IRONguard
CASE STUDY: SOBEY’S & WITRON
THE CHALLENGE
Grocery retailer Sobeys, located in Vaughan, Canada, operates a 500,000 square foot distribution
center utilizing ASRS technology by Witron. Since this facility opened in 2009, they had been faced with
maintenance challenges at height. Two specific problems needed to be urgently addressed. First, their
ASRS unit load pallet cranes utilize heavy idler wheels and cable shives 70’ feet above floor level. They
must be serviced in 5 year intervals at minimum. But, how to do this safely? The ASRS system uses very
narrow aisles, so conventional man-lifts (aerial work platforms) are out of the question. The only existing
method to reach this location is to ‘climb’ the crane, with tools, and man handle the 30 pound idler wheel
and the 70 pound cable shive. A very dangerous and difficult task indeed. Second, because of the high
density nature of the unit load ASRS area, there is no method of reaching the ceiling to service and repair
the fire suppression system. Even one malfunctioning sensor reflector will trigger a series of events that
require 24/7 monitoring by personnel as the system would then be deemed ‘out of order’. The only way
these areas could be accessed would be to cut a hole in the ceiling and access the areas from above. A
very expensive and unacceptable proposition.
THE SOLUTION
Sobeys engaged in a program to develop IRONguard™ Safety’s MARC™ (Maintenance and Retrieval Cart)
design to solve these specific problems. The resulting MARC™ – Plus (Personnel Lift Up System) created
a safe, defined and predictable process to solve the challenges. The MARC – Plus platform is captured to
the unit load teleforks and employs sensors which in turn are connected to the crane controller by a plug-
in communication cable cord. In tandem with additional safety sensors, the MARC™ can be confirmed as
in the correct position and captured to either the crane or double deep rack system. In conjunction with a
dedicated e-stop, this package now becomes an engineered ‘safe zone’. The MARC™ – Plus is also now
an approved anchor location, as is validated and documented by an accredited professional engineer and
a dedicated safety professional providing the risk assessment. However, the MARC™ – Plus platform in
itself can only be positioned as high as the top pallet position. So, a Power Tower aerial work platform was
integrated to ensure access to a reach height of 20’ above the 60’ top pallet position. The Power Tower
was modified to be affixed to the MARC™ – Plus using a slew ring bearing with lock positions every 45
degrees. With the maintenance technician in the Power Tower, the crane operator can rotate the entire
Power Tower assembly to the desired rotation. The most important being 180 degrees, and fully proud
of the rack structure and closest to the crane. This is the ideal location to access the serviceable crane
components.
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S U C C E S S S T O R Y
THE RESULTS
The result is a system that is safe, operationally efficient, and alleviates the risk associated with failed
components and devices that cannot be accessed. In addition, the MARC™-Plus can be used for
additional tasks that include rack maintenance and repair, spilled product clearing at height, and Sobeys
even discovered a new application that was not part of the initial specification. That was to service and
repair their pallet stretch wrap machines. In addition to all the tasks the MARC™ – Plus accomplishes
as an assembly, there is the added bonus that the Power Tower can be removed and utilized as a stock
aerial work platform. The impact of creating safe solutions for operators at height in a complex ASRS
environment is profound. For maintenance technicians the new process has positively changed their
work lives. Also, the entire premise of the Sobeys / Witron facility is about efficiency. The deployment of
IRONguard™’s MARC™ Plus creates a benefit from both perspectives.
Simply put, that’s just good business.
CASE STUDY: SOBEY’S & WITRON
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