Powered access specialist Genie has introduced a new safety accessory designed to raise an alarm when operators experiences an emergency while working at heights.
The new Lift Guard Contact Alarm System is engineered as an electronic secondary guarding system, designed to immediately activate and alert others that the operator may need help, said a statement from Genie. It is configured as a standard accessory on most new Genie Z articulated and S telescopic boom lifts and is active whenever the footswitch on the boom is enabled, it added.
Marie Engstrom, product manager at the Terex group-owned company said: “Operator safety is a paramount concern for Genie, and we have developed the new Genie Lift Guard Contact Alarm, part of the Genie line of Lift Guard secondary operator protection accessories, with this goal in mind. This new configuration is a significantly different design from its predecessor, the Genie Operator Protective Alarm (OPA).”
According to the statement, the system features an activation cable fitted above the boom lift’s platform control panel. When pressure is applied to the cable, it disconnects and activates the system. When the system is activated, all machine lift and drive functions are stopped to prevent additional movement in the platform, as well as an alarm sounds and beacons flash, notifying everyone near the Genie boom lift that the operator may require assistance.
The system is only functional when the footswitch is depressed, and motion does not resume without human intervention, the statement added. All notifications and function restrictions will continue until the system is reset by simply clicking the activation cable back into place; there is no need to restart the engine.
“We engineered the new Genie Lift Guard Contact Alarm system to be visible from the ground with its bright yellow colour. On the platform, it is as unobtrusive for the operator as possible,” added Engstrom. “It is simple to use, and is used in conjunction with operator training required by industry standards worldwide that could enhance safe work practices on aerial jobsites.”
Also, this new design includes an additional free-movement zone between the cable and the control panel that may allow for operator mobility once the system is activated. “Unlike other devices on the market, the Genie Lift Guard Contact Alarm system could reduce the risk of operators applying unintentional contact pressure on the boom’s control panel,” added Engstrom.
The system is available installed standard from the factory or as an aftermarket kit, which can easily be installed in less than 30 minutes with only a few fasteners and electrical harness connectors, Genie said. It fits on platforms in the Genie Z- and S-boom families and can be retrofitted on units back to 2003. It is, however, not yet available on Genie the Z-33/18 articulated boom lifts, GR-26J or Genie TZ-34 and TZ-50 trailer-mounted booms.
Now available in North America, the system will be rolled out globally from April this year.