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From The Cover
Road Widener’s Offset Vibratory Roller can be attached to almost any grader, compact track loader, wheel loader or skid steer — immediately solving the safety issues seen with traditional ride-on compaction rollers.
The Road to Safety Starts with Stability: How offset compaction roller attachments ensure a safer jobsite By LYNN MARSH | Road Widener LLC President
(All images courtesy of Road Widener LLC)
Safety is the highest priority on construction jobsites, but not all equipment helps attain safety goals. In 2020, more than 174,100 injuries and 124 deaths occurred on construction sites in the United States. Unfortunately, those statistics only encompass reported cases. Many jobsite accidents and near misses — with potentially dire consequences — are never reported. The United States Department of Transportation made a move toward improving safety with its initiative to reduce traffic fatalities to zero by 2050. The Moving to Zero movement, combined with skyrocketing insurance premiums, is prompting manufacturers to focus on innovative safety solutions. Ride-on compaction equipment is a prime example of a potentially problematic design, especially on uneven or side-sloped surfaces. It is not uncommon for road construction crews to witness a silent rollover, watching their crewmember jump to safety when the equipment they
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are operating unexpectedly gives way to gravity while compacting a steep slope. To combat these issues, Road Widener created a safer alternative that ensures operators remain safe on flat ground during compaction, all through the form of an attachment. The safety is in the design This new approach to compaction is achieved by relocating the drum to a remote-controlled offset arm that can be attached to almost any grader, compact track loader, wheel loader or skid steer — immediately
