Dairy farms are bustling areas where people, livestock and heavy machinery, like wheel loaders, converge. With these powerful, versatile machines handling everything from feed distribution to manure management, safety is of the utmost importance.
Advanced wheel loader features, such as proximity sensors (object detection), camera systems and blind spot monitoring, make it easier for equipment operators to stay safe on the farm.
Transparent bucket feature
Today’s wheel loaders are designed and built with better visibility features to operate as safely as possible. For example, many cabs today have more glass for enhanced visibility to the front and sides of the machine. An additional technology is the standard transparent bucket.
The transparent bucket allows the wheel loader operator to “see through” the bucket to the area in front of the machine. This is achieved through camera technology that projects a supplemental view from the bucket to a monitor inside of the cab.
With the transparent bucket feature activated, wheel loader operators can move about their farm more safely and work more confidently. The feature is available for new 2023 -7 Series wheel loaders from Develon.
Around view monitor camera system
Around view monitor (AVM) camera systems are becoming increasingly popular in wheel loaders. These systems use cameras mounted on the machine to provide up to 270 degrees of visibility of the surrounding area, giving the operator better situational awareness.
AVM systems allow operators to see potential hazards and obstacles that may not be visible from their seats, reducing the risk of accidents and injuries. They also improve productivity and efficiency by reducing the time required for operators to look around and check their surroundings manually.
Object detection
Object detection improves safety by enhancing awareness of your dairy operation. It’s especially useful for machine blind spots when working next to people, animals or objects. The sensors emit a sound to alert the driver when they are about to bump into an object. The sound may get louder or more frequent the closer the machine gets to the object.
The sensors are often supported by a camera that allows operators to see what’s behind them as they are reversing.
Some manufacturers feature object detection for wheel loaders that provide five warning levels to indicate the proximity of an object about to be hit. The warning levels change with the speed of the wheel loader, reducing the risk of false alarms. For example, if a wheel loader is moving at a quicker speed, the warning level will get louder as the loader gets closer to the object. This ensures that an operator doesn’t accidentally miss or ignore an alert.
The backup alarm is an audio signal to other operators and crew members on the farm that the wheel loader is moving in reverse to help prevent accidents and injuries.
Rearview camera
This key safety feature is becoming standard equipment on many of today’s wheel loaders. With a rearview camera, dairy operators can be sure they are safely maneuvering around any object, animal or person within their line of sight.
The camera view can be seen on the LCD monitor in the cab by simply pressing a button to activate the feature.
Some manufacturers have increased the camera’s field of view or have included sensors to alert the operator when they are about to hit something.
Safety lighting
Dairy farms are 24-hour operations: work is done early in the morning, late in the evening and during adverse weather. Safety lighting, including LED headlights and taillights, improves visibility for wheel loader operators, allowing them to safely navigate the farm even in low-light conditions. This is critical for preventing accidents and collisions, especially when working near buildings, livestock or other equipment.
Optional rotating beacons on wheel loaders serve as powerful warning signals to alert others in the area. These lights can be activated when the loader is in operation, signaling to other workers and equipment operators that the loader is in motion. This warning is particularly important in busy and dynamic farm environments where multiple tasks are taking place at the same time.
By incorporating these safety features, dairy operators can improve their productivity and reduce the risk of accidents and injuries as well as machine downtime when using wheel loaders.
