Accessing Heights, SAFELY.

Access equipment plays critical role in safety of workers at construction sites.

Despite the severe brunt faced by the access equipment segment due to the pandemic, the increasing construction & infrastructure investments by government and private sectors is expected to drive demand. The focus on smart cities and emergence of electrification aiming to reduce carbon footprints also may act as a demand booster. When it comes to construction sites, a number of access equipment are needed for vertical mobility of workers. Safety of workers at construction sites is very critical and equipment to be designed and operated with precision.

Highlighting the need pressing need of strong legislation, Vijay Kumar Singh, Business Head - Mobile Elevated Work Platform, Gemini Power Hydraulics says. “MNC and large private groups have their own guidelines for working at heights which promotes usage of access equipment. There is no legislation for working at height and therefore usage of access equipment is optional and not mandatory, which is hindering growth of access equipment demand in the country.” He adds, “We expect that a strong legislation should be passed for working at height and it should be enforced as unsafe methods endanger human life and badly hampers productivity.”

Most of the major players have built in many safety features in their range. States Souma Ray, Director, Haulotte India, “At Haulotte Safety is not an option. The HaulotteActiv' Shield Bar 2.0 provides the highest level of safety for aerial platform operators. In an entrapment situation, the operator is pushed towards the bar and the machine stops automatically. The large clearance space, the Safety Gap, protects the operator from the entrapment.  Ray adds, “Similarly, the HaulotteActiv' lighting system is simply essential to ensure the safety of the driver during loading and unloading operations. Headlights and lighting points installed to avoid any risk of operator glare. Minimum of 10 lighting points ideally placed around the machine. The operator can safely access, accurately control and identify obstacles and edges clearly in the working area.”

The usage of access equipment is on rise and most of industry segments are in process of embracing
this equipment to enhance safety and productivity at work place. Pharmaceuticals, defence, automobile, advance composite manufacturing, mineral processing unit, fabric industry, heavy equipment repairs are new segment which are opening up for access equipment.

Hits: 352