HoistCam HC140 Attached to Hook Block

Heavy equipment and Cranes are practically important pieces you get to see on several construction sites. Recently, technological advances have been made in heavy equipment hardware by the introduction of cameras; the communication system used to coordinate the crane operator’s actions with other craftsmen is gradually being linked with these technological advances. When operating heavy equipment like cranes, bulldozer, forklifts, workers many a time cannot see the loads they are moving, even mirrors won’t necessarily alert them to obstacles on their rear that could cause damage or injury so, many rely on hand signals relayed among craftsmen.  On the contrary, with a camera for heavy  equipment, you have access to high quality, real-time visual information that will let operators make the smartest possible decision at a moment’s notice.

Using a camera enhances a crane operator’s visibility of ground operations. Construction site accidents that involve cranes and heavy equipment often relate to struck-by incidents, when the crane or its load is in too close contact with site personnel, objects, or other equipment. In these incidents, limited or poor visibility in the surrounding workspace is often the cause of the problem. With a camera attached to the back of a bulldozer equipment, for example, the camera will feed high-quality information from the rear of the vehicle to the operator at all times. Operators will never have to worry about whether they’re about to back into another piece of equipment, structure or worse, a person. In most cases, the absence of cameras in such situations often results in death, results injury of site personnel, or significant collateral damage to property. Some major visibility limitations that can be resolved by the use of cameras include loading/unloading area at awkward angles, obstructed loading/unloading area, dusk/dawn hours or night work, shaded loading/unloading area.

Using cameras on heavy equipment leads to a reduction of errors in communication, both signal delays, and signal errors can drastically be reduced, these, in turn, leads to safe improvements. Heavy equipment operations are frequently found on the critical path of construction projects. By reducing the duration of critical path activities, the overall duration of the project is shortened.

Another benefit of using cameras on cranes and heavy equipment is the improved safety of heavy equipment which can also provide major economic, humanitarian, and social benefits to the contractor and the owner. Both from a financial point of view and regarding the public image, the cameras contribute significantly to the safety of the crane operation by enabling the crane operators constant eye contact with the payload from the moment loading begins until it is fully unloaded.

For projects operating in the dark, using these cameras are vital especially under poor lighting conditions, during night shifts, when construction teams work under floodlight, as well as in the dim light of dusk and dawn. Working with the high-quality camera is safer, quicker and more efficient, as the crane operator has a bright on-screen display of the work field.