SAFETY FEATURES:
Safety is naturally one of the most important issues facing a mining operation. Modern management realizes that maximum efforts have to be made in order to improve the safety of its operators. ETF trucks are equipped with active and passive safety features unique in the industry.
It starts with the All-Wheel-Drive configuration. Sixteen wheels are powered; this gives enormous traction capability under even the most arduous slippery (Tropical and Arctic.) conditions. While it’s important to be able to climb up grades out of the mine in poor conditions it must also be possible to descend the same grades safely and under full control. Therefore ETF trucks are equipped with all wheel traction control and ABS braking system. This assures the safety of operators as well as your capital investment.
The ETF truck is the only one it its class which has this so important feature!
Collision Warning System
ETF trucks come fully equipped with a collision warning system which alerts the operator when the truck is approaching a possible collision situation.
Optic Safety System help to decrease accident risk for night drivers.
ETF Trucks are standard equipped with an Optic Safety System which is basically a light control for good perception and vigilance.How does human perception function? One of the forms of human perception is sight. Eye receptors send signals to the brain making our visual impressions possible. Bright contrasting night light puts additional pressure on our eyes. Therefore, sources of blinding light decrease significantly our perception of an image! What happens during night-driving when blinding light suddenly appears?
Well, the eye pupils are widened to about 8 mm, which leads to more active light penetration and higher eye receptor sensitivity. The eye reaction runs slower than the oncoming vehicle moves. If eye pupils are slightly narrowed, the blinding effect is reduced. How to reset the biological clock?
Eye receptors are also responsible for the release of the hormone melatonin, inducing tiredness by night driving. With the help of lighting, a day ‘light condition’ is simulated for the brain and melatonin release is slowed down, decreasing the blinding effect of the oncoming vehicles light . The perception of the surroundings is therefore much improved.
The Optic Safety System helps to:
1. Improves the adaptability of eye pupils when driving in and out of darkened tunnels during daytime.
2. Decreases the vision-distracting effect of wet roads and city lights.
3. Reduces the risk of falling asleep at the wheel and the danger of second-long sleep at night.
Sleep deterrent system
Falling asleep is one of the most common causes of accidents in the heavy equipment industry. ETF developed a sleep deterrent system which monitors the drowsiness of the operator and gives an alert to avoid the problem of falling asleep.
Reversing over the shoulder
Many accidents with current Large Haul Trucks occur because the operator drives too close to the edge of the berm during dumping. Current trucks have approx. 65 % of their weight on the rear axle. Once the operator drives too close to the edge, there may be no way of avoiding a roll over!
ETF trucks have their weight divided over 5 axle lines which are all powered. Once the operator drives too close to the edge the possibility of a disaster will be avoided, a short move forward and the load can be tipped in complete safety.
Driving over the shoulder
While today most mines have taken the opportunity to change over to left side driving, right side passing there is always the chance that an operator will misjudge the positioning of the truck, With conventional trucks there is no second chance once the wheels hit the shoulder the truck could turn over. ETF trucks have full oscillating axles, if for any reason an ETF truck goes over the shoulder there is still time to correct the mistake and avoiding a potentially disastrous incident. As previously described, ETF trucks are equipped with several cameras positioned to provide as much additional visibility as possible to the operator including the main cab mounted monitor which consistently displays the left road shoulder.
Superb spread of axle loads
ETF axle configuration enables an equal load spread over five axle-lines. All axle-lines have the same weight (ground pressure) with a laden vehicle. Current large haul trucks are dividing the load over two axles. The front axle carries 35 % of the GVW and the rear axle 65 %. These heavy loads of the rear axle sometimes lead to a slip failure of the soil underneath. An accident is unavoidable!
ETF is soil friendly and accidents like this will not happen.
Axle load
Tyre load comparison
Unbeatable visibility:
The operators' view is unbeatable, firstly because of the large windows in front and on both sides and secondly because of the position of the cabin on the vehicle.
Side mirrors are replaced by cameras. A total of four cameras giving the operators the best visibility possible.
One camera in front and one on each side and one on the back are making sure that the driver can see around his vehicle without dead angles. To avoid too many monitors, the cabin has only three, one left one right and one in the centre. The left and right monitors are acting in the same way as normal side mirrors. When the operators wishes to see the front corners of the truck (at manoeuvring in tight places) he or she pushes a button and the side monitors are showing the view at the front corners. As soon as the button is released the view shifts back to the sides. The centre monitor is working when the vehicle is reversing and shortly before it is braking. Under normal driving condition this monitor is out of use. Accidents because of lack of sight are avoided.
The centre monitor has a very important duel function, as most current mines have a drive on the left, pass on the right policy allowing operators to position themselves in a conventional left sided cab over the front left wheel enabling them to safety drive trucks.
Special lighting:
To maximize on productivity mining equipment are used day and night and therefore must be equipped with the best possible lighting systems available. ETF trucks are equipped with eight front mounted Xenon headlamps, two being directional turning at the same angle as the steering wheels in order to give the operator full lighting when steering into bends. Two Xenon lamps are also mounted at the rear side of the truck in order to give maximum visibility when reversing.
All lights on, wheels in straight forward position. Dimensions are in metres.
All lights on, wheels in maximum steering position ( to the right) dimensions in metres.
Fire supression system
ETF trucks are supplied with an advanced fully integrated fire suppression system, in fact we are the only haul truck manufacturer that offers this vital safety feature. The system features duel suppressant agents, dry chemical for suppressing a fire before it can threaten the operator or the vehicle and then securing the protected vehicle against possible fire re-flash with high volumes of foaming agent.
What’s even more astonishing is that the integration of the suppression system goes further by including a link into the trucks' management system, allowing the full safety system to engage the shutting down of engines and cooling fans that would assist the spread of fire throughout the vehicle.
Cabin access:
Cabin access is an important safety issue. The steps of the ETF access ladder are constructed of special material which makes safe access even if the rungs are covered with mud. The ladder unit to the deck and cab is lowered and raised hydraulically to allow the best possible angle of 45 degrees. As soon as the operator has reached the platform the ladder can be retracted. For extra safety at night the steps are fully illuminated with LED strips.
Near the cabin access-ladder an emergency switch is mounted. This easily accessible switch stops all the functions of the truck remotely in case the operator is not able to react anymore.
Also a portable fire extinguisher is mounted on this position.
Copyright © 2010 Emirates Truck Factory (FZC). All rights reserved.
