UniCarriers has developed an ergonomic alternative to the deadman button on the order pickers range. It involves sensor technology that releases the truck's controls once it recognises a driver by weight.
UniCarriers says this makes the dead-man's button obsolete. This button is now often a hand or foot switch that the driver must permanently activate to operate the vehicle. "This requires the driver to adopt the same posture while driving, even on order picking trucks with a wide working platform. The restricted freedom of movement prevents an ergonomic working posture," UniCarriers said in a press release. This posture could lead to pain, muscle cramps and, in extreme cases, RSI.
On the latest generation of order pickers, UniCarriers therefore installs an ergonomic alternative: the DPS. Once the driver is on board and has entered the PIN code, the DPS is automatically activated. The floor plate of the order-picking truck has sensors all over it, which recognise whether the driver is present by weight. For proper operation, the sensor plate must be calibrated daily. This is done by foot movement to the edge and then to the centre of the platform. Once this safety check is successful, the truck is put into operation.
The DPS is suitable for all order pickers, but will first be applied to the latest generation of UniCarriers order pickers, the EP series.
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