Amber Doors Catch Up With The Latest Door News From The DHF

Amber Doors employees like to keep their fingers on the pulse by keeping up to date with the latest industry news.  The team have been invited to attend the DHF Industrial Door Group Meeting on 12 June 2014, where they will hear about the latest in DHF Quality Assured Standards plus news on the European Door and Shutter Federation. 

The Door and Hardware Federation (DHF) present the key players in the powered doors industry and currently has around 280 members, including Amber Doors.  The meeting is due to take place at the Heritage Motor Centre in Warwickshire and is aimed at providing members with an opportunity to share information and knowledge with fellow technical specialists.  Kevin Snook will deliver a presentation on Building Information Modelling before Michael Skelding, DHF General Manager and Secretary, provides delegates with an update on CE marking under the CPR.

The Amber Doors team are also looking forward to attending the DHF 2014 Gala Dinner which is due to take place in October 2014.  The evening has been organised to allow members and guests of the DHF to socialise and network, before enjoying a lavish meal.  Peter Shilton, ex-England goalkeeper, will be on hand to provide after dinner entertainment and guests will also be able to enjoy illusions carried out by Graham Jolley, who has performed in Las Vegas.

Attendance at these events are strictly by invitation only, and the Amber Doors team are looking forward to networking with fellow members of the doors industry.  The team will be able to catch up with the latest developments within door technology before sharing the information with the rest of the Amber Doors company.

To find out more about the products which Amber Doors have to offer, including traditional roller shutter doors and turbo roll high speed doors, feel free to visit their website.

Maintaining A Safe and Efficient Warehouse Environment

Warehouses are complex industrial operations.  They enable the storage and distribution of products but in order to do this effectively they need to be run safely and securely.  Fire and theft are two of the major threats to the efficient running of a warehouse environment, particularly when storing flammable or high cost goods.

Here are some of the main security issues you may encounter when running a warehouse:

Fire Risk From Flammable Products

If your warehouse stores flammable goods then the risk of fire will be very high.  Remember that it is not just the obvious fire risk products such as gas that you need to worry about but also other highly flammable materials such as paper – which are easy to ignite and will quickly cause a lot of damage.  The best way to reduce the risk of fire is to install industrial fire resistant doors such as shutters or fire curtains.  These products are not only resistant to fire damage but will also help to minimise the spread of fire.

Security Risks

There are always security risks with warehouses as thieves know these buildings are used to store high volumes of goods.  If these goods are also high value, they may attract more of this unwanted attention. In order to protect their clients’ goods, warehouses will need to install security systems such as CCTV, security lighting and secure doors.  Products such as security grilles on ground level windows also provide a popular way for warehouses to prevent break-ins.

Lack of staff training

If staff are inadequately trained in any aspect of the warehouse operations it leaves the building more vulnerable to security risks such as fire and theft.  Staff should be trained to the appropriate level for any machinery and equipment they must operate in the course of their day to day work and this will include understanding how to effectively and safely open and close industrial roller shutter doors.

No health and safety procedures

Warehouses present an environment where accidents may occur due to the fact that there are a lot of people moving around, using machinery and vehicles such as fork lift trucks.  Health and Safety procedures need to be in place at all times and staff should be made aware of these procedures on their induction.

To find out more about how industrial and fire resistant doors can help you maintain a safe and secure warehouse environment please visit the Amber Doors website.  

Top Questions Asked By Amber Doors’ Customers

Here at Amber Doors we get asked all sorts of questions on a daily basis.  But here’s a list of some of the most frequently asked questions:

What capacity is the leveller?

The leveller generally would be 6000kg but we can go to 9000kg and even 12000kg if required (the last two options would obviously be more expensive).

Can you repair existing Cylinders (RAMS)?

Generally yes we can.  What normally happens is that the leveller is hit by the lorry and this will break the seals or bend the rod or even both.  We keep certain designs of rams in stock so that we are able to replace them and then get the damaged ram repaired.  However, if it is not a standard item then the ram would have to be removed from site in order to allow repairs to take place.  This then leaves the leveller out of action.

Can you repair hoses?

Unfortunately no, when a hose is damaged it has to be replaced.  We do have our own swager which enables us to make replacement hoses up to suit most applications.

How often does the leveller need to be serviced?

It is dependent on the site conditions and the wear and tear that the leveller receives, generally a service should take place as a minimum every six months.

The leveller will only travel up slowly then just drops, even if you hit the stop button.

The leveller is losing oil pressure, therefore either there is a split hose or the power pack is damaged (you would normally be able to tell as there will be oil visible in the pit).

Can I have just have the bumpers replaced?

Yes.  There are various different types of bumper available with different types of protective plates plus fixed or sliding back plates.

Can you repair the shelter that has been hit?

We would need to see it and advise accordingly, but if the damage is too excessive generally it is more financially viable to replace it.  However, if the shelter is an inflatable and it was just a split in the air bag, we can usually repair this with patchwork kit.

Can you refurbish my leveller rather than replacing it?

Yes we can generally refurbish anything but again, a site visit would be required to advise accordingly.

Is it just straight guides that you do?

No, there are options available with straight and cranked guides available.

Can you link the traffic light with the shelter so that the driver doesn’t drive away with the shelter still inflated?

Yes, the leveller/door and shelter can all be linked in with the traffic lights.

If you have a question for Amber Doors and you can’t see the answer on this FAQ blog post, feel free to visit our website or give us a call on 0121 565 6161.

Basic Retail Security Measures

No matter what the size of the store, all shop owners understand the importance of having effective security measures put in place during closing hours.  Although many stores are open 24 hours a day, due to Sunday opening hours they will need to close in the early hours of Sunday morning before being able to reopen for business from approximately 9.30am.  Shop owners therefore need to make sure the store is protected from unwanted visitors during closing hours.

Alarm systems are common place, as they will detect if an intruder is attempting to break into the store and will very often alert the shop owner as well as the emergency services should it be activated.  Alarms provide a great deterrent for burglars, particularly if the shop is situated in a residential area as local residents may be alerted to the sound.

Another effective form of retail security are retail security shutter doors.  These are often seen on shop fronts of all sizes, ranging from local convenience stores through to huge supermarkets.  The steel shutter doors are simple to operate by the shop manager and provide the store with an additional form of security once the staff have left for the day.  The steel shutters have a high degree of inner integral strength which is extremely difficult to break through.

Many shop owners select perforated retail security shutter doors as this provides a transparent effect if background lighting is left on.  Although the contents of the shop can still be seen, would-be burglars would not be able to get through the steel shutter doors without a great deal of difficulty and heavy cutting equipment. 

CCTV is another form of effective retail security, most large stores will have CCTV cameras both within the store as well as looking out onto the car park or shop front.  Recorded CCTV images can be used as police evidence should a theft have occurred, and for this reason many commercial insurers will require their policy holders to have CCTV installed within their premises.

Here at Amber Doors we offer a range of retail security roller shutter doors, examples of which can be found on our website.

Help Amber Doors Raise Money For Charity By Joining Them In The Great Midlands Fun Run!

If you're feeling fit and you want to help to raise money for two very worthy causes, then why not join forces with Amber Doors and sign up for the Great Midlands Fun Run? Ralph Simmons, Company Director of Amber Doors' sister company, MDS, is organising a team of 100 runners, walkers and crawlers who will take part in the Great Midlands Fun Run on Sunday 1 June 2014.  The chosen charity funds are the Kelli Smith Appeal and the Boldmere Sports & Social Club function room fund. 

Kelli Smith is a 5 year old girl from Sutton Coldfield who was unfortunately diagnosed with Neuroblastoma at 3 months old.  The brave little girl has undergone gruelling treatments and has faced relentless health problems, but she now needs help to raise £500,000 to help to pay for life saving treatment.  Further details of Kelli's fund can be found at her website.  To add to the sadness, Kelli's father, Tom Attwater, is also facing his own battle, as he has brain cancer.  Tom's mission is to live to see Kelli's fundraising target reached before he passes away, and Amber Doors want to help Kelli and Tom by raising as much money as they can by running the Great Midlands Fun Run.

The second charity which Amber Doors would like to help is for the completion of the brand new function room at Boldmere Sports & Social Club.  So far the main structure of the room has been built, but further funds are needed to finish the room to enable it to be used for room hire.  Without the room being finished, the future of the sports and social club could be at serious risk of closing, which will have a huge impact on the various sporting teams which are based at the Boldmere club.

In order to join Ralph's fundraising team, please contact him by email at Ralph@mdsind.co.uk by 14th March - the more people the merrier so spread the word and get as many people as you can involved! 

Amber Doors provide a range of security and high speed doors for commercial properties, feel free to visit the website to find out more.

Why Should I Have My Industrial Doors Maintained?

There are plenty of good reasons as to why a business should ensure that their roller shutter doors are maintained correctly.  Not only does it help to ensure the door works to its full potential at all times, but it can also help to reduce the risk of accidental damage to an employee or a visitor to the premises. 

Once a brand new roller shutter door has been installed, many companies may overlook the need to book the door in for future maintenance checks, but if a door is in constant use or if it is damaged in anyway, this can cause a potential hazard.

Here are some great reasons for carrying out regular roller shutter door maintenance:

• It’s a legal requirement – businesses need to ensure that their equipment is in safe working order all times to protect the safety of the employees as well as any visitors to the site.

•  Maintaining the door helps to prolong the operational life of the door, and can reduce the likelihood for the door to be replaced sooner than necessary.

• Prevents potential downtime – the last thing a business needs is for time to be wasted if work cannot continue until a broken door has been fixed.  Regular industrial door servicing can help to identify any potential problems before they escalate into much larger issues.

• Reduces the need for expensive emergency call outs – it’s far cheaper to book a routine service check-up than it is to call out an emergency engineer once a problem has already been caused!

Of course, there are times when a door has been damaged accidently and an engineer will need to be called out, sometimes this is unavoidable.  However, most problems can be picked up during a routine maintenance check in order to avoid this time consuming and often costly procedure.

It may seem like another task which needs to be organised, but setting up a regular service and maintenance contract for industrial doors couldn’t be easier.  Most servicing plans can be set up to suit a business’s budget and a detailed service wallet can be kept for each relevant door within the company premises.

To find out more about the roller shutter door maintenance packages offered by Amber Doors, feel free to visit our website.

Preventing Accidents By Improving Loading Bay Safety Procedures

Even after many improvements to loading bay equipment over the years, the continued number of accidents suggest that loading bays remain the most dangerous part of any warehouse. Forklifts and trucks are very often implicated in these accidents, however, similarly to loading bay equipment, much has been done to improve the safety of forklifts, trucks and other vehicles in a loading situation. Statistics show that the vast majority of injuries and fatalities related to loading bays are not to truck drivers or shutter door operators, but to pedestrians walking around them.

This statistic shows that the solution to improving loading bay safety is not to improve the safety of equipment, but to improve procedural safety and to improve housekeeping so as to avoid loading bay accidents. No matter how many safety devices are present at a particular loading bay, accidents can still happen if safety procedures are not followed by individuals and a loading bay area is not kept tidy.

Safety training is key to improving loading bay safety procedures. Any individuals involved in working near a loading bay should be fully trained and inducted to exercise correct loading bay safety procedures, including forklift and truck drivers. Extra care should be taken when training any temporary staff that are not familiar with loading bay equipment, forklifts or any other vehicles that could be a hazard. Care should also be taken to make use of necessary safety signs around loading bays, warning pedestrians and drivers of possible hazards. Signs must be displayed or mounted so that they can be seen clearly.

Lighting is very important in assuring safety in loadingbays. It is important that forklift or truck drivers are presented with adequate light to be able to discern all pedestrians and objects clearly to prevent possible collisions. Likewise, designated areas for pedestrians only must be marked clearly for pedestrians and drivers to see. A large number of cases where pedestrians are hit are because the driver does not see the pedestrian that they hit.

Although training and sufficient lighting is essential in improving loading bay safety, good house-keeping can play just as big a part in preventing loading bay accidents. Debris or obstacles lying around a loading bay floor, or even potholes or other damages to floor surfaces can not only cause accidents, but also cause serious and expensive damage to vehicles and other loading bay equipment, and any stored goods.

All individuals near loading bays must be sure to stand clear when opening vehicle or container doors in case something is not packed or stored safely and may fall out and cause serious injury or worse. People must also take care to stay clear or heavy roller shutter doors, which are very heavy and could be extremely dangerous if not operated correctly.

All of these procedures must be implemented in order to improve loading bay safety procedures and prevent accidents in loading bays. To find out more about loading bay safety, you can visit www.amberdoors.co.uk