Safety is vital in mining and infrastructure to protect lives and ensure operational integrity. Schmersal India’s innovative safety solutions, featuring advanced interlocks and emergency stop devices, empower operators to respond swiftly in critical situations. This interview discusses how technology enhances safety standards and minimises risks in these demanding industries.

Can you share some insights into how your safety solutions specifically address the unique challenges of the mining & infrastructure industry?
Our safety solutions are designed to meet the unique challenges the mining and infrastructure industries face. We prioritise robust design in our products, ensuring they can withstand harsh environments characterised by extreme temperatures, dust, moisture, and high vibration levels. This engineering guarantees reliable performance even in the most demanding conditions.

Compliance with industry regulations is another cornerstone of our approach. Our solutions adhere to stringent safety standards, including ATEX certification for explosive atmospheres. This compliance provides peace of mind for operators working in potentially hazardous areas, knowing that our products are built to the highest safety benchmarks.

We also incorporate advanced safety features into our offerings. Our safety interlocks, heavy-duty limit switches, belt sway switches, and emergency stop devices, such as the safety pull cord switch for conveyors, include a safe addressing system for online monitoring and diagnostic purposes. These failsafe mechanisms prevent equipment from operating under unsafe conditions, significantly reducing the risk of accidents and enhancing overall workplace safety. We leverage IoT and predictive maintenance technologies in our solutions to help identify potential issues before they lead to failures. This proactive approach minimises downtime and enhances operational efficiency, allowing our customers to maintain smooth operations.

Customisation is also key to our offerings. With an in-house embedded software team, we can develop tailored solutions and dashboards that meet specific customer needs and provide enhanced monitoring and control capabilities. Our safety solutions’ features are tailored to effectively mitigate risks and promote a safer working environment in the mining and infrastructure sectors.

What are the key differentiators of your safety interlocks and limit switches that make them ideal for the heavy-duty environments commonly found in mining projects?
Our safety interlocks and limit switches are specifically designed for heavy-duty environments in mining, thanks to their robust construction and exceptional resistance to harsh conditions such as dust, moisture, and extreme temperatures. We prioritise long-lasting durability in our products, ensuring they perform reliably even in abrasive, high-vibration settings. This reliability translates into precise switching accuracy and fail-safe designs, significantly enhancing operational safety.

In addition to our standard offerings, we provide products specifically designed for ATEX Zone 1 & 2, 21 & 22, all backed by international approvals. This makes us a trusted choice for applications in potentially explosive environments commonly found in mining projects. Our dedicated safety device manufacturing facility in Ranjangaon, Pune, sets us apart in India. This strategic presence aligns perfectly with the ‘Make in India’ initiative, allowing us to deliver locally manufactured, high-quality safety solutions. By leveraging our facility, we can efficiently meet domestic demand while contributing to the global supply chain.

We also offer extensive safety consulting and certification services through our collaboration with Tec. unicum, ensuring our clients adhere to international safety standards. Our commitment to providing cutting-edge training programs and our on-the-ground expertise in India distinguish us from the competition.

How do your electromechanical and electronic safety devices enhance the operational safety of construction equipment such as cranes, hoists, and conveyor systems?
Our electromechanical and electronic safety devices significantly enhance the operational safety of construction equipment such as cranes, hoists, and conveyor systems by providing advanced and reliable protection mechanisms. We engineer these devices to prevent accidents and ensure that machinery operates within safe parameters, even in the demanding environments found on construction sites.

Our safety limit switches, gear switches, and sensors for cranes and hoists closely monitor critical movements, ensuring the equipment does not exceed its safe limits or operate under unsafe conditions. When limits are reached, these devices feature positive break contacts that act as fail-safe switches, automatically triggering safety protocols such as stopping operations or alerting operators to prevent accidents.

Our safety devices, such as safety pull cord switches, interlocks, light curtains, and emergency stop systems, are designed to safeguard workers in conveyor systems. They ensure that equipment halts immediately in emergencies or if safety guards are bypassed. This quick response capability minimises the risk of injury and damage to equipment. We also integrate advanced technologies like Roxon, Dupline, and IoT solutions to enhance safety monitoring and control.

Combining electromechanical and electronic components ensures precision and reliability in our safety solutions. This integration merges mechanical safety devices’ strength with electronic systems’ flexibility and speed, resulting in a safer and more efficient work environment. Our commitment to operational safety protects workers and equipment while ensuring compliance with safety regulations.

What role do your emergency stop devices play in enhancing worker safety, especially in hazardous construction zones where quick action can prevent accidents?
tec.nicum is crucial in ensuring workplace safety by offering comprehensive consulting services. We identify hazards, conduct risk assessments, and select appropriate safety products. Our team guides clients through the implementation of customised safety logic systems, ensuring that all solutions are fully integrated and compliant with relevant standards. We also provide training and certification services to empower our clients to maintain and operate their safety systems effectively. This combination of local manufacturing and expert safety consultancy makes us a complete solution provider, helping clients meet safety requirements while optimising their safety processes.

Our emergency stop devices are essential for enhancing worker safety, especially in hazardous construction zones where rapid response is vital to preventing accidents. These devices offer a reliable way for workers to halt machinery immediately in emergencies, significantly reducing the risk of injury from malfunctioning equipment or unforeseen hazards. In environments where heavy machinery and complex operations are the norm, quick action can be the difference between a near-miss and a serious incident. Our emergency stop solutions are designed for intuitive and easy access, ensuring workers can react swiftly to safeguard personnel and equipment. Their robust design guarantees reliable performance in demanding conditions like dust, vibration, and extreme temperatures. By incorporating our emergency stop devices, construction sites can minimise injury risks, promote a safer working environment, and comply with stringent safety regulations, ultimately protecting workers and reducing downtime due to accidents.

How do you leverage predictive maintenance technologies and IoT in its safety products to ensure that equipment failures and downtime are minimised on large construction sites?
We have a global IT and technology centre in India, the Schmersal Global Competence Centre, which works together. We leverage predictive maintenance technologies and IoT in its safety products by integrating sensors and smart systems that continuously monitor real-time equipment performance. These technologies detect potential issues early, providing data-driven insights to predict maintenance needs before failures occur. We also have an in-house embedded software team that develops customised dashboards tailored to customer requirements, allowing for personalised monitoring and reporting. By identifying wear, malfunctions, or irregularities in advance, Schmersal’s solutions help prevent unexpected equipment downtime on large construction sites. This proactive approach ensures that maintenance can be scheduled at optimal times, minimising disruptions and extending the lifespan of machinery while improving overall site efficiency and safety.

How do your products, such as safety interlocks, emergency stop devices, and sensors, enhance safety for operators and equipment in these conditions?
Our Safety Integrated Solution is designed to meet the necessary safety logic requirements. It incorporates essential components like safety interlocks, emergency stop devices, sensors, and safety interface devices such as safety relays, controllers/PLCs, safety field boxes, and safe addressing systems. These elements enhance the safety of operators and equipment in challenging conditions by providing reliable and immediate responses to potential hazards.

Safety interlocks play a critical role by ensuring that equipment cannot operate when safety guards are removed, or access points are opened, thereby preventing accidental injuries. Emergency stop devices offer operators a quick and easy way to halt machinery in emergencies, minimising the risk of harm and damage to equipment. Our sensors continuously monitor operational parameters, detecting access points and the status of doors to help prevent accidents.

Together, these solutions create a robust safety system that protects operators, ensures compliance with regulations, and reduces the likelihood of accidents in demanding environments.

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