Joseph Gallagher Group has taken the next step in intelligent safety with a £1 million investment in five new AI-equipped Hitachi excavators.
The new machines, including 22-tonne and 35-tonne models, feature Hitachi’s Safety Shield system, combining AI-powered human recognition, height and slew restriction, and in-cab visual and audible alerts.
The technology enhances operator awareness by detecting personnel in proximity to the machine and filtering out non-human movement, reducing collision risk and operator distraction.
The Safety Shield system uses AI-enabled cameras to monitor activity around the excavator and alert the operator when someone enters a safety zone.
Designed to recognise human form with a claimed 99.6 per cent accuracy rate, it filters out other movement to reduce false alerts and help operators maintain focus.
Each excavator also includes a digital thumbs-up display mounted on the cab. When ground teams need to approach, the operator stops the machine, isolates the controls, and confirms it is safe by pressing an in-cab button.
A bright thumbs-up symbol then appears on the external display, signalling that the machine is secure and can be approached safely.
These excavators will be deployed across projects throughout the UK, including the Liverpool Bay / HyNet North West carbon capture programme, supporting complex tunnelling and infrastructure works.
Do you have news for the international trenchless industry? Contact journalist Gerald Lynch at gerald.lynch@primecreative.com.au
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