Backing Safety Solutions
Note: The following solutions are not required by any OSHA standard. They are provided for informational purposes only.
Cameras
Most vehicles (and some types of mobile equipment) can accommodate a camera that provides operators with a view to the rear. Some vehicles come equipped with cameras or may be offered with them as optional equipment. Camera systems can also be purchased as after-market equipment for vehicles.
Back the Truck Up
Viewing screens may be dash-mounted but must not block the driver's view out the windshield. Harsh environments, such as some construction sites or mines, may require more rugged cameras. Determining where to mount a camera for maximum effectiveness may be difficult, especially on large vehicles. For example, dump trucks may require two or three cameras to monitor the blind spots on the front, rear, and side of the vehicle.
Proximity Detection Systems
These systems alert the driver with a visual and/or audio warning. These systems must be positioned so that they won't detect harmless objects, such as the concrete slab of a driveway, which can interfere with the detection of an object or person behind the vehicle or mobile equipment. Like cameras, this equipment can be mounted on most vehicles and may be an option from some equipment manufacturers.
Radar systems transmit a signal, which is bounced off an object. The signal is then received by a receiver. The composition of an object can affect detection, with some materials being virtually invisible to radar.
Ultrasonic systems, such as sonar, emit bursts of ultrasonic waves in a frequency above the hearing threshold of humans. When the waves strike an object, they generate echoes used to determine the distance to the object. These systems alert the driver with a visual and/or audio warning.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
2-5. What is a weakness when using radar detection devices as a backup safety system?
You forgot to answer the question!