Safety

Bucket Truck Safety System – SlopeMax a Smarter Solution for Safer Operation on Uneven Surfaces

Bucket Truck Safety System – SlopeMax is an innovative passive safety system that improves both operator safety and job site efficiency. The advantages of SlopeMax will be felt most by fleets and contractors that operate in hilly and mountainous areas, where the slope of the job site exceeds five degrees. SlopeMax by Versalift increases your productivity, and it decreases any operator’s capacity to use a bucket truck in an unsafe or illegal way.

Bucket Truck rentals create a compelling reason to have a passive on-board safety system as it improves safe working envelopes regardless of the training and expertise of the operator.

Aerial Lift guidelines by ANSI have until recently officially recommended that bucket trucks be limited to working on slopes of up to five degrees. This limitation served to make technicians safer, and to prevent tip-overs and other serious accidents. Newly updated ANSI A92.2 aerial lift standards simply state that operators should follow the direction of manufacturers, and with SlopeMax, Versalift makes it safe to operate on a base slope of greater than five degrees. Until SlopeMax, there has not been a way to safely operate a bucket truck on steep hills or uneven terrain, where slope is greater than 5 degrees. Now operators can operate on slopes of five to ten degrees, albeit with a reduced lower boom function in some cases. SlopeMax is available on several Versalift SST and VST models.

Aerial Lift Safety System – SlopeMax – Technical Explanation

Bucket Truck Safety System -SlopeMax is a passive system of sensors that keeps operators safer by measuring the slope angle of the surface and boom, and by limiting the horizontal reach via the lower boom function whenever it is necessary. This allows work to be completed in rougher and more uneven terrain.

TRUGUARD™ SAFETY SYSTEM – EXPLAINER VIDEO
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TruGuard™ aerial lift safety system by Versalift is unique because it ensures the upper control panel, and everything in and on it, are isolated from the rest of the aerial lift. Constantly innovating, the newest version of the  TruGuard™ system includes a 40% increase in the insulation gap making Versalift insulated aerial lifts the safest in the industry.

“Invisible to the operator, TruGuard™ acts like an airbag or seatbelt – there in case of an incident. It does not alter the operational performance of the aerial lift in any way, and does not require additional training.” – James Christian, VP Engineering, Versalift

James Christian, Versalift’s Director of Engineering, designed the TruGuard™ system with his team. “We have worked hard to create a way to provide a way to make aerial lift operators in the electric utility industry as safe as possible.  It is an inherently dangerous work environment, and accidents happen. Linemen need to able to use the rugged, dependable controls and tool systems that they are familiar with while having that added protection from energization.”

As is the case with all product development at Versalift, TruGuard™ has been heavily tested in extreme pressure and temperature conditions. Keeping the operator as safe is the number one priority for Versalift, and in this new design there is no additional equipment maintenance needed. Wipe it down with a rag and it will be there to protect you. The sealed design prevents internal hoses from contamination which makes TruGuard™ incredibly simple and reliable.

In an accident, when asked by a judge, was there anything that could have prevented injury from electric shock, TruGuard™ is the answer.  

TruGuard™ comes included on every insulated Versalift aerial lift sold at no cost to the buyer. “Our goal is to bring the safest products to market. Safety should be expected, it should be free” – Curt Howell, CEO

TRUGUARD™ SAFETY SYSTEM – PROMO VIDEO
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TruGuard™ Facts At A Glance

• TruGuard™ is the world’s first system that effectively isolates the entire upper control area and tool outlets from an energized boom-tip.
• The TruGuard™ Safety System is designed to need very little maintenance at all.
• There are no moving parts or links and the insulating section is protected with a shell cover from external damage and contamination.  
• TruGuard™ exceeds ANSI A92.2 standards for dielectric isolation.
• Absolutely no training is required in the use of TruGuard™
• TruGuard™ comes standard on every Versalift insulated aerial lift.

TruGuard™ provides an additional layer of protection between linemen and high-voltage environments.
TruGuard™ represents a quantum leap in safety technology for insulated bucket trucks, providing aerial lift operators with the highest levels of dielectric protection available on the market today. Injury from electric shock is is quite common in the electric utility industry, and is often extremely severe. TruGuard™ provides an additional layer of dielectric protection to linemen at the platform. By completely isolating the upper controls, TruGuard™ provides far more complete protection than any plastic handle can offer. With TruGuard™, hydraulic tools can be safely used at the platform, allowing linemen to use the tools that they prefer to use.

“Anything you can incorporate into a piece of equipment to provide safety is paramount. That’s what takes us home to our families. That’s what it’s all about.” – Electric Power Distribution Lineman