Around forklifts and machinery, Viewtech detects danger instantly.

Safety is an ongoing challenge in workplaces where heavy machinery like forklifts and graders operate alongside high-speed systems. Now, a new technology called ViewtechAi is helping Kiwi businesses detect danger before it turns into disaster.

“Every workplace faces unique safety challenges,” says Darren Jenkinson, founder of Viewtech. “ViewtechAi is designed to address those risks in real time, identifying issues faster than humans ever could.”

The AI-powered system, mounted on vehicles or machinery similar to a reversing camera, detects pedestrians and vehicles in just 0.01 seconds. When a risk is identified, it instantly alerts operators or nearby workers and, in critical situations, can automatically shut down the machinery to prevent collisions.

Jenkinson says this ability to proactively alert both a worker and a driver to a potential impact is “gold” for companies navigating such risks. “Forklifts operating around people are widely recognised as one of the biggest safety challenges in the workplace. This technology is making significant strides in improving safety for those working near machinery.”

ViewtechAi is versatile and can be applied to machinery across industries including mining, roadworking, and agriculture. Major companies like Fonterra and Fulton Hogan already use the system, reflecting its value in high-risk environments.

Its benefits extend beyond immediate prevention, too, Jenkinson says. ViewtechAi also records and uploads video clips of detection events, allowing businesses to analyse incidents and refine safety practices.

Workplace injury snapshot: New Zealand's safety challenges

Workplace safety remains a critical issue in New Zealand, as this 2022 data plainly illustrates:

  • 87 injury claims were lodged per 1000 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees
  • 63 workplace fatalities were recorded across the country
  • Manufacturing had the highest injury rate, with 152 claims per 1000 FTEs
  • Construction reported the most total claims, with 38,000, making up 17% of all claims
  • Trades workers accounted for 39,600 claims, representing 18% of the total since 2007
  • Plant and machine operators made 8500 entitlement claims, equating to 21% of ACC entitlement claims.

(Source: MBIE – Work Health and Safety System Issues and Opportunities)

These figures show why advanced safety solutions like ViewtechAi are essential. Jenkinson says WorkSafe now requires the system for businesses with serious injuries, highlighting its role in preventing accidents and improving workplace safety. Moreover, the technology is not confined to vehicles. It proves equally effective in high-risk environments such as high-speed warehouse doors or hazardous machinery zones.

“We’ve deployed systems in stationary applications, such as high-speed doorways in warehouses,” he says. “If a forklift is about to come flying through, the system can let the operator know that there’s a 99.9% chance someone is in the way on the other side.”

One of the standout features of ViewtechAi is its simplicity. The AI-powered detection eliminates the need for workers to wear vests or transponders, fitting easily into existing systems.

“The camera itself has been pre-trained with all the learning and imaging completed before deployment,” Jenkinson says. “This ensures 99.9% accuracy in human detection, even when people are partially obscured, whether it’s just an arm or a leg sticking out from behind cartons, boxes, or machinery.”

Reversing cameras have long been used to help operators see behind large vehicles, but ViewtechAi takes this to the next level. “Cameras now truly have the operator’s back, detecting someone before they even appear on the screen. It’s a significant step forward in preventing serious injuries.”

For Jenkinson, this journey started with a passion for technology. “I worked for one of the largest telcos for a long time and naturally started playing with cameras and CCTV equipment. It’s been a progression from there,” he says.

Since forming the company in 2006, he has worked hard to ensure the technology has evolved to be both accessible and practical. “Every Joe Bloggs has a reversing camera in his car now, and knows how to use it. It’s a natural progression. It’s still an aid; it doesn’t mean driver training goes out the window, but it adds another layer of safety.”

ViewtechAi is all about making people safer and workplaces more secure. “This really is a game-changer,” Jenkinson says.

Discover how ViewtechAi is enhancing workplace safety at viewtech.co.nz.