Safety Innovation Summary:
To reduce the risk of pedestrian contact with automated T-Carts at the Spartanburg Corrugated facility, the team implemented a system to fully separate pedestrian traffic from the T-Cart aisle. The original plant design had pedestrians sharing the same aisle as the mobile T-Carts, leading to frequent interactions. Initial administrative controls proved insufficient, so the team relocated the main pedestrian walkway and installed multiple crossover points, followed by an automated gate system integrated with indicator lights and pause stations to prevent pedestrian entry while T-Carts are active.

Implementation and Impact:
This engineered solution was developed through collaboration between operations, maintenance, and safety teams. The automatic gates remain lowered while T-Carts are in motion and only rise when the T-Carts are parked in a designated “home” position. Multiple entry points provide safe access to equipment without crossing the aisle mid-track. The combination of physical separation and automated controls has significantly reduced the risk of T-Cart/pedestrian contact, transforming a high-risk travel path into a controlled and much safer environment.

 

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