The height of safety
Hosting over 120,000 cattle per year and generating approximately 90 million dollars in sales annually, the Gunnedah saleyards have evolved into the fifth largest cattle selling facility in NSW. With over 100 years of use, the yards were in need of an extensive upgrade. Our client reached out to the Anchor Safe team for a safe, complaint walkway & platform system that could retro fit to the existing yards and accommodate varying levels, all while the day to day running of the yards remained uninterrupted.
After the original site visit with the client and drawing on previous experience from successful saleyard upgrades throughout Australia, we were able to work with our design and engineering team to come up with a very adjustable and practical system for the extensive upgrades.
Delivering results from top to bottom
The Anchor Safe team designed, supplied and installed approximately 1.7km of auctioneer walkways and 3.4km of guardrail either side of the walkway. Opting for a slotted, modular design with fully adjustable and replaceable components expediated the installation time and allowed all platforms & walkways to be easily retrofitted to the existing yards. We designed and constructed longer spans in sections to accommodate the existing yards & fixed posts. The ability to engineer the walkway & platforms onsite to adapt to the changing situations & levels greatly increased efficiency while installing.
During the build stage the team had to consider getting plant and machinery through the yards, to accommodate this the team built in raised areas and step bridges and some of these had to be able to be removed in the future for any equipment passing through. Our system included 23 crossover platforms & step bridges and an additional 21 stairways to access various parts of the auctioneer walkway. Every Tuesday there was still an auction for the cattle, so during the project we were able to collaborate with the builder and different trades onsite to continue the smooth operation of the yards. At the end of each day, the team had to really consider cleaning up for the cattle’s safety, this involved getting rid of all the plastic, making sure there was no screws or caps left in the yards.
The Anchor Safe team addressed the safety concerns for auctioneers, farmers and the public through our modular platform & walkway systems, including access stairs for public access and viewing. We provided a safe and compliant system that will withstand the high corrosive environment and ensures upmost safety for the public to view the cattle, with non-slip walkway and double-sided guardrail along every walkway & platform, allowing a better flow of public traffic while viewing the cattle.
We support our clients over the lifespan of their sites, acting as a trusted partner, focused on ongoing compliance and reliable systems. Setting our clients up for success is what our teams known for, and it was no different for this project. Our client has peace of mind knowing the walkway & platform systems will ensure upmost safety for the public and will withstand the corrosive environment of a high-traffic saleyards.
