New Forklift Safety System to Aid Social Distancing

At every stage of the pandemic a single, consistent safety message has endured: the need for physical distancing. And if that’s true for person to person interaction, it is even more applicable where forklift operations where pedestrians are involved.

In an ideal world, the two should never occupy the same space but this is the real world – one where working areas are often restricted and deadlines are tight. Mitsubishi developed its new Safety Zone system.

Specifically designed to maintain a safe distance around a forklift, Safety Zone projects bright red beams onto the ground all around the perimeter of the truck creating a vivid ‘no-go’ area. Pedestrians instinctively avoid entering this exclusion zone, keeping them at a safe distance at all times. Unlike auditory warnings, which can be lost in noisy environments or if colleagues are wearing ear defenders, the Safety Zone delivers a clear, visual and unambiguous warning of a truck’s presence — making it particularly valuable at the ends of aisles and at blind corners.

Mitsubishi Safety Zone protects staff against injuries and infection. Best of all, it can be fitted to all new forklift trucks and be retrofitted to existing equipment, making it a remarkably quick, effective and low-cost safety feature.

According to Stewart Gosling of Red Diamond Distribution, the UK distributor for Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks: “This pedestrian safety alert system uses LEDs to cast bright, bold red lines on the floor behind and to the sides of the truck. These clearly show — at a glance — the distance that must be kept by pedestrians in order to work safely when forklifts are in the vicinity. That visual clue can prove particularly crucial on a busy site.

“The great news is that safety is now as simple as switching on a light.”