A method for controlling personal protective equipment. The method includes positioning of a person equipped with personal protective equipment next to an electrical enclosure, wherein a specific personal protective equipment requirement is defined for the electrical enclosure. The method further includes scanning the personal protective equipment in a contact-less manner while the person is next to the electrical enclosure. Thereby scanned personal protective equipment information are generated. The method further includes comparing the scanned personal protective equipment information with the specific personal protective equipment requirement and evaluating, based on the comparison, whether the personal protective equipment is in accordance with the specific personal protective equipment requirement. The method further includes providing a feedback indicating whether or not the personal protective equipment is in accordance with the specific personal protective equipment requirement.

Electronic badges are indirectly tracked by detecting, by a badge communicator on a select industrial vehicle of a fleet of industrial vehicles, the presence of an electronic badge and performing a badge logging transaction in response to detecting the electronic badge. The badge logging transaction includes receiving, by the badge communicator, a badge identifier transmitted by the detected electronic badge. The badge logging transaction also includes determining, by the badge communicator, an offset measurement of the electronic badge relative to the select industrial vehicle, electronically determining a vehicle location of the select industrial vehicle, and identifying a badge location based upon the determined vehicle location and the measured offset. The badge logging transaction can also include generating a time stamp, and wirelessly communicating a badge locator message to a remote server, the badge locator message including the badge identifier, the badge location, and the timestamp.

The disclosure relates to systems and methods for determining and adjusting an allowable maximum speed of a machine for movement in a workspace. One or more sensors monitoring the workspace are arranged to obtain a three-dimensional view of the workspace. Raw data from each of the sensors is acquired and analyzed to determine the positioning and spatial relationship between the human and machine as both move throughout the workspace. This captured data is analyzed to determine a safety protocol that includes a maximum allowable speed for each of various axes of movements for the machine, wherein the safety protocol decreases the maximum allowable speed of the machine only along the one or more axes of movement where the movement of the machine approaches the human.

An apparatus for identifying when an individual is in proximity to an object having a length has a sensor portion having a wire loop through which electric current runs and creates an electromagnetic field that emanates about the wire loop. The wire loop extending along at least a third of the length of the object. The apparatus has a personal alarm device that is worn by the individual which detects the presence of the magnetic field emanating from the wire loop when the personal alarm device is in the magnetic field and produces a signal indicating the personal alarm device is within the magnetic field. Alternatively, the sensor portion extends from a contiguous boundary up to 500 meters, where the boundary has a geometry that is linear or meandering. A head piece for an individual's head. A method for identifying when an individual is in proximity to an object. A field extension module. A proximity device.

A proximity alert system for tracking one or more persons in proximity of heavy equipment is provided. The proximity alert system includes a database configured to store identifying data and an identification code of an asset in a worksite, one or more beacons configured to transmit a low energy transmission including an identification code, and one or more receiving units attached to one or more pieces within a worksite configured to detect and transmit data related to the one or more beacons to the database. When an asset is detected as being in dangerous proximity to a piece of equipment, an alert is emitted from the receiving unit.

A safety system is provided for a machine tool which has a frame and a tool. The safety system has a clamping device and a motion device. The clamping device is movable by the motion device from a working position, in which the tool is extended and can be used for working, to a safety position, in which the tool is retracted. The motion device has a first magnetic means connected to or arranged on the tool and a second magnetic means connected to or arranged on the frame, such that movement of the tool by the motion device from the working position to the safety position can be triggered and/or at least partially performed by magnetic force.

A power tool and methods are provided for detecting objects (e.g., flesh or other materials) in the operating path of a power tool's output component (e.g., saw blade or drill bit). An object detection sensor in the power tool generates an output signal indicative of a type of material detected in the operating path of the power tool. A power tool controller receives the object detection sensor output and determines when a material in the operating path of the power tool changes. The controller changes operation of a motor of the power tool (e.g., increasing or decreasing speed or stopping the motor) in response to the detected material change. The object detection sensor may include, for example, an RF sensor, a capacitive sensor, a camera, a conductivity probe, or an ultrasound probe.

A safety system and a method having a safety system for localizing and identifying a person or an object, a control and evaluation unit, at least one radio location system, and having at least one identification sensor for identifying the person or the object, wherein a marking is arranged on the person or on the object, wherein the radio location system has arranged radio stations, wherein at least one radio transponder is arranged on the person or on the object, wherein position data of the person or of the object can be determined by means of the radio location system, and wherein the position data can be transmitted from the radio station of the radio location system to the control and evaluation unit, and identification data from the marking on the person or the object can be determined by means of the identification sensor.

Machines with safety systems are disclosed. The machine may take the form of woodworking machines including table saws, band saws, miter saws, hand-held circular saws, pneumatic chop saws, radial-arm saws, jointers, planars, routers and shapers. The machines may include an operative structure configured to perform a task, where the operative structure includes a cutting tool adapted to move in at least one motion, and a safety system adapted to detect the occurrence of an unsafe condition between a person and the cutting tool and for mitigating the unsafe condition. The safety system may include a detection subsystem and a reaction subsystem. The machine may also include a bypass or override mode where in an injury mitigation system is disabled for certain cuts.

The present disclosure generally relates to a method for performing industrial automation control may include detecting, via a sensor system, positions and/or motions of a human in an industrial automation system, determining at least one derivative value from the detected positions and/or motions, and determining a possible automation command and an undesirable condition based upon the detected positions and/or motions and the at least one derivative value. The method may then include implementing a control and/or notification action based upon the determined possible automation command and the undesired condition.