What are proximity alarms?
Proximity alarms are sensors that allow equipment operators to detect people and/or objects in blind spots. The sensors have been shown to benefit operators and pedestrians by reducing accidents and collisions. Operators are alerted to objects and people in their path with in-cab warnings, which can be both visual and/or audible, allowing them the time to stop or shift positioning, thus avoiding potentially serious safety hazards. Equipment owners/users and fleet managers should consider the addition, and understand the benefits, of proximity alarms which are shown to improve the overall quality of safety on job sites. Read on the benefits of proximity alarms below!
Why to consider proximity alarms for your equipment
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Efficiency- One of the top reasons to add proximity alarms to your equipment is efficiency. Navigating blindly can be difficult and time-consuming and proximity alarms reduce the stress and necessity of superfluous mirrors and/or asking a separate person to guide the operator. The sensors alert operators of objects which have been detected in the path of the machine at close range and objects behind rear tires at expanded ranges. Proximity sensors are a great way to improve onsite productivity and your team’s overall efficiency.
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Safety- There are roughly 150,000 construction site accident injuries each year according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. As such, an obvious advantage to adding proximity alarms to your equipment is the improved safety measure that it provides. The proximity alarms alert operators to objects and pedestrians nearby thus creating a safer work area for both the operator and the pedestrian(s). For some tips on how to ensure a safe job site for your crew, read an informational article here.
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Limited Downtime/Damage- Another definite benefit of proximity alarms is the reduction of damage to equipment, and the associated downtime any damages may create. Alerting operators to nearby objects and obstructions is a clear-cut way to reduce the hassle and associated costs of an accident or collision. This a particularly helpful benefit for time-sensitive projects that can’t spare the downtime. If you want to enact an extra precaution to protect your job site from an accident, damage and/or downtime, consider adding proximity alarms to your machine.