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[Kaos]

My solution for this is a "Spiral Minecart with Airlock":
On the top level I have:
1) a collecting stockpile: a 3x3 stockpile without wheelbarrows that allows for up to 9 simultaneous haulers to collect plants.
2) a track stop: max friction, taking from the collecting stockpile and gets pushed/rode on being full or a certain number of days.
3) a minecart airlock: basically a pit in the middle of a 1x5 track, allows for the minecart to jump over the pit and continue it's route while breaking pathing for land units, this way you're sure no creature will ever use your minecart tracks as shortcuts or backdoors into your fort.
On the whatever middle levels I have:
1) a spiralling down parh for the minecart with it's tracks.
2) a spiralling up path with the necessary rollers.
On the bottom level I have:
1) a minecart airlock: just to avoid citizens and pets to wander into the spiral tunnels and get hit by a minecart.
2) a track stop; set to auto-dump onto:
3) a quantum stockpile: 1x1, set with no wheelbarrows and the proper items

So basically the minecart sits on the collecting track stop at the top, the haulers fill the collecting stockpile and load the minecart, then push/ride it, the minecart jumps over the top airlock pit, goes down the spiral path, jumps over the bottom airlock pit, passes over the dumping track stop, dumps everything on the quantum stockpile, and goes back up using rollers, to end up being friction-stopped by the collecting track stop, completing the loop.

Nothing is being dropped, so zero risk of killing by dropping.
The minecart paths should be completely enclosed and, with the pit airlocks, creatures shouldn't even have any reason or be able to physically path there, so zero risk of killing by minecart accidents.

Notice that the haulers on the top level are effectively cut-off from the main fortress, so you'll probably want to set up some living quarters (bed, chair, table, etc) and an inverse spiral system to deliver food and drink (and clothes if you just don't armour-dress them).

[burchalka]

Kaos do you have a save with such solution uploaded?
I'D love to take a look - it took me ages to figure out how to do quantum stockpiling with minecarts -and it's only one stop and same z-level.

[Kaos]

Kaos do you have a save with such solution uploaded?
I'D love to take a look - it took me ages to figure out how to do quantum stockpiling with minecarts -and it's only one stop and same z-level.

sadly no, at least not at hand right now, if I get some time to actually play the last fort I have at hand I might finish setting up this system there...

[Itnetlolor]

I have a pretty simple solution in mind:
Have a hatch +1Z above the bottom-most point where your haulers pick up from, where all the dropped goods arrive. When you're ready to pick up the goods, either have a linked pressure plate or lever to the collection chute hatch activated by walking over or pulling the lever, and the goods will safely drop 1Z. For added security, either lock the door that accesses it, or link a floodgate to it that remains closed while the hatch is open (pressure pad works better for this), so nobody is in the path of the falling goods, and the hatch is closed again for the next delivery, and it remains safely closed while nobody is accessing/clearing out the collection room.

___
|_M Minecart QS + Delivery Hatch (Separate lever link from the bottom one for added security;
|↓|  or post-delivery pressure plate drop)
|↓|
|↓|
|↓|
|_| Arrivals Hatch (remains closed as long as there are collectors; If Pressure Plate, keep closed while pressure is applied)
|CF (Collection and floodgate, with a distant pressure plate or lever. linked to both the floodgate (Closed) and Hatch (Open)).

This is at least what comes to mind when setting up such a system. Personally, I like the "Hatch Remains Closed if Pressure Plated" system more. Just keep the trigger plate distant enough from the collection zone if you have high traffic for collection occur; but not too far away that it's always triggered by all kinds of traffic (mandatory walkover; at least 5-10 tiles away from collection point to maximize time of use in and out). It's the more elegant configuration, and fewer mechanisms required; and it's hauler-triggered (or at least, triggered by even the lightest of pet-based animals) to maximize safety of citizens and pets alike.

How to invert the trigger may require double the mechanisms to pull off. Link a lever to the hatch and open it up, link another mechanism set to the pressure plate, and test it out; it should now remain open until applied with pressure. Decommission the lever, and the settings should still remain as they are (Open with no pressure applied, instead of closed). I think I remember testing that out, and that's the case.

[Catsup]

I have a pretty simple solution in mind:
...

this simple design has been discussed before in this thread, it works for other types of items but food rots if left alone for too long on the hatch.