Case Studies
Stocked Up on Safety at Foodstuffs Dunedin
This very large and busy distribution centre, right here in our backyard (Dunedin, NZ), handles high volumes of dry grocery products every single day. Keeping supermarket shelves stocked is no small task, which means forklifts are constantly moving goods in and out, with ground personnel working in close quarters. Several workstations are located in these high-traffic zones, so the risk of injury from a forklift is a serious health and safety concern. Working alongside our team, Foodstuffs developed barrier zones around these workstations and in high foot-traffic areas to make the workplace safer for staff. Using our 910-2 system, these barriers can withstand impacts from forklifts if needed while providing a clear visual guide for drivers on where pedestrian zones are. Here’s what the team at Foodstuffs had to say about the product and install process: “Impressed with the end product and workmanship. Also impressed with the professionalism while you were on site, i.e. health and safety, documentation, speed of delivery, attitude, knowledge, and general engagement with the team.”— Matthew Peoples, Health & Safety Manager, Foodstuffs South Island If you’ve got a high-traffic, high-hazard environment, contact our team today to find out more about the Tru-Gard products best suited to your unique site and hazards.
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A Ewe-Nique Safety Solution for Silver Fern Farms Pareora PT.2
We are back at Silver Fern Farms Pareora to complete phase two of a large safety project at their busy meat processing factory. This time the focus was on strengthening pedestrian zones for shift workers who have to move through heavy traffic areas to reach their workstations. To overcome this hazard, we added extra 910-2 Safety Barriers to complete the walkways, as well as incoming and outgoing personnel gates and telescopic gates to separate pedestrians from vehicles. With over 600 employees split across multiple shifts, that’s plenty of pedestrians moving around the site at all hours of the day and night. Combined with the large stock trucks, containers, forklifts, bins, crates, pallets, livestock, and all of the other hazards we had already identified, this is just another layer of added protection to bring this over-120-year-old processing plant up to modern safety standards. Read part one of this Silver Fern Farms Pareora Safety Success Story, here.
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A Ewe-Nique Safety Solution for Silver Fern Farms Pareora PT.1
Silver Fern Farms in Pareora is a large sheep processing factory employing approximately 600 staff. Needless to say, that’s a lot of pedestrians moving around the site all day, every day! And they’re not the only things moving on site: large stock trucks, shipping containers, forklifts, storage bins, crates, pallets, and livestock are continuously on the move. This means the potential for an accident is always looming. The site is also more than 120 years old and wasn’t designed with the abundance of health and safety measures seen in modern processing plants. However, that was no barrier for the Silver Fern Farms team (no pun intended). With high standards of H&S company-wide, and significant effort and investment, they were prepared to bring the site up to new standards. Part of this involved addressing the many daily risks to workers, including heavy traffic, high-frequency pedestrian areas, and other hazards. That’s where we come in. Working with their team, we created a solution with safer pathways for foot traffic, protection from blind spots, and reduced chances of accidental damage. With a quick turnaround of just one week, our 910-2 Barrier + Hand Rail with a combination of Telescopic and Personnel Gates, was ready to go. The Pareora plant workers now have dedicated, highly visible, and most importantly, safer pathways that take them from A to B across the site. Read the second installment of our Silver Fern Farms Safety Success Story here.
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Counting on Safety at Woolworths Christchurch Distribution Hub
If you need reliable protection for your assets, you can count on us, and that's exactly what Woolworths did for their Christchurch Distribution Hub. The Christchurch Regional Distribution Centre was built from the existing Woolworths Distribution Centre, which was significantly affected by the September 2010 earthquake. The complex includes a 22,000 sqm warehouse and a 7,000 sqm receiving and dispatch canopy. Following a $20 million construction and fit-out programme completed in June 2012, the dispatch canopy was added, and site managers requested Tru-Gard protection to safeguard the structure. Protecting High-Traffic AreasSupplying approximately 7,800 product lines to more than 68 Woolworths, SuperValue, and FreshChoice stores across the South Island, the centre sees a constant flow of heavy trucks and working vehicles. With so much activity, the risk of accidental collisions with the dispatch canopy is high. Our solution was Tru-Gard Certified Safety Barrier configuration 610-2. This system features 610 mm-high support posts secured to the concrete base with heavy-duty screw bolts and two barrier rails spanning the full run. Proven Protection Over TimeFor several years now, this barrier system has provided first-class protection, guarding against everything from minor grazes to more significant knocks, ensuring both the structure and site operations remain safe. Solutions Supplied Tru-Gard™ Certified Safety Barrier 610-2
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Securing Heights at Sawyers Bay
We always enjoy being part of new-build projects, and this one was no different. Set in a picturesque rural location, the large truck yard features heavy-duty retaining walls around the excavated ground, with a perimeter walkway requiring height safety precautions to prevent falls from the three-metre drop. Tru-Gard™ Hand Rail to the RescueTru-Gard™ Hand Rail was the ideal solution. Its lightweight design and small footprint make it simple to install on the narrow concrete base, while its certified strength ensures it can withstand human weight. The high-visibility yellow also serves as a clear cautionary signal, helping pedestrians understand the reason for the barrier. Solutions Supplied Tru-Gard™ Hand Rail Practical Safety Without CompromiseThis installation demonstrates how Tru-Gard combines certified safety, practical design, and high visibility to protect people in challenging environments, even on narrow or elevated walkways.
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Big Build, Bigger Safety at Acacia Ridge.
We were proud to partner with Evolve Constructions on a major new warehouse facility in Acacia Ridge, Brisbane - a massive 18,000m² corporate industrial site. With 9,000m² of building space, a high-spec office, extensive hardstand, large awning coverage, and nine container-height roller doors, the facility was designed for B-Double access. Add 69 car parks, and you’ve got a busy environment with a lot of heavy vehicle movement. Where we step in:To protect the large rock retaining wall along the Eastern perimeter, we supplied the Tru-Gard™ 910-3 Certified Barrier System. Its robust impact resistance and clear visual boundary make it ideal for high-traffic, heavy-haul areas. Especially as the building was going to have tenants and a variety of possible traffic usage and frequency. Solutions Supplied: Tru-Gard™ 910-3 Certified Barrier System Safer Perimeters This installation ensures a safer working environment for vehicles and personnel alike. If you’re planning a build or retrofitting an existing one, chat to our team today about how we can help make it a safer place to be for everyone.
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Breaking the Yellow Rule: Bespoke Black Retail Barriers
At Tru-Gard, our trademark has long been safety in bright, unmistakable yellow because visibility is key. But sometimes, the environment calls for something a little different. That's why we created these bespoke black expanding barriers, designed for retail environments where branding and aesthetics matter as much as safety. Safety Meets StyleThese black expanding barriers deliver the same trusted durability and functionality as our classic yellow versions, but with a sleek, modern look that blends seamlessly into retail spaces. Perfect for temporary use during spills, restocking, or redirecting foot traffic, they help maintain both safety and style. Custom Colours to Suit Your BrandBeyond black, we can customise colours to perfectly match your brand palette, creating barriers that protect without compromising your branding. Versatile and ProvenAlready trusted in busy lumber sections at hardware stores, supermarkets, and a wide range of other retail environments, these expanding barriers offer flexible, on-demand safety solutions wherever temporary access control or hazard protection is needed. Elevating Retail Safety Without CompromiseAt Tru-Gard, we believe safety solutions should fit the space, not clash with it. Our bespoke black expanding barriers prove that you can have effective, reliable protection that complements your retail environment. Find out more about custom colours - contact our team today.
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Safety on the Shopping List: Protecting Woolworths Ashburton
Securing Safe Traffic Zones at Woolworths Ashburton. We were excited to partner with construction experts Watts & Hughes to create safe traffic zones for Woolworths supermarket in Ashburton, NZ. The brief was clear: establish a strong, secure perimeter around vehicle access points that provides both a highly visible boundary and reliable impact protection. Tru-Gard Certified Barrier System to the RescueUsing 2400mm lengths of galvanised steel barrier mounted on 910mm-high custom posts, we constructed a robust safety perimeter. Specialised Tru-Gard components allowed the barrier to curve smoothly, ensuring a continuous, unbroken border around the driveways. This installation not only defines vehicle zones clearly but also adds vital protection, helping to prevent accidents and keep pedestrians and drivers safe alike.
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Small Space, Big Safety: Safety Wins at Harvey Norman
Busy spaces with limited room call for smart safety solutions. That’s exactly what we delivered for Harvey Norman’s Timaru site, where the inwards and outwards goods area is compact and constantly buzzing with forklifts, staff on foot, pallet trolleys, and sack barrows. Space constraints mean forklifts and other moving equipment often graze the building structure, as visible from the worn wall cladding in the photos. In a busy environment like this, the risk to staff entering or exiting personnel doors at the wrong moment was a real concern. Tru-Gard Steps InOur solution was to install our 910-2 Certified Barrier mini safety zones around the doorways, combined with Personnel Safety Gates for secure and controlled access. A standout feature is our popular Double Telescopic Gate with latch, hinged directly onto our Standard Bollards. Its adjustable length provides a perfect fit every time, allowing mobile equipment to pass when needed, or locking off the area to prioritise pedestrian safety during busy periods. This system gives Harvey Norman the flexibility to keep their operation running smoothly while ensuring their people stay protected. Solutions Supplied Tru-Gard 910-2 Certified Barrier Tru-Gard Personnel Safety Gates Tru-Gard Double Telescopic Gate with Latch Tru-Gard Standard Bollards Safe Access in a Busy Goods AreaAt Tru-Gard, we understand that in fast-moving workplaces, safety can’t slow you down — it needs to keep pace. Our customised safety zones at Harvey Norman Timaru are proof that even in tight, hectic spaces, we can create safer environments without compromise.
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