Innovation Award
Water Cart Numbering
Pride in Performance
One Team One Business
The Problem
• Other drivers struggled to identify water carts at night.
• Light vehicles are required to make positive radio
contact prior to overtaking and as Callide has four
water carts it was confusing and potentially dangerous
when light vehicles were attempting to overtake.
• The problem was made worse by the poor rear vision
from a water cart particularly when the sprays are on.
• Solution had to be extremely resistant to corrosion
given the arduous conditions on the back of a water
cart and at a reasonable cost.
Pride in Performance
One Team One Business
The Solution
• Numbers approximately 800mm high and 400mm wide
were cut from 6mm aluminium plate and mounted on
the back of the water tank, numerous amber LED
clearance lights were then mounted on the numbers.
• Each light cost $14.20 and they can be replaced
individually which helps keep cost low. Another benefit
of using LED lights is the low power consumption (they
can be connected to the tail lights without the need to
change or modify the tail light wiring).
Pride in Performance
One Team One Business
The Solution
Pride in Performance
One Team One Business
Innovation and Originality
• This simple cost effective solution could be used in any industry
where vehicle visibility and identification are a problem.
• The combination of the cut out numbers and the LED clearance
lights is an original idea. It is innovative in the use of readily
available reasonably priced reliable materials and components
which when combined more than adequately addressed the
problem.
• Very little requirement for maintenance and cleaning.
• During the development of the new water cart number
identification system there were no new hazards identified and
since in use feedback has also proven the effectiveness of the
design.
Pride in Performance
One Team One Business
Benefits / Effects
• The addition of the illuminated numbers has made it
extremely easy to identify a water cart from the rear
even at a distance of 500M, this has allowed drivers
following a water cart to call up the operator and ask if
it is safe to overtake knowing they are talking to the
correct operator thus greatly reducing the chance of a
collision.
• Being able to identify the water carts from such a
distance also alerts the driver of a vehicle approaching
from behind that the road surface may be wet and
slippery.
Pride in Performance
One Team One Business
Water Cart Numbering
Pride in Performance
One Team One Business