Workplace accidents involving vehicles are not only one of the most common, they also frequently result in serious injuries and even fatalities. Due to the serious consequences of vehicle related accidents, pedestrian and forklift safety is a critical issue to address to make sure employees have the safest working conditions possible.
For manufacturing facilities that utilize large vehicles such as forklifts, AGVs and lifting equipment for operations, automation and location awareness can help reduce the risk of collisions or other types of vehicle-related accidents by reducing the risk of human error. With IoT technology, the use of vehicles in factories can be made more traceable, reliable and overall safer.
Real-Time Tracking of Forklifts
Forklifts and other vehicles that need maintenance are not safe to be used, therefore tracking the movement of these vehicles can help prevent accidents. With the addition of crash sensors that can detect impact on the vehicle, it is possible to monitor any vehicle-related accident within the facilities and locate said vehicle to shorten the response time significantly.
Tracking location of the vehicles not only promotes forklift safety but can also increase operational efficiency significantly. Monitoring the usage rates and idle/occupied times of vehicles can show how efficiently they are utilized. If there are forklifts that are not being used, the management can make the decision to decrease the number of forklifts bought or rented.
Another benefit of forklift tracking is to gather information on the routes most commonly being used and bottlenecks. This can provide management insights on how to utilize the floor plan most efficiently depending on their operational needs.
Proximity Warning and Location Awareness
In the hectic workflow of manufacturing facilities, there are risks associated forklift safety. Most common are vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian collisions. Many of these accidents can be prevented by providing location awareness to pedestrians, vehicle operators.
With IoT sensors it is possible to make all parties involved aware of their surroundings in real time. Sensors worn by people and machinery detect risky proximity based on parameters set by the management and wearable devices warn both pedestrians and operators with audiovisual warnings to take necessary precautions in order to avoid any accidents or collisions.
Collision Avoidance Automation
While many accidents can be prevented by making sure the people operating the vehicles are aware of their surroundings and possible risky situations, there is always the possibility of human error. A more comprehensive approach to vehicle safety is by automating the vehicles so that they can detect risk and autonomously control speed without driver intervention.
Safe Steps Collision Avoidance System uses UWB tags installed on vehicles such as forklifts, AGVs and lifting equipment, allowing vehicles to communicate with wearable devices worn by pedestrians or other vehicles. When there is a risk of collision, vehicles automatically slow down or stop depending on the distance.
Safe Steps also features a tool to set danger zones where the forklift speed is automatically reduced to the predetermined speed level. At the same time, both the forklift operator and the personnel in the area are warned with audiovisual warnings.
Achieve forklift safety and efficiency in your facilities with Safe Steps Collision Avoidance System. For more information, take a look at the solution here.
