Posted: June 2018
The world’s biggest quarry exhibition is taking place this month, and Brigade Electronics is delighted to be showcasing its latest vehicle safety products during the three-day event.
Hillhead 2018 will welcome more than 500 UK and overseas suppliers of plant, equipment, materials and services. There will be live demonstrations and in-depth discussions, giving visitors a unique opportunity to view state-of-the-art developments within the industry.
Safety has long been a buzzword at Hillhead, and exhibitors are conscious of the Health and Safety Executive-backed initiative that is working towards zero accidents in the quarrying industry. ‘Target Zero’ is an initiative that aligns exactly with the ethos of Brigade Electronics.
Quarrying traditionally has a poor health and safety record, due to the nature of the work in hazardous terrains, where clouds of dust can limit visibility. Research has shown that 40% of fatal accidents on quarry sites are caused by moving vehicles and 70% of collisions occur at low speed because of poor visibility.
The most common challenges for quarry workers include:
At Brigade Electronics, we have developed an award-winning portfolio of robust and reliable products that address these challenges, helping the industry to progress towards the Target Zero goal.
Overcoming blind spots with radar technology
Plant operators in any situation must manoeuvre safely and efficiently. In the high-risk quarry environment, the need for safety is absolutely paramount, because the slightest mistake can have devastating consequences.
Blind spots on large vehicles and machines can be deadly. We’ve been working for decades on safety systems that will help eliminate blind spots, and our latest Backsense Radar sensor system (BS-8000) is a market leader in this field. Backsense® emits continuous-wave radar that is faster than
competitors’ pulsed-radar products.
Detection systems can sometimes produce false alerts, which is clearly frustrating for any driver, and can lead to genuine alerts being disregarded. Backsense® is designed to protect against false alerts, thanks to the controlled beam pattern and the fact it can be programmed to allow bespoke detection areas.
When an obstacle is detected, the driver is given an in-cab visual display and audible warning.
Another advantage of radar systems is that, unlike cameras, they will continue to function at optimum levels even in the harshest of
landscapes. Mud or dust can obscure a camera lens, but Backsense® will operate whatever the conditions.
Our work with OEMs
As technology moves apace, we’re now working closely with OEMs to address the need for multiple sensors that have the ability to cover large, sometimes complex blind spot zones. Brigade’s Backsense® Network Radar allows operators to connect and link up to eight sensors. This system provides object detection in CAN (Controller Area Network) gateway to display data on control panels on the vehicle and possible trigger outputs.
Discover more
If you’re at Hillhead this month, come along to stand Q12 for more information about our radar sensors. We’ll also be demonstrating our unique white-sound reversing alarms (bbs-tek®), developed using broadband sound frequency that is instantly locatable without causing a noise nuisance.
Whether or not we meet in person, we hope you’ll get in touch to find out more about the many benefits of working with Brigade.
