Preventing Machine Restart and Entrapment with the BRAVO Interlock Blocking System

In industrial environments, light curtains are frequently used as non-contact safety devices to protect operators from hazardous zones. However, these systems can still present a risk of unintended machine restart or operator entrapment during maintenance or troubleshooting activities. The BRAVO interlock blocking device, developed by Unique Safety Products in cooperation with Fortress Safety, offers a fully mechanical and retrofit solution to eliminate these risks in a simple and reliable way.

Mechanical Safety for Light Curtains

The BRAVO system physically blocks the light curtain beams whenever an operator is present inside the safeguarded area. It does so using a mechanical blocking plate, operated by a uniquely coded safety key. When maintenance personnel need to enter the protected zone, the key is turned, which moves the blocking plate in front of the receiver and interrupts the infrared beams of the light curtain. The key can only be removed once the blocking plate is in position, ensuring that the light curtain remains blocked and the machine cannot restart as long as the operator has the key in possession.

Preventing Unintended Restart and Entrapment

The BRAVO system serves as a personal safety lockout for each operator. By physically taking the key inside the hazardous area, the operator ensures that no one can reactivate the machine or clear the blocked light curtain from outside. The blocking plate is mechanically locked until the key is returned, effectively preventing restart until all personnel have safely exited the zone. For maintenance tasks requiring multiple operators, BRAVO includes a two padlock lockout facility. This allows several padlocks to be attached to the device’s dust cover, making it impossible to reinsert the key, and therefore to reset the light curtain, until every padlock has been removed.

Easy Retrofit and Durable Construction

BRAVO is designed for simple retrofit installation on any existing light curtain system. The unit mounts directly on or next to the light curtain’s receiver using only two fixings. Its stainless steel 316 construction ensures long-term reliability in demanding industrial environments, including those exposed to dust, moisture, or cleaning agents. The system is available with 200,000 unique key codes, reducing the risk of key duplication and ensuring traceability across multiple machines or zones.

Compliance and Cost Efficiency

According to ISO 10218-2, safety systems must ensure that hazardous equipment cannot restart while an operator remains within the safeguarded space. While electronic solutions such as laser scanners, radar systems or safety mats can be used for restart prevention, they often involve significant installation and maintenance costs. The BRAVO interlock blocking system provides a robust mechanical alternative that requires no wiring, no programming and minimal maintenance, while still achieving a high level of protection against entrapment and unexpected start-up

Summary of Key Benefits of the BRAVO Interlock Blocking System

• Prevents unintended machine restart when operators are inside the safeguarded area

• Mechanical blocking of light curtain beams, independent of electrical safety circuits

• Forced key removal ensures compliance with Lockout-Tagout procedures

• Two padlock lockout option for multi-person access

• 316 stainless steel construction and 200,000 unique key codes

• Simple retrofit design, no wiring or reprogramming required

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