Balfour Beatty has taken a significant step in enhancing safety across its UK operations by mandating human recognition cameras on mobile machinery.
- This advanced technology aims to minimise incidents involving construction equipment, a prevalent cause of workplace injuries.
- The initiative includes equipping machinery with human recognition cameras to identify and alert operators and pedestrians of potential dangers.
- A complementary ‘digital thumbs up’ system allows for safer interactions between operators and personnel on site.
- These safety measures are part of Balfour Beatty’s continued commitment to eliminating workplace harm.
Balfour Beatty has announced a pioneering move to enhance safety measures across its UK operations, becoming the first tier one contractor to mandate the use of human recognition cameras on a variety of mobile machinery. This cutting-edge technology aims to address one of the most common causes of serious injuries and fatalities in the construction industry: collisions with moving vehicles and equipment.
The cameras, supplied by Safety Shield Global, are designed to detect human forms around machinery and provide alerts to both operators and pedestrians. This system covers blind spots around machines such as excavators, forward tipping dumpers, articulated dump trucks, rollers, telehandlers, dozers, and wheeled loaders. As a result, potential accidents can be averted, thus significantly enhancing onsite safety.
Adding another layer of protection, Balfour Beatty has introduced a ‘digital thumbs up’ feature. This innovation allows plant operators to temporarily disable machinery, permitting individuals to approach safely. Once the operator confirms it is safe, the system changes from a ‘no entry’ sign to a green thumbs up symbol, indicating clear and safe access.
Another critical function of this technology is its ability to record incident data, which serves as valuable content for toolbox talks designed to change workforce behaviours. The new safety requirements for Balfour Beatty’s projects have been effective since June and are poised to become a standard for their supply chain partners by 2025, demonstrating the company’s proactive stance on safety.
Chris Johnson, the chief technology officer at Balfour Beatty, stated, “At Balfour Beatty, we believe that our long-term success is dependent upon our ability to keep our workforce, suppliers, subcontractors, and members of the public safe.” Johnson emphasised that these measures are crucial steps towards ensuring that everyone returns home safely after a day’s work.
This initiative by Balfour Beatty represents a forward-thinking approach to safety, setting a new standard in the construction industry.
