Secondary guarding milestone for UK Platforms

UK Platforms, part of HSS Hire Group, has installed its Activ’ Shield Bar (ASB) on 1000 boom lifts in its fleet.

ASB is a unique secondary guarding device fitted to UK Platforms’ boom lifts. It features a bar above the operator’s controls that, once pressed down, only allows inverse, reverse or lowering movements of the platform. This, says the company, is particularly important in avoiding accidents where an operator’s body is pressed down on the controls by an overhead obstruction, forcing the machine higher.

Miguel Vicos, managing director of UK Platforms, said, “The risk of crush injuries is one of the biggest dangers when working at height. We developed ASB in response to industry demand and it is great to see how it’s making working at height practices safer and more efficient than ever before.”

The technology was developed by Haulotte in partnership with UK Platforms and was first introduced in May 2013. It is fitted as standard by UK Platforms on all new diesel boom lifts and is being fitted retrospectively across its diesel boom fleet.

The 1000th boom lift to be fitted with the technology is a Haulotte HA41 RTJ Pro, one of UK Platforms’ largest machines, capable of reaching heights of up to 41 m. It will be utilised nationally including steel erecting, roofing and cladding, mechanical and electrical engineering, facilities management and media.