Why Toyota SEnS Makes So Much Sense

OSHA estimates that forklifts cause nearly 35,000 serious injuries and 85 fatalities in U.S. facilities each year. The sad truth is that every forklift accident is preventable. In fact, 70% of forklift accidents are caused by operator error. Forklift proximity sensors like Toyota SEnS and SEnS+ are one of the best ways to reduce operator error and make your forklift fleet safer. Read on to learn how Toyota SEnS and SEnS+ increase operator awareness and proactively protect your workforce.

What Does a Forklift Proximity Sensor Do for You?

You might have heard the saying, "The best defense is a good offense." That's true in sports and pedestrian safety. While there are myriad pedestrian safety products on the market, most put the burden of safety on the person with the least opportunity to enforce it: the pedestrian. Signs and warning lights are great for letting pedestrians know that a forklift is in the area. Still, the pedestrian has no ability to ensure the forklift operator stays alert.

Forklift proximity sensors change all that. They actively scan the environment around the forklift and identify obstacles and pedestrians. After spotting a hazard, the system alerts the driver, ensuring a pedestrian doesn’t go unnoticed. This reduces collisions and prevents many would-be accidents.

The Economics of Pedestrian Safety

It is nearly impossible to put a price on the human suffering caused by a forklift accident. The emotional damage and toll on company morale have an enormous impact on your productivity, affecting your organization for months if not years. More tangible, however, are the lost work hours, fines, and medical expenses that carve into your company's bottom line. On average, a forklift accident victim loses 17 days of work. The associated fines and medical expenses cost their employer approximately $42,000 per incident, with fatalities costing closer to $1,340,000. By comparison, forklift proximity sensors for your fleet are inexpensive. Even better, after-market models like the Toyota SEnS make adding these sensors to your existing Toyota fleet easier than ever.

What Are the Benefits of Toyota SEnS?

Toyota’s forklift proximity sensor system comes in two levels: the Smart Environment Sensor (SEnS) and the SEnS+. SEnS is available as an after-market add-on to a variety of existing Toyota forklifts, including IC and electric forklift models.

Stereoscopic Camera

SEnS features a rear-mounted stereoscopic camera that detects objects and pedestrians up to 32 feet away. This range is farther than many competing models, giving the SEnS one of the best detection fields on the market. A longer range means the operator has more time to respond to pedestrians in the truck’s travel path.

Audio and Visual Alerts

When SEnS detects an obstacle, it alerts the driver with a combination of audio and visual signals. Many competing systems rely on color-coded lights and chimes to indicate proximity to an obstruction. However, these signals are easy to miss in noisy environments or when an operator isn't alert, thus defeating the system's purpose. SEnS, on the other hand, uses a combination of flashing lights and buzzers to alert the driver to a hazard. Both increase in frequency and intensity as the forklift approaches the object. This combination makes the warning system hard to miss, even in difficult working conditions.

How Is Toyota SEnS+ Even Better?

SEnS+ represents an advancement in Toyota’s forklift proximity sensor technology. It features all the benefits of the original SEnS with the exception that SEnS+ is only available on new Toyota forklifts. In addition, it adds a few new safety features that elevate it above the competition.

Active Movement Limitation

The SEnS+ integrates directly into the forklift's operating system. This allows the proximity sensor to be more active in pedestrian safety. When SEnS+ detects an obstacle behind a stationary forklift, it automatically limits the movement speed of the vehicle to reduce the chances of a collision.

Dynamic Speed Adjustments

This active collision protection extends to traveling forklifts as well. The sensor system adjusts its detection thresholds based on the forklift’s speed and direction. This allows it to accommodate for turns without issuing unnecessary notifications. Additionally, SEnS+ automatically limits speed when pedestrians are detected in the travel path. Similarly, the obstruction alert threshold dynamically adjusts with forklift speed to limit extraneous alerts and ensure the operator never tunes out the lights or buzzer.

Your Pedestrian Safety Partner

Don't let operator error put your facility at risk. Invest in the solutions you need to protect your staff and bottom line. With over a century of experience, our expert team has the know-how you need to find the best solution for your operation. Don't become another statistic. Contact us online or visit one of our locations to learn more about Toyota SEnS and SEnS+:

Arkansas - Jonesboro
Alabama - Dothan, Irondale, Mobile, and Montgomery
Mississippi - Tupelo and Richland
Tennessee - Jackson and Memphis

Further Reading
Top 4 Forklift Operator Bad Habits
Electric Forklifts in the Rain
OSHA Forklift Pedestrian Safety 101: Enhance Safety Around Forklifts