18 A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO DC VELOCITY
NA TIONAL FORKLIFT
SAFE TY DAY
FORKLIFT SAFETY AND LOAD PROTECTION PRODUCTS
Australia-based SumoSafe Global says it offers a range of “ingeniously
simple yet highly innovative” products that significantly reduce damage
to palletized loads, making forklift trucks safer to operate.
The SumoSafe lineup includes:
; SumoSafeforks—a radical new design of lift truck fork that takes traditional steel tines and encases the tips within a protective glove. Made
from industrial-grade polyurethane, the glove limits the impact of a carelessly driven lift truck’s forks against a load.
; SumoGloves—a variation on the SumoSafefork. SumoGloves are
quickly and easily fitted to the tips of a lift truck’s existing forks. They are
compatible with all common makes and sizes of forklift tines.
; SumoVision—a system that improves an operator’s forward visibility
even when sightlines are obscured by a large bulky load.
; SumoLevel—a new forklift mast-tilt indicator system that reduces
accidental damage to pallets, loads, and racking caused by a lift truck’s forks during pallet picking and putaway.
; SumoBackbone—a protective device that can be retrofitted to any lift truck make or model to minimize the risk of
an operator’s suffering a spine or whiplash injury from reversing into a stationary object or being hit from the rear by
another forklift. (SumoSafe Global, www.sumosafe.net)
COLLISION ALERT SYSTEM
Sensor solutions provider Sick’s backup assistance system (BAS) is a stand-alone aftermarket solution that
actively alerts the operator to unseen obstructions behind
the forklift, which contributes to a reduction in accidents.
Using the manufacturer’s compact, advanced laser mea-
surement scanner, the backup assistance system gives
real-time feedback to the driver via an audible warning
only when the truck is too close to any stationary or mov-
ing object. This intelligent system, which was designed
specifically for forklifts, can be connected to the reverse-
drive function of the vehicle to eliminate false alarms. Kits
are available for different-voltage trucks and electrical
systems, the company says. (Sick Inc., www.sickusa.com)
SAFETY-DATA COLLECTION BELT
Modjoul Inc.’s SmartBelt improves safety by tracking
forklift drivers’ actions and identifying risky behaviors that
could lead to safety incidents. The wearable SmartBelt
uses sensors and a geographic positioning system (GPS)
to gather data about location, motion, and environment,
giving companies information that can help them understand behaviors and activities that lead to injuries, the
manufacturer says.
Data are collected based on counts, duration, and rate
of the employee’s activities, including walking, sitting,
falling, driving, bending, and tripping. The SmartBelt
transmits the data to the cloud via Wi-Fi, and the informa-
tion is reported in three customizable dashboard views:
CEO, Supervisor, and Employee. The dashboard reports
allow the viewer to see an overview and ranking of an
employee’s safety as well as to look at specific events
and track an employee’s location. The software allows
the owner to go back in time to review the data leading
up to and following an incident.
Available in sizes from 30 to 44 inches, the SmartBelt
uses vibrations to send alerts from a supervisor to the
wearer. If the wearer encounters a problem, an alert button located on the bottom of the SmartBelt buckle can
be used to notify a supervisor via Wi-Fi and the Modjoul
mobile app. The SmartBelt has a battery life of up to 12
hours; charging at the end of every shift is recommended.
(Modjoul Inc., www.modjoul.com)
