Yesterday, Tyco Fire & Integrated Solutions announced it will mandate the use of Nationwide Platforms’ SkySiren anti-entrapment solution on all applicable equipment. The national fire protection and detection specialist is the second major contractor to mandate the use of this anti-entrapment solution since the launch of the SkySiren.
Last year, the construction firm Skanska UK required the use of additional entrapment protection on all boom-type mobile elevating work platforms (i.e. boom lifts), including those used by its employees and subcontractors. Like Skanska, the mandate to be issued by Tyco will also be applicable to all boom-type MEWPs used by its supply chain.
Earlier this spring, Nationwide Platforms fitted the SkySiren to equipment used by Tyco for fire protection work on the ongoing construction of the Pembroke Power Station. This application demonstrated that the SkySiren can act as a key safety feature whilst using powered access equipment, especially outside of traditional construction sector projects.
Designed to react to any pressure applied on a “sensitive horizontal bar” located at approximately waist height, the SkySiren has been created to both stop the movement of the machine immediately in a crushing situation, whilst simultaneously alerting colleagues to the incident with an emergency alarm and flashing light.
The SkySiren has been designed to be retro-fitted to all booms, including the vast majority of CE and ANSI certified boom lifts already on the market. Nationwide Platforms believe it should be utilised as an added safe-guard for work being completed in confined spaces, such as between racking, steel work or pipe systems just as would be commonplace with fire protection tasks.
Mick Ledden, Nationwide Platforms’ executive director—business development and key accounts, said Tyco’s pioneering approach to best practice led to the development of safety and productivity enhancing material-handling attachments, such as the SkyRak and SkyHandler, which are included in the BlueSky Range of solutions.
Lift & Access is part of the Catalyst Communications Network publication family.
