Intermat 24
Digger Man

Digger Man Blog

by Nick Drew  |  Thu 05 Jul 2018

NRI Civils first to adopt JCB SITESAFE dumper cabs

Northants groundworks specialist NRI Civils is leading the way in site safety with the purchase of 25 JCB site dumpers, all equipped with the new JCB SiTESAFE cab. A mix of 6-tonne 6T-1 swivel tip and 9-tonne capacity 9T-1 forward-tip models, the site dumpers form part of a substantial investment in JCB machinery that also incorporates 20 excavators including zero tailswing JZ141 and 85Z-1 models.

NRI Civils first to adopt JCB SITESAFE dumper cabs
NRI Civils was formed in 2012, specialising in groundworks and infrastructure for house building, hospitals, schools and industrial projects. Working throughout Northants, Cambridgeshire and into the Midlands, NRI has always focussed on health and safety, achieving both SMAS Worksafe Contractor and CHAS Accredited Contractor status. Contracts Manager Mark Radford said: “We are always keen to be first with health and safety and we wanted to be the first out there with the JCB cab.” Indeed, the company has taken the very first 9T-1 site dumper equipped with the SiTESAFE cab from JCB. In recognition of the event, but in line with the firm’s policy of naming each of its machines after staff family members and children, the 9T-1 has been named Lord Bamford and given the fleet number 073, in recognition of JCB’s 73 years in business. NRI trialled the site dumpers before purchasing from local dealer Watling JCB. The machines have all been supplied with an extended warranty and a four-year repair and maintenance contract through Watling. Mr Radford said: “We’re very happy with JCB and the back-up through Watling JCB has been fantastic. All of the drivers were very impressed with the JCB site dumpers and even when it’s dry and dusty they are driving with the doors closed.” The 6T-1 and 9T-1 dumpers are equipped with initial movement alarm, drive inhibit system, forward facing camera, green seat-belt beacons and high visibility orange lap belts. As well as providing protection from a rollover or a falling object, JCB’s SiTESAFE cab incorporates a protective front windscreen, toughened side and rear glazing along with reinforced frame. The cab has been tested to withstand a front dump impact or a side slewing impact, from a 13-tonne excavator. Based on the increased level of protection offered, it is then risk assessment specific as to whether an operator can remain in the cab while being loaded. Allowing the operator to remain safely inside the cab during loading - rather than having to dismount while the excavator fills the skip - greatly improves site safety. It reduces the number of pedestrians on site, cutting waiting times for the loading machine and making life more comfortable for the operator, particularly in inclement weather. The cab is equipped with heating and de-misting vents as standard. There is excellent visibility to the front, sides and rear of the machine from the cab, with a standard forward-facing camera. Additional cameras, mirrors and radar systems can easily be supplied. The wide-opening doors can be fixed in the open position without extending beyond the dumper’s rear bodywork, while flat glazing all round keeps replacement costs to a minimum. The seat base has the space to tilt within the cab structure for access to the top of the engine and transmission and the cab can easily be removed for more serious maintenance work. In addition, the one-piece engine canopy tilts upwards to provide easy ground-level access to the engine and cooling system, with a side door for daily checks. With an expanding client list and new projects starting across the region, NRI Civils is expanding rapidly. The company now employs more than 200 staff and its original 16-strong plant fleet has grown to more than 60 machines.  

Loads more