Safer and healthier asphalt paving

23 January, 2025

Vögele have developed the automated Paver Access Control (PAC) function to make the preparation for paving safer

First published in the January 2025 issue of Quarry Management

Dash-5 road pavers from Vögele increase user safety and reduce exposure to harmful emissions

In recent years, risk-awareness and safety standards in the asphalt paving sector have become increasingly important around the world – and, as a result, demands with regard to road pavers. Depending on the country, construction contractors must ensure compliance with a whole range of different regulations and workplace threshold values, which is why paver specialists Vögele have aligned the concept of their Dash-5 generation pavers even more strongly towards ensuring the health and safety of the machine operator. This includes new functions such as setting up and starting the machine from the ground, an integrated lighting system, and a revised ventilation system.

‘A road paver is not just a machine that must function at the highest technological level, but is also, and above all, a workplace,’ said Bastian Fleischer, product manager at Vögele. ‘Only when operators can work safely and ergonomically with a paver that simultaneously protects their health, is it possible to guarantee efficient, high-quality paving. Good working conditions reduce the risk of health issues and accidents. Regardless of any country-specific regulations, user safety always has utmost priority in all of our developments – and especially in the case of the Dash-5 generation machines.’

The control unit mounted on the paving screed allows users to start all the initial steps at the push of a button

Set-up and start at the push of a button

Vögele have developed the automated Paver Access Control (PAC) function to make the preparation for paving safer. The control unit positioned on the screed allows users to start all the initial steps – such as switching on the lights, starting the diesel engine, booting the machine control system, raising and locking the weather canopy in place, and lowering the screed – safely and conveniently from the ground at the push of a button.

After work, the paver can be returned to the transport position in the same way. This makes setting up and shutting down the paver and loading it on to a low-loader trailer for transportation easier and more convenient. In the dark, the operator switches on the lights to ensure optimum vision before getting on to the paver. Functions such as the automatic locking of the weather canopy ensure that the operator cannot overlook important steps when setting up the machine.

‘PAC avoids errors due to carelessness or negligence, and the clear sequence of the initial steps guarantees absolute reliability,’ said Mr Fleischer.

Integrated LED floodlights illuminate the entire working area up to a distance of 4m behind the screed and across a paving width of up to 10m

Precisely directed lighting

When working at night, in poor visibility, or in tunnels, sufficient lighting on and around the road paver is a further safety factor. This is why Vögele have further improved the lighting concept of the Dash-5 generation pavers. An integrated LED lighting system illuminates the paver operator’s platform and all service points accessible from it even more effectively. The lighting of the tow point rams and the freely positionable floodlights ensure an ideal overview of all relevant areas. Instead of light balloons, the new models can also be fitted with additional LED floodlights in fixed mounts on the canopy extension. These evenly illuminate the entire working area up to 4m behind the screed and across a paving width of up to 10m. After the end of work, a timer function automatically switches off the lights after giving the operator sufficient time to safely leave the construction site.

‘The new, powerful LED lighting concept effectively reduces the risk of accidents and operating errors,’ said Mr Fleischer. ‘Moreover, the paving crew doesn’t need to bring in and install any extra lighting equipment on the construction site. This minimizes the risk of accidents and saves time by eliminating set-up times and idle times.’

In the Dash-5 generation, Vögele have optimized the performance of the speed-controlled cooling fan in a way that enables independent monitoring of the temperature of the intercooler air, cooling water, and hydraulic oil. This allows more precise calculation of the required cooling fan speed and increases it only as far as necessary for ensuring safe operation of the machine

In the case of the Dash-5 generation, Vögele have optimized the function of the speed-controlled cooling fan to allow more precise calculation of the fan speed

Less noise and lower emissions

At the same time, the Dash-5 road pavers offer their users more effective health protection and improve the sustainability profile of road construction contractors. This is due to Vögele’s success in further reducing both noise and CO2 emissions while maintaining the same engine power output. The reason for this is the combination of revised drive system technology and the improved EcoPlus low-emissions package. In the Dash-5 generation, Vögele have optimized the performance of the speed-controlled cooling fan in a way that enables independent monitoring of the temperature of the intercooler air, cooling water, and hydraulic oil, thereby allowing more precise calculation of the required cooling fan speed and increasing it only as far as necessary to ensure safe operation of the machine. This results in lower noise and CO2 emissions and significantly reduces fuel consumption.

Vögele have further developed the ventilation system to ensure that operators are more effectively protected against exposure to potentially harmful aerosols

Reduced exposure to harmful aerosols

Vögele are continually improving the ventilation system of their road pavers to ensure that operators are more effectively protected against harmful aerosols during asphalt paving.

‘We have been offering a NIOSH-certified ventilation system for our machines for many years’, said Steffen Fickeisen, head of special machines at Vögele. ‘In the Dash-5 generation, we have significantly increased the extraction performance and have also optimized the exhaust air outlet. Its integration in the canopy of the paver instead of at the rear of the operator’s platform significantly reduces the exposure of the operator to harmful aerosols.’

He added: ‘This is not only a standard feature of our latest machines, we also offer a retrofit package that enables users to have it installed on Dash-3 models.’

Better ergonomics

Apart from the technical solutions for lower exposure to emissions, better lighting, and new automated functions, Vögele also ensure the health and safety of users with better ergonomics and the improved design and features of the operator’s workspace. With the revised and upgraded ErgoPlus 5 operating concept with its new comfort functions, pivot-mounted operator’s seats, two-stage seat heating, insulated sun blinds, luggage nets, and cup holders, the Dash-5 road pavers are consistently geared towards the needs of users. Plug-in tool holders, new transportation solutions such as Logistics Plus, as well as attachment and positioning aids, provide a tidy and logically laid-out workplace and simultaneously ensure safe transportation and fewer set-up errors.

‘With the new road pavers, our goal is the fulfilment of all prerequisites for ideal working conditions and, by doing so, to increase the quality of paving projects and the productivity of road construction contractors,’ said Bastian Fleischer.