Eurovia Roadstone, based in Dagenham, Essex is one of the world’s largest asphalt producers, with operations across Europe and much of the world. Based in various locations in the UK, they provide innovative warm-mix asphalt as well as traditional materials.
ZoneSafe’s innovative proximity systems helped Asphalt Technician Emma Barnard to scoop the winning prize at the Eurovia 2016 Innovation Awards.
As part of the Eurovia UK annual appraisal, Asphalt Technician Emma Barnard was given the task to come up with an innovative idea for health and safety.
Proximity safety is an idea that caught her eye, and more specifically – when a personnel member is near a shovel loader, there was a real need for an alert system.
As a solution, in 2016 Eurovia installed Proximity Warning Systems from ZoneSafe.
An innovative Solution
Eurovia installed ZoneSafe’s Vehicle to Person Alert Detection System – a system designed to help prevent accidental collisions between industrial vehicles and pedestrian workers. Offering a flexible solution, the Vehicle to Person Alert system fits to all vehicle types – from materials handling equipment to plant.
The system immediately provides a warning when a pedestrian wearing a tag enters the detection zone around the vehicle. This emits an audible visual alert from the in-cab control unit. The operator is instantly warned of a pedestrian’s presence and can take appropriate safety precautions. When the tag is no longer detected in the exclusion area the alarm will stop.
Positive effects
Emma states:
‘Safety is one of Eurovia Roadstone’s top priorities and, as a business that embraces innovation, we are constantly looking for new ways to make sure our staff, employees and anyone visiting our sites remain safe at all times.
‘The people and plant interface is one of the biggest hazards not only at Eurovia Roadstone, but across the whole of the UK construction sector, so the fact we can now successfully monitor this and alert a person to potential dangers is a massive improvement.
The safety proximity sensors are hugely beneficial for what we do because now employees and other members of staff have become more aware of the loading shovel.
Helping to save lives
Emma continues: “It would be brilliant if this innovation was rolled out across the industry. If it saves one person’s life, it would be worth it.’
Reducing collision risks
Reducing collision risks and preventing accidents to people and assets on work sites is an essential health and safety requirement. This is not always easy or straightforward, as industrial vehicles can be carrying various different load weights, obstructing loads, can approach from around corners of buildings and structures – and also have blind spots.
ZoneSafe offers people and asset protection with its range of proximity warning and alert systems. Using innovative RFID (radio frequency identification) technologies, ZoneSafe significantly reduces the risk of accidents, injury and damage to people and assets on work sites.
How does it work?
ZoneSafe uses active radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to create detection zones around vehicles, assets, crossing points and walkways.
Active tags can be worn by personnel, fitted to assets or set up around hazards. Tags are identified by the system when they enter the detection zone. This triggers an audible visual alert, warning vehicle operators of the tag’s close proximity to the vehicle.
ZoneSafe tags do NOT require line of sight, and will be detected regardless of obstructions, blind spots or poor visibility.
ZoneSafe technology also offers data management software and near-miss reporting, via the onboard data logging and Software as a Service (Saas) Platform, Insight ™.
For more information on ZoneSafe, please visit www.zonesafe.net or call 01202 868000
