Forklifts are a vital part of many warehouses and manufacturing facilities, but they can also be dangerous. In fact, forklift accidents are a leading cause of workplace injuries and fatalities. According to the latest estimates from OSHA, there is an annual occurrence of 35,000 to 62,000 injuries related to these heavy vehicles.
One way to help prevent forklift accidents is to use a safety system that includes audio and visual alerts to warn the operator of a potential hazard. The VIA Mobile360 Forklift Safety System, for example, uses a combination of cameras and AI software to provide real-time people detection alerts to the operator whenever it detects someone stepping too close to the vehicle. Some configurations of the system also feature a driver camera that alerts the operator when it detects signs of fatigue, smartphone usage, and smoking.
The system offers a choice of voice and sound alerts in eight languages that can be configured to meet your requirements using the VIA WorkX smartphone app. Systems featuring the optional 7” CVBS display also support visual alerts.
Audio and visual alerts help to prevent forklift accidents by warning operators of potential hazards, such as nearby pedestrians, in time for them to take evasive action. They can also further improve safety by warning the operator of tiredness and dangerous actions such as sneaking glances at their smartphone and smoking while driving their vehicle. When operators are made more aware of their surroundings and potentially risky behavior, they are less likely to lose focus and make mistakes – leading to a safer workplace for everyone.
VIA Mobile360 Forklift Safety System Audio Alerts
To provide operators with the smart situational awareness needed to safely maneuver around crowded and noisy working spaces, the VIA Mobile360 Forklift Safety System supports people detection through a choice 3PD (left, right and rear) and 2PD (front and rear) camera configurations.
The 3PD configuration, for example, supports a people detection zone that covers an area of 240° – 300° around the side and rear of the vehicle up to 4~5 meters (13ft. 1in. ~ 16ft. 5in.) away. To aid operators in avoiding accidents with people moving around the forklift, the detection area can be configured with either a single (critical) zone or two (warning and critical) zones and alerts set accordingly.
The table below provides an overview of the different audio and voice alerts which can be used to notify operators when people are detected in the warning and critical zones.
| VOICE ALERT | SOUND ALERT | |
|---|---|---|
| Left Warning Zone | "Left, person detected" | Slow pulse A |
| Left Critical Zone | "Brake" | Fast pulse A |
| Right Warning Zone | "Right, person detected" | Slow pulse A |
| Right Critical Zone | "Brake" | Fast pulse A |
| Rear Warning Zone | "Rear, person detected" | Slow pulse A |
| Rear Critical Zone | "Brake" | Fast pulse A |
You can configure the alerts using the VIA WorkX smartphone app. For more information, see section 4.3.2 of the VIA Mobile360 Forklift Safety System 3PD Installation Guide.
VIA Mobile360 Forklift Safety System Visual Alerts
An optional 7″ CVBS Display kit is available for the VIA Mobile360 Forklift Safety System for increased operator awareness of the vehicle’s surrounding environment. When attached to a 2PD system, the display allows the operator to view live video streams from the front and rear cameras plus real-time visual alerts for people detection and driver safety system warnings.
The table below provides a description of the detection icon behavior.
| DETECTION INDICATOR | COLOR | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|---|
| Front/Rear People Detection Icon | Blue | Camera not calibrated |
| Gray | No alert | |
| Yellow | Person in warning zone detected | |
| Red | Person in critical zone detected | |
| Driver Safety System Detection Icon | Blue | Camera not calibrated |
| Gray | No alert | |
| Red | Driver safety system alert detected |
The VIA Mobile360 Forklift Safety System is a valuable tool for improving safety in warehouses and manufacturing facilities. With its support for audio and visual alerts, the system helps to prevent pedestrian accidents and reduce driver fatigue and distractions. If you are looking for a way to reduce collisions and boost operator situational awareness, it provides a smart and flexible solution that can be deployed on combustion-powered and EV forklifts.
If you are interested in learning more about the VIA Mobile360 Forklift Safety System, contact us today.
