While safety considerations might require it, the physical separation of people and equipment is not always possible. That’s why Linde Material Handling sought out technological solutions to minimise the risks.

One such innovation is Linde Safety Guard, an active monitoring system that increases safety for truck operators and pedestrians in the vicinity of the truck through real-time alerts and smart zone control.

How it works

The Linde Safety Guard system is based on transmitters positioned on industrial trucks, walls, and racking, as well as carried by staff members. Its sensors ensure rapid detection, early warning, and avoidance of hazardous situations. The system transmits warnings to pedestrians and truck operators, sending signals through walls and racking, eliminating the need for line of sight.

The main innovation in the Linde Safety Guard is its advanced warnings sent simultaneously to both the operator and pedestrians in a potential collision situation. It’s also accurate to within 10 cm and is only triggered when there is a clear danger, thus avoiding false alarms, which undermine confidence in the system.

Automatic detection of other vehicles prevents collisions at crossing points, especially where visibility is poor or restricted. The Linde Safety Guard warns all truck operators of other trucks present in their immediate vicinity – even displaying the direction from which the trucks are approaching.

And the system doesn’t only transmit warnings; it can also automatically reduce travel speed in critical areas. This is important because speed is a significant contributing factor to industrial accidents.

Virtual ‘Safe Zones’

In an ideal world, materials handling equipment would operate far from pedestrians, in its own designated space. Clearly, this is impractical in almost all workplaces, so Linde deploys technology to designate “safe zones” by alerting drivers and pedestrians when they are getting too close.

If a potential impact is detected, both the truck and the pedestrian are warned simultaneously. A receiver in the truck indicates how many pedestrians are approaching the danger zone and from which direction, while the pedestrians are warned of the risk by a portable transmitter.

Similarly, if another vehicle is approaching, both drivers are alerted and informed of the direction from which the other vehicle is approaching. This is especially important if the other truck is coming from a blind spot.

Any potential danger areas in the workplace can be afforded special treatment. For example, they can be designated as Speed Restriction Zones and the fleet can be programmed so that the speed of all trucks will automatically be reduced on entry. Safety, therefore, doesn’t depend on driver compliance.

Flexibility assured

Unlike physical barriers that are difficult to move or remove once installed, ‘virtual safety’ is completely flexible. The Linde Safety Guard system can be adapted to meet any safety requirements.

Since it consists of individual modules, the system can be tailored to the specific hazards present at individual sites. It can also be expanded as the fleet grows and reprogrammed as workflows change or the number of pedestrians fluctuates.

Transmitters are positioned on industrial trucks, walls, racking, and are carried by staff, ensuring rapid detection, early warning and avoidance of hazardous situations. Receivers are fitted to trucks or carried by pedestrians, ensuring that all parties are alerted to potential dangers.

Conclusion

Where physical separation of people and equipment is not possible, the Linde Safety Guard acts as a virtual barrier, detecting potential collisions and warning all parties of any looming danger, and even reducing the speed of materials handling equipment where necessary. The system is flexible and adaptable, able to grow with the fleet and be modified as the warehouse layout or density changes.

Best of all, the system is modular and can be scaled to the needs of any workplace. It can also be retrofitted, so that even the oldest fleet can benefit from the latest technology.

While Linde Safety Guard is a proven safety technology, Linde experts stress that materials handling safety is not just a matter of fitting the truck with the right technical equipment.

Safety requires a thorough understanding of material flows, internal processes, and employee qualifications. In order to record and optimise all factors that affect safety, Linde offers a structured advisory service, digital fleet management, and extensive training options.

Contact us today and one of our experienced team members will be in touch to discuss how our innovative solutions could improve your workplace safety.

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