AI technology drives next step in safety for Joseph Gallagher’s £1m excavator investment
Joseph Gallagher Group has taken the next step in intelligent safety with a £1 million investment in five new AI-equipped Hitachi excavators.
The new machines, including 22-tonne and 35-tonne models, feature Hitachi’s Safety Shield system, combining AI-powered human recognition, height and slew restriction, and in-cab visual and audible alerts. The technology enhances operator awareness by detecting personnel in proximity to the machine and filtering out non-human movement, reducing collision risk and operator distraction.
Technology that protects people
The Safety Shield system uses AI-enabled cameras to monitor activity around the excavator and alert the operator when someone enters a safety zone. Designed to recognise human form with a claimed 99.6% accuracy rate, it filters out other movement to reduce false alerts and help operators maintain focus.
Each excavator also includes a digital thumbs-up display mounted on the cab. When ground teams need to approach, the operator stops the machine, isolates the controls and confirms it is safe by pressing an in-cab button. A bright thumbs-up symbol then appears on the external display, signalling that the machine is secure and can be approached safely.
This clear, visual signal modernises the familiar on-site gesture, improving communication between operators and ground teams. Together with height and slew restrictions, which limit machine movement near structures or overhead hazards, the system helps everyone on site understand when it’s safe to move and when to hold back.
Reinforcing LIFE across every project
Our LIFE (Living Incident Free Everyday) culture is about personal responsibility, communication and care for others - the behaviours that shape how we plan, work and lead every day.
By combining these principles with new AI technology, Joseph Gallagher Group continues to strengthen awareness, collaboration and accountability across all operations.
The people-plant interface remains one of the key risks not only within our business but across the sector. It’s imperative we stay at the forefront of reducing this risk, and this investment ensures we remain at the leading edge, helping our people live incident free, every day.
These excavators will be deployed across projects throughout the UK, including the Liverpool Bay / HyNet North West carbon capture programme, supporting complex tunnelling and infrastructure works.
Through sustained investment in people, plant, and technology, Joseph Gallagher Group continues to shape the future of UK infrastructure delivery.
Tagged with: