Watson Fuels and manufacturer Cobo have developed an award-winning solution to keep engineers working at height on fuel tankers safe.
The integrated safety runners are built directly onto a tanker’s structure and removes the risk to operatives stepping onto a tanker from an access ladder, as they clip their harness straight into the runner before stepping onto the vehicle.
The companies said a patent application has been submitted for the design and it has already been recognised with a Fuel Distribution Association (UKIFDA) Innovation Award at UKIFDA’s annual conference.
Daniel Brain, COO at Watson Fuels, said: “Working on top of a tanker has always presented challenges. While a number of safety systems already exist, many introduce additional risks, inefficiencies or operational complexity.
“We knew there had to be a better way, so we worked with Cobo to develop a system which removed compromise altogether.”
The system was developed to tackle common issues faced by operatives, including time‑consuming installation and maintenance and repeated clipping and unclipping, which creates unsafe transition points.
The companies added that solutions have previously been limited to heavy or costly equipment requiring specialist facilities, which are burdened with a slow and inefficient setup process.
Joby Clark, UK operations manager at Cobo, said: “In the space of six weeks, we went from discussing the initial idea to designing a prototype that is completely new to our industry.
“The creation of this solution reflects the joint commitment of Watson Fuels and Cobo to continuous improvement, practical innovation and raising safety standards across our sector.”
