Safety, safety, safety! We hear it all the time. It’s one of those aspects of business that we have to ensure we are doing our best to be proactive in preventing avoidable incidences. So, what can we do in our warehouses and workplaces that operate powered industrial trucks (PITs)?
Safety, safety, safety!
We hear it all the time. It’s one of those aspects of business that we have to ensure we’re doing our best to be proactive in preventing avoidable incidences.
We’re always being challenged by the fast-paced industries and workplaces we work in. And, let’s face it, it’s not slowing down. When we’re operating quickly to get the job done and we’re moving a lot faster, the equipment we’re operating is used more. We need to ensure all moving parts of an operation are at the top of their game. Once we’re in rhythm we tend to find ourselves comfortable, but there is no room for complacency – that’s when incidences occur.
So, what can we do in our warehouses and workplaces that operate powered industrial trucks (PITs)?
There are really great solutions on the market that can help. Collision prevention products are designed to create warnings by signaling visually or audibly. Each facility is unique, so audible alarms and signals may only go so far if you’re working in a loud facility. Audible alarms are very effective, and used in conjunction with other safety features, they can help increase awareness and prevent an accident. Newer trends are leaning toward visual sensors that warn pedestrians and lift truck operators that an obstacle or obstruction is in its path.
Let’s take a look at some of the top products that we’ve found reliable for alertness and visual warning.
Top 5 Visual Warning Safety Devices
1. Blue LED Safety Light
One of the hottest trends on the market is the blue LED safety light. Each manufacturer carries different specs and sizes. But, we have found the bigger the better! This is why we like the blue light offered by Hyster-Yale’s premier parts partner. Projecting a beam at 9 ft. of distance, you’re warning pedestrians quicker with a blue beam on the floor surface at 2.6 sq. ft. that you cannot miss. Protected in a UV resistant polycarbonate lens, it helps resist UV discoloration and it’s housed in cast aluminum so it helps the LEDs. For installation – no worries. The safety light is mountable onto any overhead guard. And yes, it’s UL rated.
That makes the Blue LED light our number one pick! P.S. Did you know it comes in red too?
2. Collision Sentry®
This is a new item on the market, but we like its simple versatility. This portable device takes minimal space and doesn’t need any tools to install. It’s quick and easy to setup and can be easily snapped onto pallet racking systems with its included magnet mount. It’s programed to detect motion on both sides of a corner. How it works: when motion is detected on both sides of the corner, it lights up to signal that traffic is approaching. This is great for those blind spots where collisions are possible.
3. Save-Ty Yellow’s Collision Awareness
We love the Collision Awareness products. Save-Ty Yellow has done a phenomenal job providing solutions for all areas of the facility where pedestrian awareness is needed (which is a lot of areas!). You can pretty much customize these products to fit anywhere and they have 36 standard package offerings! Collision Awareness uses motion sensors that trigger pedestrians and PIT operator with light on a device which can be hung or mounted in your facility. They’ve adapted to the demands of light sensors and now have devices that have a light burst that projects a warning signal to the floor in addition to the regular light alerts.
We’ve made this one of the top visual warning devices because it goes above and beyond just pedestrian awareness. Collision Awareness also offers ‘fit’ sensors for those more inconspicuous obstacles like sprinkler heads above rack, overhead heaters, lights, ceiling fans, rack tunnels, overhead storage, air handlers, interior doorways and more. The dock watching sensor also captured our interest with its visual warning devices to alert pedestrians of a PIT coming off of a truck to the dock.
Save-Ty Yellow had the most versatile and comprehensive product line of visual warning devices and takes pedestrian awareness to the next level.
4. Digital Camera System
Let’s face it, new technology brings us some fantastic abilities and tools. Recently, the Hyster-Yale premier parts partner started offering a digital camera system solution for lift trucks made by ECCO. It features some pretty neat abilities. With a 5.6” LED high-resolution color touch screen, monitor and infrared camera, PIT operators have really good picture quality even in low-light conditions. The system even includes an audible feature so operators can be alerted to sound. The system is expandable up to four cameras so you operators get a good visual of what’s surrounding them. The digital camera comes with a comprehensive package that includes a 2.4 GHz digital wireless system for communication from camera to monitor, a touchscreen menu control, 11 LED infrared color camera, it is four camera expandable, comes with a sunshade for the monitor, and has a 1 year warranty.
5. The good old fashioned strobe
We found that the Tomar Micro IV strobe light is practical and simple. These strobes feature a regular power supply that keeps the flash rate and brightness constant over the entire voltage range. It’s protected against shock and vibration, so it won’t take a turn for the worst in those rougher PIT conditions. With a secure enclosure and its water tight screw-on lenses, it meets NEMA 4X. All of the Tomar Micro IV strobes are protected against radio interference and spike voltages, and it’s UL recognized. Contact Us online
For More Information & Re-Ordering
Looking for a great safety product solution or interested in updating or re-ordering products? Contact us for more information or to place an order.
