The system, which allows operators to remotely disengage the drill rig’s thrust and rotation anywhere along its bore path, is now required by HDD machines in order to comply with the recommendations in the UK’s PUWER Regulations (1998). The new system has been designed to fit all makes and sizes of HDD rigs and is also retrofittable to older rigs. During normal drilling operations, the often large distance or obstacles between rig driver and the operator monitoring the progress of the drill head make it impossible to see each other. There is therefore a potentially fatal situation if the drill string is inadvertently started whilst the operator is in the exit pit. By using the two-way communication tool, the operator at the pit end has complete control over the drill at any time and anywhere along the bore path by completely disengaging the drill rig’s drive. Using the remote lockout system, the operator can remotely disengage the drill system before entering the pit, either to work on or near the drill string, change tooling, manually add or remove drill stems or attach products. “As well as physically stopping the drill string movement, the remote lockout system also increases safety awareness on the site, thereby reducing the likelihood of accidents,” said Martin Wright, managing director of Wellingborough-based Vermeer distributor B-TRAC Equipment. “For a relatively small outlay, there are potentially huge savings in avoiding an accident.” The system is a standard fitting to the latest Vermeer Navigator drill rigs, but can be fitted to all makes and sizes of HDD rigs. With a design range of 1000m, is therefore usable on almost every directional drilling contract.