Technology hits new heights
UK Platforms, the specialist powered access equipment provider that is part of HSS Hire Group, has reached an important safety milestone having installed its Activ’ Shield Bar (ASB) technology on 1,000 boom lifts in its fleet.
ASB is a secondary guarding device fitted to UK Platforms’ boom lifts that is designed to dramatically reduce the risk of an operator being crushed by an overhead obstruction. It features a bar above the operator’s controls that, once pressed down, only allows inverse, reverse or lowering movements of the platform. This is particularly important in avoiding accidents where an operator’s body is pressed down on the controls by an overhead obstruction, forcing the machine higher.
The news follows HSS’ success at the 2015 International Awards for Powered Access (IAPA), where it won the award for Contribution to Safe Working at Height, for its dedication to improving safe work practices and its ongoing commitment to safety through innovative developments including ASB.
Miguel Vicos, managing director of UK Platforms, said: “The risk of crush injuries is one of the biggest dangers when working at height. We developed ASB in response to industry demand, and it is great to see how it’s making working at height practices safer and more efficient than ever before.”
