Spillard News

European Standard EN1459 covering telehandlers indicates that “The truck design shall provide sufficient visibility to enable the operator to carry out all travel and manoeuvres safely. In order to aid the operator to avoid collisions when visibility is limited, built devices (such as mirrors, cameras and audible alarms) shall be provided.”
 

 The use of telehandlers on site in the UK is covered by the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER 98). Here, Regulations 28(e) states that “where the operators direct field of vision is inadequate to ensure safety then visibility  aids or other suitable devices should be provided so far as is reasonably practical”.
 
At recent SED shows, both the HSE and prominent suppliers such as Spillard Safety Systems have exhibited additional mirrors designed for use on telehandlers. These displays, coupled with reports of the HSE’s particular interest in telehandler visibility, have seemingly influenced many site agents and safety officers to demand extra convex mirrors on machines used on their sites after making risk assessments.
 

 Such assessments are necessary as PUWER 98 lays responsibility for site safety firmly upon the user. Usefully, advice on conducting risk assessments an site will be included in a new Practical Guide to All Round Awareness shortly to be published by the Off-highway Plant and Equipment Research Centre (OPERC) at Loughborough University (Tel;01509 222884).
 

The demand for extra mirrors has been so great that Manitou (site Lift) Ltd is now fitting them as standard to all its Maniscopics supplied to the construction sector. The company installs a specially developed Manieye convex mirror to the rear of each machine and also fits an additional side mirror to talehandlers with maximum lifting heights over 10.0m.