Engineering firm Colas has collaborated with Highway Service to maximise on site safety by beaming a clear red danger zone around its biggest machines
The red danger zone was inspired by Colas UK. In an effort to reduce on site accidents linked to strict health and safety measures around the use of high-risk machines, Colas engaged with Highway Service to come up with a way to help keep its staff safe.
Highway Service devised an innovative, cost-effective solution so that no Colas staff could be in any doubt about danger points around the most high-risk machines. The red beam is a visible warning to operatives that they are in the danger area if they are inside the red line.
Colas hopes to see the technology adopted throughout the industry and is keen to share this within the international Colas Group.
Carl Fergusson, CEO at Colas UK said: “Our approach at Colas is to inspire, pioneer and freely share improvements to safety. Our Colas Group innovation campus outside Paris is devoted to research and puts us at the cutting edge in responding to, or pre-empting, technical and social challenges by fostering the development of new products, processes and techniques.
“As a major player in the UK alongside our expertise from the rest of the world, we are keen to foster relationships with other expert UK businesses which create innovative solutions which will be good for the whole industry – not just ourselves. We want to share this technology and are already sign-posting other firms to the developers, Highway Service.”
Working with Colas operational teams, Highway Service took existing technology and developed it to create an unmistakable LED-lit red danger zone around the Colas construction machines. Throwing a light cordon around pavers and rollers leaves Colas staff in no doubt where workers and vehicles should be – and where they should not venture.
Highway Service has recently finished installing its safety system on all Colas vehicles operating out of the firm’s Newcastle depot. Lee Corbett of Highway Service said: “We have been delighted to work closely with Colas on this project and we are really pleased with the results.”
