SAFER G is a new sensor-based rotary rig guarding system. It is a self-checking, sensor activated safety device for the protection of persons encroaching too close to the rotating part of a drilling rig (the drill string). A considerable amount of time in the research and development phase of SAFER G was spent getting the balance right between being able to sense physical persons, whilst maintaining the ability to discount things like muds, liquids and dust particles kicked up in the act of drilling.

The system uses state of the art sensor technologies to detect persons encroaching within pre-defined safeguarded zone/s. Once a detection is made, the system generates a signal to switch off rotation to prevent any potential entanglement.