How does Protect-it™ work?


Protect-it™ combines clever design, Computer Aided Engineering and advanced thermoplastic materials to deliver a product that can absorb large impacts and easily attach to a column without additional fasteners. Protect-it™ consists of an outer wall that is integrally moulded to a series of curved “spring like” energy absorbers at the front and sides to provide two levels of protection for columns.
Under light to moderate impacts the outer wall deforms to resist the impact then Protect-it™ returns to its original shape.
Under higher impacts the outer wall deflects even more, contacting the energy absorbers and delivering increased impact absorption.
This staged response makes the product flexible enough to accommodate everyday knocks and bumps yet robust enough to withstand substantial forklift impacts. To view a video of an impact test please visit our literature page.

Is Protect-it™ cost effective?


There are three costs to consider when purchasing a column protector:
Initial purchase cost. Protect-it™ is one of lowest priced column protectors in the world (based on a 4-high stack of Protect-it 100s or 3-high stack of Protect-it 133s on each column).
Installation cost. Installation takes only seconds, so labour cost is negligible.
Replacement cost. Typically much less than our competitors. You often only need to replace one damaged unit and not the whole stack of Protect-its.

Is column and rack protection really a big issue?


Racking systems are not designed to be struck by forklifts! Even low speed collisions can result in damage placing workers at serious risk. Modern Racking Standards require that any column vulnerable to forklift impact must be fitted with a protection device, and the Standards specify performance tests for these devices (see below). Rack damage is now recognised as a very serious issue by Occupational Health and Safety officers.

Does Protect-it™ meet the design standards?


Protect-it™ passes front and side impact tests specified in the European Code FEM 10.2.02. Front impact tests were conducted on a Dexion 90R (1.6mm thick) upright. Side impact tests were conducted on a Dexion 90M (1.9mm thick) upright. This test applies an impact energy of 400Nm to the upright (approx 40kg dropped from a height of 1.06m). See the test reports and videos in the literature section.
Protect-it™ also passes the frontal impact test specified in Australian Standard AS4084.
If you are not covered by one of the above standards we invite you to contact us to discuss relevant standards in your country.

Why is the product so small?


Most impacts occur within 300mm of the floor. The small size of Protect-it™ delivers a number of benefits:
Impact damage to protection devices typically occurs in a small area only. Protect-it's small size and stacked configuration allows damaged units to be replaced individually and far more cost effectively than large single-piece products offered by competitors.
You can stack as many or as few Protect-it's as you like onto a column to cover the possible impact heights in your application.
You can use a combination of colours (such as black and yellow) that are recognised as safety colours.
Protect-it™ can fit in confined spaces where competitors cannot go.

How does Protect-it™ compare to metal guards?


Metal column guards are normally bolted into a concrete floor. When damaging impact occurs, the concrete floor is damaged making replacement a costly labour exercise. With Protect-it™ there is virtually no labour cost to install or replace. Other metal guards bolt onto columns and offer virtually no impact absorption (front or side).

How does Protect-it™ compare to other plastic guards?


Most plastic competitors use a rotational moulding process. This process only works with a limited range of materials preventing our competitors from using the best materials. Protect-it is injection moulded and this allows us to use much tougher plastics. Put a rotational moulded competitor product in a cold store, hit it with a hammer and see for yourself what happens!

Is plastic strong enough?


Yes! We use a super tough grade of corrosion and moisture resistant HDPE thermoplastic. This special material has a reputation throughout the world for impact strength in a wide range of extreme environments.

Will Protect-it™ work at low temperatures?


The material was selected after intensive research and product testing in a range of environments including cold stores at -40 degrees. Protect-it™ performs in the harsh Australian summers and Northern winters.

Is Protect-it™ easy to fit to columns?


Protect-it™ takes just seconds to install by hand. The design incorporates an ingenious spring clip design that enables Protect-it™ to securely grip the column and automatically adjust its width to suit a wide range of column sizes. All other competitor products require an additional attachment system like Velcro, bolts, concrete penetration or additional parts that are prone to breakage.


Should I regularly replace Protect-it™ column guards?


Impact protection devices must deform in order to absorb impact energy. For light to medium impacts this deformation is reversible and the device returns to its original state once the load is removed. In more serious impacts a well designed protection device may deform irreversibly or fracture – this is an effective way to absorb more energy and minimise rack damage. No column protection device will withstand a severe impact. Protect-it™ is designed to meet the frontal impact requirements of the Australian and European racking Standards. We recommend regular inspections and immediate replacement if permanent deformation or breakage is observed after an impact. The frequency of replacement will depend on your forklift drivers – always encourage them to drive responsibly!

What about safety inspections?


Protect-it™ takes just seconds to remove and re-install, allowing safety inspectors to conduct fast and effective visual inspections.

What do others say about Protect-it™ column guards?


Visit our 'literature' page to read customer testimonials.