fortop UK and Falcon elevate crane safety with custom dis tilt switches
The push for smarter, safer lifting equipment continues to gain momentum across the construction sector, particularly in dense urban sites where crane-to-crane proximity introduces serious safety challenges. With assistance from automation specialist fortop UK and using a custom tilt switch from DIS Sensors, Falcon Tower Cranes – one of the UK’s leading tower crane specialists – has taken a proactive approach by developing a retrofit solution for monitoring the parked jib position on JASO Luffing Jib Tower Cranes.
Taking the Initiative
In high-rise, high-density construction environments, Falcon Tower Cranes often has multiple luffing jib cranes working in extremely close quarters and, as the company’s Eddie Golby explains, one of the biggest risks is what happens after hours. “When cranes are parked, if the jib isn’t positioned correctly, it could infringe on neighbouring airspace or create a hazard. That’s an issue we wanted to solve.
“Traditionally, operators are relied upon to correctly slew and luff the crane into its designated parking position. But human error, adverse weather, or mechanical faults can lead to incorrect alignment. Our goal was to introduce an automated, sensor-based verification system to confirm that the jib is safely parked and easily alert the operator and site team if it’s not.” Read more about tilt switches
A Simple, Retrofittable Monitoring System
To achieve the verification system, Falcon approached automation specialists fortop UK to assist in developing an in-house solution that could be retrofitted to its fleet of JASO Luffing Jib tower cranes without requiring major modifications to their core systems.
Commenting for fortop UK, business development manager Carrick Hill says: “At the heart of the solution is a custom QG40N tilt switch from DIS Sensors, a compact, solid-state sensor with high ingress protection (IP69K), SIL CL 1 certification, and no moving parts.
“This custom tilt switch has a measuring range of ±0.8° on the one side of 90° to ±1.0° on the other side of 90°, allowing us to monitor the parked position of the jib in real time and to within 0.5m. If the jib is out of alignment, whether in angle or slew, the sensor will detect it, providing a clear signal that the parking angle needs to be checked before operations cease for the day.”
An important factor for Falcon was that the system didn’t require constant recalibration or introduce maintenance difficulties, so the custom QG40N was ideal for the application, offering dual-channel PNP outputs, high precision, and factory calibration to ensure reliable performance with minimal setup.
Falcon’s engineers installed the tilt switch in a vertical orientation on the crane’s jib, configuring it to trigger alerts if the jib deviates beyond the acceptable parked tolerance, with the system designed to work independently of the crane's onboard control system, giving Falcon complete flexibility and control.
Practical, Scalable Safety Improvements
Since implementing the sensor-based system across its fleet of JASO luffing cranes, Falcon has seen a significant reduction in manual checks and increased confidence from clients. The sensor effectively acts as a ‘digital watchdog’, confirming whether the crane has been left in a compliant and safe position after shutdown.
“This was about taking control of a very specific, very real risk, and solving it with a clear, reliable system we could retrofit to any crane in our fleet.” says Eddie. “It’s not an off-the-shelf product, it’s something we’ve designed and manufactured from the ground up, with fortop UK’s support, using the right sensor for the job.”
The solution also supports compliance with safety best practices on modern construction sites, where crane zoning and after-hours safety protocols are becoming more stringent.
“We now have sites where this feature is a requirement, and when clients hear that we’ve got a built-in system for monitoring the parked jib position, it immediately puts us ahead.” says Eddie.
By combining in-house engineering experience with trusted sensor technology from DIS Sensors and automation expertise from fortop UK, Falcon Tower Cranes has created a scalable, low-maintenance safety solution for an often-overlooked but critical aspect of tower crane operation.
Concluding and commenting for DIS Sensors, director Pim Wieske says: “This project is a perfect example of the way we like to work. We offer a sensor solution that is easily customisable and, with the aid and knowledge of our local distribution partner, can be quickly implemented to fulfil the requirements of the customer.”.
As construction becomes more complex, and accountability more critical, this innovation from Falcon and fortop UK offers a clear blueprint for how retrofitting can deliver immediate safety wins, without disrupting crane operations or adding unnecessary complexity.
