Modern industrial facilities increasingly rely on advanced technologies such as automation and robotics to improve efficiency and reduce costs. Along with the rapid growth in the use of autonomous mobile robots, the need to ensure safety for people, vehicles, and infrastructure is also increasing. In such demanding environments, can flexible safety barriers still prove to be an effective way to protect both people and machines? What specific challenges do those responsible for workplace safety in the industrial halls of the future face, and how can we address them? Let’s take a closer look.
Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) are autonomous vehicles designed to transport goods within industrial facilities. Thanks to advanced sensors, cameras, and navigation systems, they move along programmed routes, supporting logistics processes. AGVs are gaining popularity in warehouses, factories, and distribution centers worldwide, and their market is expected to grow to USD 6.3 billion by 2030 (source: IndustryARC, Automated Guided Vehicle Market Forecast 2024–2030).
Despite increasing precision and advanced safety systems, automated guided vehicles (AGVs) are not completely error-free. In one U.S. warehouse, a machine damaged a can of bear repellent, which resulted in the hospitalization of several employees. There is also a risk that in certain situations—especially at transport route intersections or in areas with heavy pedestrian traffic—accidents may occur. The main causes include limitations of sensor technology and the difficulty of predicting all possible scenarios in a dynamic industrial environment.
These challenges highlight the need for special attention to safety wherever people share space with vehicles. In such situations, physical safety measures such as protective barriers, signaling systems, and automatic passage blockers become essential.
Products that help minimize the risk of accidents in industrial halls include components of the modular protective barrier system from Anter System. Let’s take a closer look at how specific solutions can improve safety in areas where people and machines work side by side:
The SGR gate is an innovative device equipped with an automatic pedestrian passage blocking function when an approaching vehicle is detected, such as an AGV robot. It operates based on precise detection systems that cooperate with the facility’s traffic management system. As a result, it:
To further enhance safety, the SGR gate can also be equipped with light and sound signaling.
Pedestrian barriers are solutions designed to separate pedestrian zones from transport routes. Their use in a production hall:
For protecting machines and infrastructure against collisions, Traffic barriers and GB floor barriers are an excellent choice. These extremely durable yet flexible elements protect against costly repairs resulting from impacts by forklifts or AGVs.
How should you approach hazard identification in your company? A Risk Score assessment should be divided into several stages:
Occupational risk assessment using the Risk Score method is a process best entrusted to specialists with appropriate experience. At Anter System, we offer our clients the opportunity to carry out an audit that identifies how to improve safety and minimize hazards in workplaces such as warehouses or production halls. See for yourself and explore our audit offer!
Introducing AGV autonomous mobile robots into industrial facilities and warehouses is a major step forward in automation and efficiency. The growing capabilities of AGVs in navigation, obstacle detection, and decision-making—supported by technologies such as machine learning—lead to increased productivity and adaptability in dynamic environments like industrial halls and warehouses. However, this progress also brings new safety challenges.
Intersections, pedestrian crossings, and other high-traffic zones involving different types of vehicles still require additional safety measures. It is worth investing in solutions that protect people and machines while ensuring smooth facility operations. With products from the modular system of flexible protective barriers from Anter System, companies can meet the highest employee safety standards and prevent costly infrastructure repairs.
If you would like to learn more about available solutions, contact us so we can work together to create a safer working environment!
