Patent ID: 8849522

Claim:
A safety system comprising: one of more signal transmitters affixed to clothing or equipment of workers; one or more transceivers affixed to a piece of heavy equipment, said transceivers positioned and configured to define a danger zone, said transceivers further configured to receive signals from said one or more signal transmitters affixed to clothing or equipment of workers, said transceivers activated responsive to a transmission of said piece of heavy equipment being in a reverse gear; a controller in communication with said one or more transceivers; a physical mechanism in contact with a parking brake lever of said piece of heavy equipment, said physical mechanism controlled by said controller; wherein said physical mechanism is activated responsive to said controller determining, based on outputs of said one or more transceivers, that one or more signal transmitters are in said danger zone causing said parking brake lever to be moved thereby engaging a parking brake and shifting said transmission into neutral; and a signal transmitter configured to send a message to designated personnel informing said designated personnel of automatic engagement of said parking brake due to one or more signal transmitters being in said danger zone.