Spillard News

As part of its rigorous, on-going safety policy, Hanson Aggregates has equipped its growing fleet of JCB Groundhogs with 2m tall safety whips available from Spillard Safety System’s AllRoundAlert range of equipment.

            Made from fibreglass and available in heights from 1.5 to 4 m, the whips are equipped with a bright coloured flag plus, if required, a series of LED flashing lights for maximum visibility during dull weather conditions powered through the vehicles cigarette lighter.

            According to Dan Silvester, Hanson Aggregates’ supervisor at its Cley Hill Quarry: “The 6-wheel drive Groundhog is a brilliant vehicle for transporting engineers and their tools around the quarry as they are pretty much able to go anywhere and only use about 14 litre of fuel per week.”

             However, because of the Groundhog’s diminutive size, concern was expressed by Hanson’s safety team over the ability of other operators on site to see them. This concern resulted in the purchase of the whips which are now securely fitted to each vehicle with a heavy duty stainless steel spring mount. The various quarry managers are now fully confident the Groundhogs can be easily spotted by the drivers of much larger machinery and so be used in complete safety.

            In addition to the safety whips, Spillard’s AllRoundAlert range includes high intensity strobe and LED reversing lights, self-adjusting, white noise and talking reverse alarms and a variety of coloured strobe beacons.