Countryside has adopted the use of collision-avoidance technology for all telehandlers on its construction sites, becoming the first UK developer to do so on a wide scale.
All forklift telehandlers across the housebuilder’s construction sites and factories are being fitted with Safety Shield cameras that can detect the human form and sound alarms when a machine gets too near.
The cameras can detect a human shape at a distance of one metre from the sides and three metres from the rear.
Countryside is working with Cheshire-based Safety Shield Global and national plant supplier Ardent Hire Solutions on the programme.
The mixed-tenure specialist is now rolling out the technology across all of its sites.
The Safety Shield records all video footage, collision alerts, driver behaviour, fatigue alerts, vehicle location, and date and time of each alert.
The system also features global live streaming, which enables the customer to look through any of the cameras in real time remotely.
Countryside’s Health and safety director, Michelle Dearsley, said: “We feel this is a major and important step forward involving new technology that will improve health and safety standards in the housebuilding sector.
“With the second highest number of fatalities in the construction sector in 2020 due to collisions with moving vehicles, the introduction of the proximity cameras on forklifts on all Countryside sites is a key stepping stone in preventing future accidents and keeping both our workforce and the community safe.”
Ardent chief executive Jeremy Fish added: “In the last two years, Ardent has made considerable investment into several innovations that are transforming safety on construction sites.
“Intelligent proximity cameras and our partnership with Safety Shield Global is a great example of this, and we are delighted to be working with Countryside on this extremely important initiative.”
Image: Countryside
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