cross the gate protected by the barrier causing the safety intervention; resistance to strong temperature changes with related condensation problems; and stainless steel accessories and screws.
