Anti-Collision Technology

How does it compare to R-Link’s Proximity Detection System?

How does anti-collision technology compare with R-Link?

When it comes to accidents involving dangerous proximity to unsafe areas, moving objects, vehicles, or machinery, the UK’s construction sector is facing a persistent and increasingly deadly challenge. Among workers in the UK, the number of fatal accidents reported in 2022/2023 was higher than the previous year (in 2020/2021, 123 workers were killed in work-related accidents, compared to 135 for 2022/2023).

And as teams across construction and other industries, including Agriculture, Manufacturing, and Transport take stock of their health and safety initiatives and risk management programmes, they must all answer an important question:

In today’s increasingly modern occupational landscape, why are workers still dying from preventable accidents, and how can teams create safer working environments?

In South Africa, a bold solution to a dangerous problem

Effectively tackling the rate of accidents caused by dangerous proximity is part of a larger, global conversation about worker health and safety. In South Africa, a nation with a once notoriously dangerous mining industry, a relatively new programme has been rolled out which mandates that both underground and surface mining operations implement Level 9 Collision Awareness, a significant leap from previous levels. Level 9 Collision Awareness requires the deployment of electronic systems to slow down a vehicle or perform a controlled stop in the event that an operator fails to take evasive action.

This initiative in South Africa represents the lengths that regulating bodies are willing to go to protect workers from known risks to their safety. In the UK, of course, there is no requirement for teams to adopt any specific kind of technology with regard to dangerous proximity, but it’s clear from recent reports that outdated approaches to keeping workers safe from potentially dangerous hazards are in need of levelling-up.

Anti-Collision Technology vs Proximity Warning Systems: Key differences, explained

When it comes to choosing the right system for your team, there is no shortage of modern options: Anti-Collision Technology (similar to what’s being used in South Africa) can be powered by Artificial Intelligence, plant-mounted cameras, or wearable devices (or a combination of these technologies). With these systems, workers are warned when they get too close to potentially dangerous moving hazards.

Proximity Warning Systems, on the other hand, offer broader protection for teams by allowing them to create exclusion zones around any potential hazard, whether it’s moving or not. These can include active machinery, unguarded areas and equipment, or even areas with a risk of dropped objects from team members working at height. Because these systems contemplate interactions between team members and any potentially dangerous hazard - not just those that move - they offer more flexibility to teams operating in dynamic and often unpredictable environments.

We’ve broken down the precise ways that R-Link compares to AI-powered technology for proximity detection here.

The Reactec Proximity Warning System: Cloud-powered, purpose-built technology to drive safer ways of working

Reactec’s R-Link offers a comprehensive approach that helps organisations better protect their workers from potentially dangerous hazards, including stationary or moving equipment or machines, and other dangerous areas. Plus, R-Link was purpose-built for a dynamic workplace, meaning it offers teams an unprecedented level of flexibility and control.

With R-Link, your team can implement access restrictions that respond to an individual worker’s credentials, giving you the ability to control proximity on a person-by-person basis. For example, the R-Link pedestrian watch is personalised to an individual worker with configurable alerts, while the R-Link driver watch (which auto-pairs to a vehicle) allows an operator to receive configurable warnings of pedestrian incursions, and give an electronic ‘thumbs-up’ to allow proximity when necessary, on an as-needed basis.

This system works differently to the approach being deployed in South Africa, where electronic systems are activated when operators fail to take an evasive action. R-Link is designed to help ensure that workers never get within an unsafe distance of machines, equipment, or dangerous areas in the first instance. Further, R-Link’s proximity warning system is designed to support maximum safety without any unnecessary distractions or interruptions. Workers are alerted to unsafe conditions via haptic alerts, which are a proven way of quickly and effectively focussing a worker’s attention.

To illustrate exactly how R-Link’s proximity warning capability functions in real-life scenarios, we’ve put together a Day In The Life article, where we follow workers through a typical shift and evaluate how they use R-Link’s unique features and functionality to easily create and monitor safe zones and exclusion zones.

And because R-Link is powered by Reactec’s cutting-edge Analytics platform, you’ll also have access to an incredible amount of insight that makes it easy for Safety Managers or Duty Holders to identify hotspots and near-misses, as well as personalised information about individual worker habits and behaviours. This information is presented in an attractive, dashboard-style format that supports uncomplicated analysis and immediate action. With the data available through Reactec’s Analytics, your team can make adjustments to your controls that can help ensure your workers’ safety.

R-Link’s Proximity Detection System is battle-tested technology that’s trusted by teams in the UK and around the world. With the flexibility, control, and insight that organisations need to drive meaningful change across their approach to occupational health and safety, R-Link is a comprehensive solution that supports better decision-making, and better ways of working.

To learn more, you can explore the blog section of our website.

Get in touch

When you’re ready to chat with a member of our team about your specific proximity needs, you can reach out to us here:

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