Proximity Detection Solution
Proximity Detection for Safer Machine-to-Machine and Machine-to-Human Interactions On-Site
viAct AI watches what humans can’t—tracking blind zones and moving giants in real time. It spots risky distances between machines and people or machine-to-machine near-misses, firing instant alerts that prevent crashes, protect crews, and keep complex worksites running smoothly and safely.
Proximity Detection brings AI precision to industrial safety by identifying unsafe distances between heavy machinery, equipment, and workers before incidents occur. Whether it’s a congested factory floor, an active construction zone, or a high-risk industrial plant, unmonitored proximity can result in collisions, injuries, and costly disruptions.
viAct uses standard CCTV or IP cameras along with proprietary video analytics to continuously track machinery movement and worker positioning in real time, defining dynamic safety zones around operating equipment; detecting unsafe interactions and triggering instant alerts when two machines come too close or when a worker enters a hazardous zone.
Unlike manual supervision, which struggles with fatigue and blind spots, this AI-powered system ensures round-the-clock vigilance. Proximity Detection operates 24/7, logs every violation event, and integrates effortlessly into existing safety workflows.
The result is a smarter, safer jobsite where EHS teams can proactively prevent near-misses, ensure compliance with safety protocols, reduce operational downtime, and build a strong safety culture across heavy industry environments.
Why Proximity Detection Is Difficult in Heavy Industry Work Environments?
Proximity-related incidents continue to pose serious safety threats across heavy industries like construction, manufacturing, logistics, and mining—especially in dynamic sites where machinery, workers, and tasks constantly shift. The issue isn’t just inattentiveness but the complexity of real-time spatial awareness across large, cluttered environments filled with moving machines and people.
Common proximity safety lapses include:
● Heavy machinery operating in tight zones without defined safety buffers
● Blind spots between large equipment obstructing operator visibility
● Simultaneous machine operations leading to unintended interactions
● Workers entering active machine zones without detection
● Lack of synchronization between manned and unmanned machines
● Delayed communication between site teams during high-traffic operations
● Inadequate monitoring in low-light or night shift conditions
● Absence of real-time alerts for unsafe proximity breaches
● Workers distracted by noise or fatigue entering active equipment zones unnoticed
Even brief moments of inattention or misalignment can result in costly equipment damage or life-threatening injuries.
Despite trained operators and safety protocols, EHS teams often struggle to maintain visibility over all moving components on-site. Fast-paced, multi-shift operations increase the risk of missed hazards. That’s where AI-powered Proximity Detection from viAct transforms regular CCTV into a smart safety tool that monitors machine-to-machine and machine-to-human proximity in real time, enabling alerts, action, and smarter incident prevention.
Where Is Proximity Detection Needed Most?
Collisions, near misses, or even fatalities can occur when workers inadvertently steps near heavy machinery equipment without real-time situational awareness. Proximity Detection by viAct use computer vision to offer advanced alerts to prevent accidents.
Oil & Gas Facilities for Remote Maintenance
Oil rigs, refineries, and maintenance yards with mobile equipment pose high risks due to limited visibility, complex layouts, and delayed safety interventions. AI-powered Proximity Detection ensures a dynamic safety buffer, enabling real-time alerts, remote supervision, and proactive risk mitigation in challenging environments.
Manufacturing Units & Warehouses with Machinery & Dense Storage Aisles
Busy warehouse environments often suffer from narrow aisles, obstructed views, and high foot traffic—ideal conditions for accidents involving conveyor belts or AGVs. Proximity Detection alerts when workers enter machine zones, reducing risks of collisions, entanglements, or regulatory non-compliance.
Ports and Logistics Hubs with Cargos
Ports, container yards & logistic hubs are bustling with straddle carriers, reach stackers, and rubber-tyred gantry (RTGs), causing vehicle-personnel collisions. Proximity Detection solutions help create virtual geofences around hazardous zones and warn workers and operators alike, ensuring uninterrupted port operations.
Tunnel Boring Machine Assembly Areas in Mining
In mines, large haul trucks and loaders have wide blind zones, and worker visibility is compromised by dust, or low light. Proximity Detection AI uses fixed or vehicle-mounted cameras to alert operators and control rooms to human presence near machinery, reducing accidents.
Construction Zones with Moving Equipment & Vehicles
On construction sites, frequent movement of heavy machinery like excavators, dump trucks can endanger ground workers, particularly in blind spots. viAct Proximity Detection helps map risk zones and unauthorized or unsafe human presence near active machinery, enabling real-time intervention and reducing accident rates.
How does video analytics monitor proximities near machines?
1
Choose
Teams begin by selecting the “Proximity Detection” module from viAct’s AI Hub. Designed for complex industrial sites, it helps identify unsafe closeness between heavy machinery and workers—or between two machines—before incidents occur.
2
Connect
The module links directly to existing IP or CCTV cameras using RTSP. No special devices are needed. It’s a plug-and-play upgrade that transforms traditional camera systems into intelligent safety monitors.
3
Capture
Once active, the system analyzes live video to monitor key risk zones for machine-machine interactions or human-machine interactions. It detects:
● Industrial machinery operating too close to other equipment
● Workers entering unsafe machine interaction zones
● Unexpected overlaps in active movement areas
● Unplanned activity around high-risk equipment
4
Control
If unsafe proximity is detected, alerts are sent instantly onsite via lights or alarms, and remotely through SMS or dashboards. EHS teams get real-time insights and logs to act fast, improve training, and reduce future risks with site wise score cards and heatmaps.
Case Study: German Auto Giant Minimizes Human-Machine Incidents in Final Assembly with Proximity Detection AI by viAct
Industry :
Manufacturing
Location :
Germany
Module :
Proximity Detection
The Problem:
One of Germany’s largest automobile manufacturers, operating a flagship plant, faced repeated safety incidents in congested zones like the Final Assembly Line and Logistics Tunnel. The presence of AGVs, conveyors, and human workers led to frequent near-collisions. Manual safety controls proved insufficient, triggering concerns over worker safety, production delays, and compliance with German BG safety standards.
The Solution:
To tackle these risks, the facility integrated viAct’s Proximity Detection across key zones like the Final Assembly Line and Logistics Tunnel. It enabled real-time alerts for unsafe proximities, remote supervision, and reduced reliance on manual spotters during peak shifts.
The viAct impAct:
● Within 90 days, the site saw a 61% drop in human-machine near-miss incidents across the AGV logistics corridor and Body Shop zones.
● The deployment supported ISO 45001 compliance and boosted worker confidence across AI-secured workcells—aligning seamlessly with the manufacturer’s Vision Zero strategy to eliminate workplace incidents by 2025.
Why Choose viAct AI Proximity Detection over Manual Machinery Controls?
Beyond hazard alerts, viAct AI brings measurable, real-world impact to safety-critical zones like Final Assembly Lines, Logistics Tunnels:
01
Up to 47% reduction in near-miss incidents, freeing up EHS teams to focus on proactive risk elimination and training enforcement.
02
35% higher risk zone accuracy, as AI adapts in real time to dynamic worker-machine movement data.
03
Cuts emergency response time by 59% by eliminating manual radio coordination and enabling instant AI-triggered alerts for faster on-ground hazard intervention.
04
Enables 2.7x faster safety documentation, expediting audits and minimizing delays in meeting regulatory compliance requirements.
05
Delivers 25% improvement in correcting unsafe behavior, using AI nudges to reduce repeat violations without formal retraining efforts.
06
Insurance claims reduced by 23% due to real-time proximity logs that swiftly resolve liability and dispute issues.
07
Syncs AI alerts with real-time workflows, enabling precise task-level risk mapping in high-risk zones like excavation pits, welding bays, or assembly areas.