Mammoet is working with Rietveld, a specialist in fleet management and safety systems, on a pilot project to protect drivers and road users when mobile cranes are moving and manoeuvring.
The project combines three different safety technologies. Testing is currently being carried out on one of its new Liebherr LTM 1070-4.2 mobile cranes, in the 70-tonne class.
The three-tier system includes Rietveld’s OmniVue 360° camera system. Using a combination of cameras installed on the crane’s chassis, it generates real-time first- and third-person images of the vehicle. This gives the driver a full 360-view from both inside and outside the cab, enabling them to see what pedestrians and other road users are seeing.
The second tier adds a series of sensors that detect people and obstacles within an adjustable safety radius around the crane. When the sensors detect a potential hazard, an acoustic signal alerts the driver. An LED warning panel also displays the section of the crane where the motion was detected.
The final tier, the ‘Halo’, projects an illuminated boundary onto the ground around the crane, giving those nearby a visual indication of the safe zone around it. This is especially important at sites where hearing protection is required, Mammoet decided. The boundary can be switched on and off manually and is set to automatically turn off when a certain speed is reached.
Mammoet project coordinator Ferdi Kivanc said: “By combining these three systems, Mammoet will improve safety, minimise accidents and damage, and give greater confidence to crane operators to create safer working environments. We see this as a comprehensive system that will not only enhance crane safety, but also operator training in the future. Initial tests are promising, and I am very proud of the results.”
Rietveld account manager Frank Kanters added: “By working with [Mammoet’s] engineers to test the integration of our collision-prevention technologies, we have created something unique in crane safety solutions. We look forward to developing the system further and progressing to eventual rollout.”
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