A new safety gate system designed to reduce accidents has been developed by parcel carrier Yodel and trailer manufacturer Cartwright and introduced onto 50 new trailers.

The custom-engineered safety feature has been designed to protect operatives from falling items when trailers are opened. Yodel and Cartwright created the system of two bifold mesh gates which can be opened individually, replacing the standard fabric net.

This new safety gate allows sort and depot operatives to open the back of the trailer and see clearly what is inside, without the risk of loose loaded items falling on them. If there is a danger that some items may fall, then sections of the bifold gates can be opened individually and the items reorganised or removed in a controlled manner.

The design was developed in consultation with Yodel employees. The resulting prototype is being piloted on Yodel’s latest consignment of 50 single-deck, twin axle trailers from Cartwright, before being rolled out across the wider fleet.

Yodel handles more than 145 million parcels every year. Parcels are sorted at the carrier’s centres in Wednesbury, Shaw and Hatfield, before being sent out to Yodel’s nationwide network of depots for onward delivery to customers.

Andy Johnson, director of health, safety, environment and quality at Yodel, said: “The health and safety of our colleagues is of the utmost priority and we are proud to have developed this new feature which means a safer working environment.

“Working with key partners, like Cartwrights, is part of our ongoing commitment to think outside the box, as we develop solutions to help make the industry safer.”