Orbit Communications has recently secured an arrangement to install its BodyGuard proximity detection and warning system into the USA. The system will be used to lower the risk of collision between personnel and moving vehicles.
Though the company has already fitted reversing cameras to its Front-End loader equipment, there have been incidents that almost resulted in injury as a result of personnel being in close proximity at the rear and sides of the loaders when they are reversing.
As the vehicles operate in a dusty environment it is difficult to keep the units clean at all times. In addition to this operators occasionally experience a blind spot in their vision that prevents them from identifying a person in close proximity to the vehicle.
Orbit’s BodyGuard proximity warning system uses an active system that positively identifies personnel and gives the operator both a visual and audible warning when someone is detected within the user-programmable proximity warning area. Even if the driver is fatigued or environmental conditions are not ideal (rain, smoke, dust etc), the proximity warning system is effective in lowering risk of collision by instantly alerting the driver.
The BodyGuard proximity warning system effectively creates an invisible shield around all or part of the vehicle to detect close proximity to personnel, other vehicles or objects. The distance of this proximity warning zone is programmable from around a couple of metres to over 200m from the vehicle. The system also supports a dual detection proximity warning zone where a further distance can be set up as a pre-warning zone (say 10m from the vehicle) and the closer zone (say 5m) is the emergency warning proximity zone.