Braddan SAARS

The Safety Requirement

Part of our day  to day business involves delivering and off loading trailer loads of prefabricated steelwork, much of the work is very dangerous and covered by stringent health and safety regulation. Braddan identified an opportunity to develop a modular, folding system to attach to the flat bed of a lorry that would provide a safe refuge or walkway around the load bed, allowing safe access to the load by site operatives and side access by fork lift trucks.

Target Market

Having worked with several of the existing systems available to improve operative safety whilst off loading, Braddan Structures began developing a system that was easy to use, adaptable to several vehicle types and provided genuine safety benefits.

How design made a different

Braddan had developed some initial concepts of their SAARS (Safe Access Area and Refuge System) but had reached the limit of their design capability.

Design Network North provided guidance and funding to help the project move to the next level. Braddan Structues chose FS Design to develop their product because of their extensive automotive experience, especially in the area of sliding and articulated mechanisms.

Project success

Braddan Structures are now testing a full size prototype, reviewing operational requirements and materials and are in talks with several haulage contractors to conduct road going user trials.