Patent ID: 7699157

Claim:
A safety arrangement for use with a piece of equipment, the safety arrangement comprising: a signal generating unit for generating an optical signal; an elongate element to be permanently disposed along, about, around or through the piece of equipment and positioned and oriented so that an operator can manually pull the elongate element to alter an operating condition of the piece of equipment, the elongate element being capable of transmitting an optical signal; and a signal detecting unit for detecting an optical signal; the signal generating unit being connected to the signal detecting unit by the elongate element, such that the signal detecting unit is in optical communication with the signal generating unit, the signal detecting unit being arranged to detect a change in the optical signal transmitted by the elongate element as a consequence of movement of the elongate element by interaction from the operator and, upon detection of the change in the signal, the detecting unit is configured to effect a change in the operation of the piece of equipment; and wherein the signal generating unit comprises a laser.