With “Hand Guard”, Altendorf has succeeded in providing the leading international innovation for circular saw safety systems. The safety system for this product category is a milestone in occupational user safety. It prevents injuries caused by workplace accidents and has been awarded the renowned German Occupational Safety Award 2021 in the ‘Operational’ category.
971,547 occupational accidents took place in Germany in 2019. 16 percent of them alone occurred in the metal and wood processing industry. In turn, 1 percent of these accidents involved circular saws. Alternatively put, this equates to one accident per day involving a circular saw – the costs for workplace accidents and medical treatments are high and can be detrimental to customer orders. This was reason enough for Altendorf, as the creator of the circular saw, to develop more innovative and reliable safety systems and revolutionise them with “Hand Guard”.
The globally unique, patented “Hand Guard” early warning system is fitted with two camera systems. This optical system is the only one of its kind on the market and is an industry breakthrough in terms of technical safety using artificial intelligence (AI) for hand detection. “Hand Guard” recognises potential risks based on special AI hand detection software long before an accident can occur. In the event of an acute threat to fingers or hands, the saw blade quickly retracts within a quarter of a second underneath the workbench. In doing so, “Hand Guard” offers maximum protection for users prior to a tangible risk or even injury.
So, the Joint German Occupational Safety and Health Strategy (GDA) assigned the “German Occupational Safety Award 2021” to Altendorf.
Award for the development team
“After more than three years of research and development work, we are extremely proud and delighted to be awarded such a groundbreaking prize. For us, “Hand Guard” plays a key part in significantly improving safety at work for our customers and is testament to the work we do”, reports Karl-Friedrich Schröder, Head of Research and Development at Altendorf. “Part of this success story is down to our innovative and successful collaboration with the professional association for wood and metal (BGHM) and the Institute for Occupational Health and Safety”. Altendorf was able to proudly come out on top in a field of 176 applicants.
THE COMPANY
Altendorf is a German producer of circular saws for small-scale wood, metal and plastic manufacturing. Alterndorf was founded in 1906 and is a strong, globally renowned brand. Its must successful product is the “F 45” circular saw, also known as “The Altendorf”, and is an international synonym for the circular saw product category. The Altendorf Group has subsidiaries in Australia, China, India and the Usa. The company operates production facilities in Hüllhorst and Minden, Germany, and in Qinhuangdao, China. Altendorf employs more than 360 staff worldwide.
