HSM Nov/Dec 64+4pp 30/11/09 11:00 Page 47
Helping to protect people at www.hsmsearch.com
SAFER MECHANICAL HANDLING
Tipping the balance
According to Robert Brame, Gravloc, a low cost, retrofittable hydraulic
However, Brame, and business partner,
Vince Edwards, who invented the device,
switch that stops any make of forklift truck from tipping over, could be
do not intend the Gravloc to be limited to
the future of safer materials handling,Brendan Coyne reports
any one company, and plan to licence the
technology to OEMs. At present, they are
focusing on the construction and forklift
A
t the recent allowed to lift, no matter what the markets – but the technology has
FLTA safety operator tries to do. applications across many markets – from
conference, According to Brame, the system is agriculture to heavy industries.
Robert Brame, tamper proof. Whereas simple warning Gravloc which can be retrofitted
director of Gravloc, systems such as audio alarms can be relatively quickly, could also provide
asked an audience turned off, negated by headphones and an forklift dealers with another source of
packed with iPod or even cable-nicked with a Stanley income – and a way of improving their
industry knife, Gravloc cannot be accessed by the customer’s health and safety procedures,
professionals if operator. not to mention bottom lines: According to
anyone had heard of the EU standard BS A hydraulic rather than electrical Brame, by fitting Gravloc across a forklift
EN 15000:2008 is. Not one person raised switch, Brame claims Gravloc will
By fitting
fleet, companies could possibly achieve
their hand. perform more reliably in harsh
Gravloc across a
payback in terms of reduced insurance
environments. “Technically it has few forklift fleet, it’s premiums, in just one year.
Possibly, that’s because the standard only moving parts but each is precision
possible that
Interested? See it for yourself at
affects certain types of forklift… At least, engineered. It also contains a hydraulic
companies could
www.gravloc.com.
for now. But standards of this sort tend to circuit, which enables it to be deployed in And while you’re at it, check out these
be introduced initially across one the most challenging environments,
achieve payback
‘mavericks’ – and why Gravloc could be
platform and then cascade down – so where shock, contamination, water,
in terms of
the biggest threat to the Darwin Awards
there’s every chance that in the not too corrosion, static electricity or temperature
“
reduced yet:
distant future, all forklift manufacturers extremes would adversely affect electrical
insurance
will be keenly aware of it. circuits,” says Brame. “Throughout it’s
premiums, in
Excavator example
Regardless of the standard, Gravloc, development it has only been tested in the
just one year
www.contractjournal.com/blogs/digger-
presents a compelling product: a hydraulic harshest environments: It has even been blog/2009/01/having_a_bad_day.html
device that stops trucks becoming unstable tested in Swarf and hydraulic oil.” Mini digger example
– as soon as they do, it cuts out the Unsurprisingly, Gravloc is attracting www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM2z8DMD
pressure and prevents further adverse attention from OEMs, with Toyota - CAE
movement. It can be incorporated at point renowned for its SAS stability system – NB Warning needed for the associated
of manufacture or retrofitted, and among the forklift manufacturers taking ‘colorful’ language...
according to Brame, costs under £500. an interest. Forklift example
“Put simply… Gravloc prevents tip- “Toyota is very interested because there www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WPYO24-
overs by enabling safe lifting and travel, is a complimentary aspect: it doesn’t GXQ
particularly on inclines,” says Brame. “It’s conflict or replicate SAS, but adds to it by
a mechanical switch that detects detecting activity on inclines. Toyota took
54396
Tel: 01452 731350
www.hsmsearch.com/enquiry
movement – both tractive and lifting – its time developing the SAS and protected
”.
from a stable to an unstable condition.” it with blanket patents – which is the right
BS EN 15000:2008
For example, if a telehandler with load thing to do. But ours is a hydraulic The European Standard has been prepared to be a harmonised
raised approaches an incline, the system solution, which takes the patents out the standard to provide one means for longitudinal load moment
activates and will not allow the operator other side, so now other manufacturers indicators and longitudinal load moment control systems used
to drive down the incline, only to lower cannot attempt similar systems in either on self-propelled variable reach trucks to conform to the
the load. A forklift trying to lift beyond its area for fear of breaching patents from essential health and safety requirements of the Machinery
capacity, for example, would not be either company.” Directive, as amended.
The European Standard specifies the technical requirements,
verification and test procedure for the longitudinal load moment
indicators (LLMI) and longitudinal load moment control
(LLMC) systems operating in the forward direction for self
propelled variable reach trucks covered by EN 1459.
The European Standard covers LLMI and LLMC systems for
stationary trucks performing loading or placing functions on
consolidated, stable and level ground.
This European Standard does not cover the risk due to lateral
instability, or instability due to the traveling of the truck. The
LLMI and LLMC are not intended for warning of the
overturning risk whilst the truck is travelling.
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