Auto guided vehicles (AGV) at Carlton United Breweries (CUB) in Yatala have significantly enhanced onsite traffic management (OSTM) and overall safety. Workplace Health and Safety Queensland conducted a visit to CUB to explore the AGV system's impact. The Yatala facility, where over 1,700 people are employed, faced safety hazards due to interactions between heavy vehicles, mobile plant, trucks, and pedestrians.
Issues identified included unauthorized access to high-risk areas, elevated injury rates for personnel using forklifts, and unsuitable traffic flows on-site. In response, CUB implemented the AGV system, addressing these concerns and improving OSTM. The introduction of AGVs has played a crucial role in mitigating safety risks and enhancing overall traffic management at the Yatala facility.
The auto guided vehicles at the CUB facility
The Auto Guided Vehicle (AGV) system at Carlton United Breweries (CUB) incorporates key safety features, such as stopping mechanisms with sensors around the AGV, bright blue ground lights forming an exclusion zone, and an ergonomic battery charging station. AGVs can detect each other, stop in unison, and alert workers if one breaks down. Fail-safes ensure immediate halting and warning in case of sensor or system failure. The battery changing station minimizes manual handling tasks. Manual exclusion zones, marked by traffic cones, further enhance safety for pedestrians around the facility, complementing the AGV system.
During the initial implementation of the AGV system at Carlton United Breweries (CUB), issues were identified related to stacked pallets and the site floor paint. The AGVs faced challenges in determining the stability of stacked pallets, leading to adjustments in sensor configurations to precisely identify gaps and prevent potential collapses. Additionally, a change in site floor paint to a high gloss affected the AGV sensors' performance in dislodging pallets. The issue was resolved by switching to a matte paint finish.
Outcomes resulting from the adoption of the new AGV system at CUB include enhanced efficiencies, increased accuracy in order picking, and improved safety measures. The AGV system autonomously manages the entire process, minimizing human involvement and eliminating risks associated with worker/forklift interactions. This proactive measure has notably decreased workplace injuries caused by workers navigating forklifts and instances of pallets falling on personnel. The implementation of the AGV system has led to a substantial reduction in injury rates at CUB, dropping from 62 percent to five percent over the last five years as of 2022, consequently lowering lost time injuries (LTI).