(Left) Warning reminder right up on door jamb where operator has to see it when reaching in for mast lever mounted on wall to left of intercom mic and switcher. 1" stick-on letters are good and will last if surface is cleaned well first.
 
 

  The truck on the right had a dual rear tire set-up installed as a concept to try and deal with excess wear and handling issues. It worked. The truck reportedly drives much better, and tire wear issues are a thing of the past.

A lightning detector which is about the size of a pager, and priced at $79. The small portable "StrikeAlert" unit is being used and tested by a station or two, and some corporate safety people have looked at this sort of device as well.   http://www.weathershop.com/strikealert.htm There's also a vehicle moounted detector.
 

From friend Tony Germin of GVE, Canada <gve@sympatico.ca>   is one of two wireless mast controllers...one way of designing a push-a-button,  look-up-and-see-if-it's-working device.  Steve Pinkley from Will-Burt is shown demonstrating another at last year's NAB. His IR remote device was made by Paul Bickford of Bickford Broadcast Vehicles.                     [to top of page]   

 Frontline has designed and built a safety railing system which allows for maintaining the overall height of a vehicle when driving, and creating a compliant rail-height when operating.  This is not an issue to be taken lightly, as damage from falling equipment can be expensive, as can be the liability of an injured bystander. Also, if there is any sort of investigation resulting in a citation, lack of fall protection fines are expensive!!

The folks at KIRO figured an earlier warning than the mast hitting an overhead abutment might save some bucks in the long run, and they produced an "earlier" warning system.  It's made up of simple parts: 3’-3” pvc pipe, 2-2” galvanize flanges, 1-2” galvanized pipe nipple-6” in length, 3-5/16” x 3” stainless bolts, 3-5/16” nylock nuts, 1-5/16” chain- 2 feet, 2-3/8” x 3” stainless bolts, 4-3/8” fender washers, 2-3/8” stainless steel nylocks, 1-2” pvc cap, 1-5/16” stainless steel eyehook, 1-5/16” stainless steel fender washer.    

The AVEC "Mast Voice" is a great way of providing an aural warning to mast operators who are typically busy with their visual and tactile senses. Recordable messages can be played back while the mast is being raised and lowered.  Warning signs need to be noticed and read, but their advantage is that they can be read by passers by, and errors potentiually spotted. With an aural warning, the message comes to those in the range of hearing it, and of an opeational error was being made, anyone hearing the warning might alert a distracted operator.                                                                     

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Highland Mast Safety has developed a device which attaches to the gearshift lever on a typical truck or van that signals if the vehicle is in Park or not, allowing the connection of a closure which can do many things.  (A view from above left - The dash sensor is the rectangular object to the left to the left-hand red light; the shift sensor is the rectangular object with the cylindrical extrusion beneath the gearshift lever.)  It has a 102db warbling alarm siren attached to the underside of the van's dash with velcro for ease of installation. http://www.highlandnet.com/mastalarm will get you to it.