Rope and Sling Specialists Ltd. (RSS) has been named the sole UK distributor for The Buddie System, an instant wireless safety alert device that sounds an alarm in a crane cab if a slinger or rigger pulls a breakaway clip on a lanyard.

Designed for crane operators and those working below-the-hook, The Buddie System is an emergency back-up to standard communication protocols, such as two-way radios. A quick snap on the lanyard activates an alarm, which sends a signal to the crane operator.

RSS offers a comprehensive portfolio of lifting and rigging products, in addition to live365 digitalisation and compliance technology. It supplies blocks, shackles, hooks, slings, harnesses, and other rigging gear — all covered by periodic Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) inspections — to some of the UK’s most notable joint ventures, consortiums, large-scale infrastructure projects, and blue chip firms.

The Buddie System is a unique concept that will be of interest to an existing customer base that includes crane rental firms and those engaged in contract lifting. With origins in Australia, it has been welcomed by those working on construction and high-rise projects, but there is no limit to its application in outdoor and indoor environments, even with electric overhead travelling and gantry cranes.

Steve Hutin, managing director at RSS, said: “We were immediately interested in onboarding The Buddie System upon seeing demonstrations and noting synergies between the stories our Australian peers were sharing about working below-the-hook on busy construction sites. The product was conceptualised following an incident where interference blocked radio communication between a rigger and a crane operator — and the former is lucky to have escaped serious injury or death.”

Snap. Alert. Stop

RSS will adopt the tagline for The Buddie System — Snap. Alert. Stop — which captures both the simplicity and effectiveness of a product that will bring immediate safety benefits to any crane application where the operator and rigger are working at a distance and out of sight. The product is capable of communicating over 1,000m.

There are numerous scenarios when someone working below-the-hook might need to bring a lifting operation to an immediate stop, including when a rigger has become incapacitated; a radio is running out of battery; a radio loses signal; or a worker becomes caught in machinery or rigging gear. While modern crane cabs are often fitted with cameras, with The Buddie System, they don’t have to be watching the screen to become aware of an emergency.

Hutin added: “UK riggers commonly wear lanyards fitted with whistles and other safety devices, but in most instances, the crane driver is too far away to hear or see the issues before it’s too late. This revolutionary concept maintains a constant link to the cab. We have seen many product demonstrations and it’s remarkable how user-friendly it is; pairing and set-up couldn’t be simpler.”

One crane device can pair with up to 10 lanyards, while multiple systems can be used on a single construction site. Each kit comes with a crane device; aerial; magnetic mount; suction cup mount; mounting arm; charging cable; USB adaptor; Allen (hex) key; and user manual.

• The Buddie System was a popular feature at last November’s LiftEx show at Exhibition Centre Liverpool. It is now available nationwide via RSS’s national network of depots.

Caption: The Buddie System is an instant wireless safety alert device that sounds an alarm in a crane cab.

Contact for editorial enquiries: Steve Hutin, managing director, Rope and Sling Specialists Ltd., steve@rssgroup.co.uk