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Balfour Beatty adopts Nationwide’s SkySiren at Heathrow

16 Feb 12 New technology to prevent users of powered access platforms being trapped in the baskets is to be pioneered by Balfour Beatty at Heathrow airport.

SkySiren
SkySiren

Access rental company Nationwide Platforms is supplying more than 150 access platforms over the next two years to Balfour Beatty and its subcontractors on the £750m project to build a new satellite pier (T2B) at Heathrow.

Most of the boom lifts will be fitted with Nationwide’s recently launched SkySiren anti-entrapment system, which prevents the operator being crushed by using a pressure-sensitive strip on the control panel (pictured below). If the operator is pushed against the strip in the event of a collision with an upper obstacle such as a beam, the machine cuts out and an audible alarm sounds to alert fellow workers of the emergency.

Nationwide will also be supplying other safety-related products, including the SkySentry system, which uses PIN-activated key pads to prevent unauthorised users gaining access to the equipment, and the materials handling attachments.

The rental company will also keep a team on site to ensure maximum uptime and will also provide training and toolbox talks relating to working at height.

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Balfour Beatty project director Keith Cannin said: “At Balfour Beatty we do all we can to ensure that safe working is the main priority on all of our projects. Nationwide Platforms will help us achieve this by providing a range of innovative answers to our working at height challenges. This includes the SkySiren anti-entrapment solution being fitted to appropriate machines, material handling attachments being made available to ourselves and our subcontractors, onsite IPAF training delivery for powered access operators and managers, and the SkySentry system for preventing unauthorised machine usage.

“Overall, Nationwide Platforms has taken major steps to help us reach the demands that a project of this stature requires, with a tailored approach to finding the best practice methods for all the work at height taking place on this site.”

Nationwide Platforms sales director Simon Beckett said: “Taking into account the prestige and magnitude of this incredible project, we’re very proud to have developed a complete working at height solution for Balfour Beatty and its subcontractors.”

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MPU
MPU

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