Working in collaboration with technology partner Safety Shield Global and Ardent Hire Solutions, all forklift telehandlers will be fitted with collision avoidance artificial intelligence cameras.

These cameras can detect a human shape at a distance of 1m from the sides and 3m from the rear triggering alarms both inside and outside of the machinery.

Michelle Dearsley, Group Health and Safety Director, Countryside, said: “With the second highest number of fatalities in the construction sector in 2020 due to collisions with moving vehicles, the introduction of the proximity cameras on forklifts on all Countryside sites is a key stepping stone in preventing future accidents and keeping both our workforce and the community safe.”

Jonathan Guest, CEO at Safety Shield Global, added: “Safety Shield is the most advanced AI collision avoidance system available for mobile plant and machinery and Countryside will be the world’s first developer to adopt the technology which will improve overall behaviour and safety across their sites.”