PLANT & MACHINERY SAFETY CAPTURED IN THE CLOUD


Gary Escott, Director of SiteZone Safety shares his insights on how telematic data capture can reduce worker/vehicle collision risk across an array of sectors in the industry.


AVOIDING COLLISIONS Despite our improved safety standards across industry, work vehicles still collide with personnel on busy sites and depots. The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) statistics show that thousands of employees, from a range of sectors, have been injured or killed while engaging in jobs with continuous vehicular interaction. The construction and waste industries are among the highest sources of casualties.


To complement existing safety practices and help further improve performance, we introduced a RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) proximity warning alarm system called SiteZone. When someone walks too near to a vehicle being driven or operated on site, an audible and visual alarm alerts the operator. A warning is given to the pedestrian via the wearable tag fitted to the worker’s hard hat or sleeve, to let them know they’re too close to the vehicle in question. When it goes off, they will know that there is a risk of collision; therefore, the machine operator and pedestrian can take the appropriate action. However, there was scope to improve further, by capturing and using data about accidents at work.


DATA CAPTURE FOR SAFETY BENCHMARKING We introduced a telematics option to use with our RFID proximity warning system and it transmits all data about daily proximity warning performance on site to the Cloud. This function helps both site managers and health and safety managers to scrutinise data from all the interactions between workers and vehicles on site.


SiteZone Safety felt it was vital to develop a real- time telematics facility so that continuous benchmarking and improvement could change the collision statistics across our most at-risk industries. To help make this change in safety culture workable, all managers have full access to recorded proximity warning data via a dedicated portal.


From there, they can view information such as the number of unauthorised entries into a safety zone and the length


of time spent within them. Performance reports can then be created to highlight key issues in areas of the site or personnel safety breaches.


The live data shows the location of the machine in question, identifies the associated vehicle operator’s RFID tag, and any other RFID tags active in the relevant safety zone. Site and health and safety managers can see how depots are performing, and if workers and fleet drivers are following the requisite safety practices.


Safety gaps are filled as site managers can identify any repeat offenders. Armed with this information, safety training can then be targeted where it will be most effective, and individual workers can be monitored to check safe working practices are being cultivated.


Data can be shared across multiple sites for comparison and benchmarking. Managers can help to cultivate a holistic standard of site safety practice across the fleet and push continual improvement. Time and resources can be allocated more efficiently for the wider benefit of employees.


HUMAN AWARENESS The positive effects of using RFID proximity warning alarms were confirmed in a study instigated by Balfour Beatty and carried out by 2020 SHE Solutions in partnership with the University of Nottingham. SiteZone was being used on Balfour Beatty’s Crossrail West Outer Project to reduce the collision risk between plant and people on site. Workers developed more spatial awareness in relation to collision risks around them. As their awareness improved, there were less instances of triggering the alarm.


As more companies embrace the technology, the potential to improve safety practices increases. Every person who goes to work on a site, depot or warehouse should feel secure in the knowledge that they will return home safely and unharmed. With telematic data, managers can plan ahead to ensure that this happens.


www.proximitywarning.com 26 www.tomorrowshs.com


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