More than 15 years ago, SiteZone Safety helped introduce proximity warning systems to the UK waste and recycling sector. Today, the technology is used on over 220 sites to help protect people from the risks of moving vehicles.
Over that time, SiteZone developed a deep understanding of what works in real-world operating environments.
Gary Escott, Managing Director and Co-Founder of SiteZone comments,
“We’ve learnt a lot over the years about what works and what doesn’t on a diverse mix of sites. And there’s a trend in the industry we’ve seen with the combining of technologies.”
It’s this learning that led to the launch of AVA and ZARA. Two new products that combine with SiteZone’s existing Proximity Warning Systems to deliver best in class Detection, Awareness, and Analysis.
AVA (Alert and Visual Awareness) combines SiteZone’s proven proximity warning system with AI-powered human form recognition cameras.
By linking two complementary technologies, AVA delivers more reliable detection and greater driver awareness than a camera system alone. You benefit from complete detection, system redundancy, and simplified data analysis.
ZARA (Zone Aware, Risk Alert) creates a dynamic exclusion zone light around a vehicle or machine. When a person enters the vehicle’s exclusion zone and is detected by the proximity warning system, the light flashes as an additional warning.
Gary goes on to say,
“Our journey with intelligent cameras started back in 2012.
Back then it was called video content analysis. The system could recognise a person and draw that familiar box around them. But the technology was large, expensive, and not something you could realistically deploy on a vehicle.
Then in 2022 we introduced Snapshot — integrating video evidence capture with our proximity warning system.
Through that journey we learnt what works, what customers need, and where the real safety gaps are. And that learning led to AVA.”
Cameras alone cannot reliably detect pedestrians in every situation. Blind spots, poor lighting, adverse weather, obstructions, stockpiles, buckets/loads, and close-range proximity all limit camera effectiveness.
SiteZone’s tag-based proximity warning system does not rely on line of sight, allowing it to operate reliably in conditions where cameras may struggle.
By combining both technologies, operators gain dependable detection together with enhanced visual awareness and management have targeted incident and near miss analysis.
AVA and ZARA represent the next step in pedestrian safety for the waste and recycling industry.