R Collard achieves FORS Accreditation

Safeguarding

R Collard has reinforced its commitment to road safety by installing a fully recordable 1 Tera-byte multi-camera system, corner detection assist and left turn alarm as standard, to all its 7.5 tonne skip loader vehicles to help ensure their vehicle crews are working safely.

Improving safety

The company’s new ‘Handsfree Group TECh’ multi-camera system consists of up to five infrared CCTV cameras, which cover virtually every angle of the vehicle – rear and forward facing, near side blind spot area, and downward view of the working area. All camera views are displayed on a cab-mounted monitor with an integrated tamper-proof Digital Video Recording (DVR) system.

All R Collard skip loader vehicles have also been equipped with Handsfree Group’s TECh Corner Detection System which alerts the driver when travelling under 10 MPH if a pedestrian, cyclist or other vulnerable road user, should enter this high risk area of the vehicle. This has significantly improved driver visibility, and reduced the risk of collisions.

Ensuring best practice

The FORS Standard requires that ‘Fleet operators shall ensure that all vehicles over 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight are equipped with enhanced audible means to warn other road users of a vehicle’s left manoeuvre’.

To help R Collard meet the this aspect the FORS standard the FITAS accredited Handsfree Group Install team also fitted the FORS approved TECh highly audible left turn alarm. TECh’s FORS approved left turn warning kit activates when the turn indicator is operational, alerting pedestrians and vulnerable road users who share the same space as the skip loaders, and is particularly useful for site workers and the visually impaired.

Reduced risk

The new safety equipment that Handsfree Group have specified and fitted to R Collard’s Skip Loaders reduces the risks of collisions even further by eliminating any blind spots and enabling drivers to see oncoming traffic or pedestrians from all directions.

A further benefit of R Collards new multi-camera system is that it provides high definition quality evidence of any accidents, incidents or near misses that occur around the skip loader vehicle or working area as all footage is saved for 36 days. This improves operator safety and training, and protects drivers against any false insurance claims.