Call for MEWP safety review

The invention, called the “A-R-C-Angel™” (Anti Rear Crush-Angel) is designed to Entrapment (Crushing) can occur, because MEWPs are commonly driven in reverse, putting operators at significant risk of entrapment between the surrounding infrastructure and the operator cage. 

WHC believed the approach taken by manufacturers to be flawed, as serious injury could still occur. Therefore, WHC transferred the technology of it’s already successful ACKBelt®, Anti-Crush Kick-Belt, a device for fitting around the base of powered pedestrian trucks to eliminate foot crush injuries, and developed the A-R-C-Angel™ Anti-Entrapment System.

The A-R-C-Angel consists of an ACKBelt assembly, mounted on the top guardrail of a MEWP cage, facing outwards. When moving the MEWP, Popup pivoting ‘Angel Wings’ can be lifted up to be positioned above and behind the operator, so that if an obstruction is encountered, the ‘Wings’ are pushed  forward onto the ACKBelt triggering the programmed emergency protocol, before the operator is struck.

In addition, when the operator cage is in position at the workplace, the A-R-CAngel’s ‘Wings’ can be dropped down to allow the operator to work freely over the guardrail, while the ACKBelt remains active. Therefore, if the cage is inadvertently driven into the surrounding infrastructure, with further ACKBelt sections under the upper guardrail, the downward facing ‘Wings’ and the

ACKBelt can detect an impact onto the cage, triggering a safety response. Further, the A-R-C-Angel mountings are designed to accept Proximity Sensors, (Reversing Sensors), so that the operator can be warned of approaching danger before coming into contact, but it can be muted when working close to infrastructure. WHC claims that no other system on the market offers this 3-way protection for MEWP operators.

The A-R-C-Angel can be seen in action at https://whcltd.com/products/a-r-cangel-for-mobile-elevating-work-platforms/