Hopper cars are large containers, sometimes open, sometimes closed, used to transport bulk commodities. They are usually filled with loose commodities such as liquid, grain, oil, or even corrosive chemicals. Due to the safety developments pioneered by the Carbis company over the last 75 years the hopper cars are now able to be loaded in much safer conditions. The Carbis bulk handling automated pipelines and loading arms have revolutionised safety aspects of this dangerous job. Hopper cars are notoriously high and climbing up them can be a dangerous occupation with the result that Carbis introduced their caged safety walkways and ladders. For further information on the Carbis hopper car, visit the Carbis website at http://www.carbis.net. Cargoes that need protecting from weather and contamination need to be transported in covered hopper cars, with open hopper cars for freight which need less protection. A more recent innovation of the open hopper is the rotational car dumper which can be loaded and relieved of its load by swinging it over and tipping out the contents.

However, when working with the closed in hopper car the Carbis safety walkways provide the workforce with an anti-fall cage enabling bulk loading and unloading to be carried out without the need for safety harness equipment to hamper the workforce's freedom of movement. The gangway has padded lower edging to prevent vehicle damage when in use. An additional safety feature of being self-levelling, operated either hydraulically or pneumatically. It can even be operated manually. The height of the handrail is 42 inches, manufactured with a midrail and toeboard attachment to achieve maximum safety. More info? Check out the Carbis website at http://www.carbis.net. Carbis has been involved in the safety programme since the 1930s and continues to set many safety standards to this day. One of the more dangerous jobs in the transport industry is the bulk loading and unloading of loads, with fall injuries still increasing despite the increasing number of regulations being introduced to combat these kinds of injuries. The hopper car's protection handrails, have been designed to increase safety when bulk loading hopper cars and the Carbis hopper car handrail protection system fulfils all the current legislation to ensure maximum safety.

Carbis can liaise with the client in a consultant capacity to ensure that each client obtains the most appropriate safety system for their individual requirements, enabling their workforce to access the interior of the hopper cars with less chance of fall injuries. Carbis can provide you with much more information on their website: http://www.carbis.net. The hopper car handrail safety system can be supplied as a free standing unit or attached to an integral overhead structure. This provides a cage surrounding the hopper car with a safe handrail system. Carbis manufacture the hopper car handrails in a diversity of materials which can be applied to fit all circumstances, enclosing the hopper car completely, in full compliance with OSHA legislation. As responsible members of the VPPPA and founding members of many other safety organisations, the Carbis company aims to ensure maximum total safety protection as possible on a voluntary basis and ensure standards such as ANSI, OSHA, ANSI, MSHA, UBC and SBC, amongst others, are preserved. The Carbis website has many interesting and informative leaflets to download which can explain fall protection and safety in much more detail. Online at http://www.carbis.net.