Anti-Crush protection
WHEN THE first Covid-19 lockdown started in March 2020, UK based Weston Handling Ltd, lost their Ukrainian supplier of moulded components for their ACKBelt ‘Anti-Crush Kick-Belt’. However, innovative thinking led to technology transfer across industries and improved safety!
The ACKBelt is a safety device, developed by Stephen Weston, to overcome the limitations of existing Anti-Crush protection on powered pedestrian trucks, virtually all of which are fitted with a small 7 to 10 cm square Anti-Crush button on the tiller arm. However, every year there are reports of operators being crushed, many with life changing injuries, when the Anti-Crush button has been missed.
The ACKBelt fits around the base of the truck and connects into the Anti-Crush button’s circuit, increasing the area of protection typically by over 800% and at the point most impacts occur.
By stitching strips of conductive fabric to the inside of the ACKBelt, the need for a switch inside was eliminated.
After many design challenges which they embraced during lockdown, the company says the Patent Applied for ACKBelt-2021 has far improved strength, compressibility, cushioning and ease of fitting.
