Bedfont 4 May 2017: Keltbray Rail Plant, which is part of Keltbray Group; a UK leading specialist business, which offers engineering, construction, demolition, decommissioning, remediation, rail, environmental services and reinforced concrete frame solutions, is the first company in the rail industry to install LED lights to all of its Road Rail Vehicles (RRV) working on Great Western in Wales to implement clear and identifiable exclusion zone areas around moving and stationery RRVs for improved safety.

Keltbray Rail Plant undertakes much of its work during night time hours and exclusions zones can be difficult to maintain and installing physical barriers is not always possible using the light system give the operatives on the ground the ability to clearly identify where the exclustion zone begins and so it has been decided to equip its fleet of 14 Colmar RRVs with high-intensity blue lights that are directional and clearlyN illuminates exclusion zone required around the machinery on the ground.

Keltbray has borrowed the idea from the highways industry, where lights have been used for some time to create exclusion zone areas around equipment to protect operators as well as the public.

Keltbray Rail’s Operations Director Rail for Wales and Western, Paul Murphy, explained: “Keltbray Rail Plant’s Piling Delivery Manager, Grant Fieldhouse, worked in partnership with Construction Manager for Network Rail, Justin Owens, to develop this solution. Where we operate heavy duty machinery, it is important to use clear safety signage to make people aware of dangerous equipment and the risk moving plant can pose to even the most experienced operatives. As we often work at night, signage is not always visible, and so we have adopted lighting to help operatives visualise the exclusion zone and reduce the risk of accidents.

“Grant and Justin had to find lights that have high vibration resistance to minimise downtime and the risk of lighting failure, and eventually found these in the USA, where they have been developed to protect factory staff working near moving forklifts. As a UK first, we have now fitted them to a Colmar T10000 heavy lifter RRV, which is working for Network Rail on piling works associated with electrification of the Great Western railway in Wales.

“These lights create exclusion zones of 10 metres to the side, back and front of the RRV are proving very effective. We are communicating this initiative through the on-site task and POS briefings and will be introducing this into all training plans for operators and staff.”

These high-intensity blue LED lights will now be extended to all the other RRV in Keltbray Rail Plant’s 14-strong Colmar fleet within the next six months.

ENDS

Images:
High resolution images which show the exclusion zone are available here: Images of Keltbray RRV blue light zone

Enquiries:
For more information contact Marit Meyer-Bell, Head of Communications
Tel. 0786 765 3392
Email: [email protected]

Notes to editors:
Keltbray Group is a UK leading specialist business, which offers engineering, construction, demolition, decommissioning, remediation, rail, environmental services and reinforced concrete frame solutions. The company dates back to 1976, employs more than 1,000 people, and is a key player in developing and maintaining Britain’s built environment. Keltbray provides services to meet the needs of diverse and complex projects, and its well qualified people take pride in delivering projects safely and efficiently, on time and to budget, and with care for the environment and our communities. Keltbray has contributed to a range of high profile construction projects including The Shard, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Stadium, St Pancras International, Crossrail, Earls Court and Battersea Power Station.