Keep forklift safety simple; no need for a 360° view
Forklifts are an essential tool for countless industries around the globe; however, they also present a significant risk to workplace safety. 78 people lost their lives to forklift accidents in the United States in 2020, and 36% of those were pedestrians.
Thankfully, pedestrian detection sensors for forklifts effectively address the potential fatal interactions between equipment and people by alerting operators when a person has entered a hazardous zone around equipment. Unfortunately, while many available options can help reduce the potential for serious incidents, some overcomplicate what should be a relatively simple task.
Some sensors offer technology and features that sound good on paper but ultimately make them harder to use and increase the time and cost of purchase, implementation, and maintenance. As a result, instead of sensors making life easier for companies by solving a significant issue, they create new problems.
Some pedestrian detection sensors offer a 360-degree view around equipment paired with Artificial Intelligence to detect people. The downside is that these systems also require expensive hardware, multiple cameras, and complicated software.
Also, while a 360-degree view of equipment sounds great, most forklift accidents happen behind the forklift while reversing. This fact means companies that implement this type of sensor rarely receive the return on investment that they intend.
Unfortunately, these systems have questionable reliability. They are very sensitive and often alert even when there isn't a threat. The negative repercussions of these constant nuisance alarms are that operators and pedestrians quickly lose faith in the product and its ability to detect real threats. As a result, operators and pedestrians no longer respect the alerts and don't take evasive action when there is a genuine threat to safety.
In addition, these high-tech systems are often delicate and extremely sensitive and struggle to operate in harsh environments. Considering that many industries operate in extreme conditions, this fragility and sensitivity make these pedestrian sensors a less-than-ideal option for many.
Finally, a persistent issue with many pedestrian detection sensors is that they detect obstacles and pedestrians but offer no additional insight into accidents and near misses. This lack of data makes it harder for management to demonstrate the return on investment of sensors and prevents them from learning from incidents that could improve overall workplace safety.
SEEN Safety can help
SEEN’s safety sensors focus on the critical risk zone behind a reversing machine. By focusing on the area with most risk, detections only occur when there is a real risk of accident and injury to pedestrians and the machine. But preventing accidents is only half the battle to create a safer workplace; companies also need to know where to focus their attention to prevent reoccurrence. Increased visibility and data into incidents and near misses helps reduce complacency and guide leaders towards where to invest additional resources, training, and safety measures.
Visual proof is the most powerful tool to achieve this goal. Every time a pedestrian detection sensor goes off; there is the potential for a severe or fatal accident. Seeing the exact circumstances surrounding an event can help prevent that risky situation from happening again.
SEEN Insight which includes an IoT camera and app provides visibility and evidence of detection events. The camera snaps a picture and films a short video every time SEEN’s sensor detects a potentially harmful interaction and sends that critical information to the SEEN Insight app. Within the app, key stakeholders can dig deeper into detection incidents and gain greater insight into why they occurred while identifying areas of concern and where to focus their attention for improvement.
SEEN insight provides leaders with strong visual evidence and robust analytics that give them the information and the proof they need to begin implementing real, effective change that improves safety. Schedule a demo today and see whether SEEN's pedestrian detection sensors and the new accessory, SEEN Insight are the right fit for your workplace. Contact us today
