Whilst trawling the internet looking for new material on the latest JS range of excavators, I came across this video, which demonstrates a new hydraulic isolation system that has been introduced on the very latest JS machines. According to JCB, the method of operation of the hydraulic isolation lever (dead man’s handle), has been improved to deliver a new feature. In order for the operator to start using the hydraulic circuits on the machine, he must now complete a secondary acknowledgement via a switch on the AMS dashboard facia. This new feature prevents the controls from inadvertently becoming live in the event of accidentally moving the dead man handle. 

Any system that prevents accidents due to unintentional operation of the machine controls has to be welcomed, even if it does give us operators at the sharp end, something else to think about.