Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/605412
T im Truex, midsize equipment and electrical man- ager for Kokosing Construction, Columbus, Ohio, wanted a way to prevent unauthorized operators from starting equipment, especially cranes, aerial work plat- forms, forklifts and CDL vehicles. When site supers get in a rush to move something, there is a temptation to let untrained workers get in the crane or telehandlers for a quick lift, Truex says. "They can be a danger to themselves, other operators and equipment." Kokosing wanted to eliminate any chance of this ever happening. Some OEMs offer electronic keypad access on some machines, but an unqualifi ed operator can easily get the code from a qualifi ed buddy and he's up and running. The solution was to issue every operator a RFID (ra- dio frequency identifi cation) swipe card and code the card to refl ect which pieces of machinery each opera- tor was qualifi ed to run. "If he doesn't have the train- ing, he can swipe his card to his heart's content, but he can't start the equipment," Truex says. The program was coordinated between Kokosing's fl eet manag- ers and the company HR department and cost about $1,200 per machine with six to eight man-hours for each installation. A t Traylor Bros., Evansville, Indiana, Jason Ruggles, shop manager, heard that in winter truck driv- ers were putting frozen air horns on the dash of their pickup trucks to warm them up. This can cause the gas in the can to expand to the point where the can ex- plodes. Not only would this tear up the cab, it had the potential to be fatal. There was no OEM solution, nor was there any MSDS sheet on these cans, only a warning in fi ne print on the label. So Traylor decided the best solution was to launch a massive information program to warn drivers. A safety bulletin was issued to all employees, com- EquipmentWorld.com | December 2015 49 maintenance | by Tom Jackson | TJackson@randallreilly.com A re your crews bored with safety talks? Do the topics seem stale, obvious or theoretical? Here are six real-world examples of small but signifi cant safety improvements made at construction companies. These tips were shared as a part of a panel discussion on safety at the Association of Equipment Management Professionals 2015 Asset Management Symposium, held this Fall in Cleveland, Ohio. SAFETY LESSONS FROM THE REAL WORLD AEMP PANEL HIGHLIGHTS SMART IDEAS ANYONE CAN ADOPT SAFETY LESSONS 6 6 RFID CARD READER PREVENTS UNAUTHORIZED MACHINE ACCESS. INFORMATION CAMPAIGN STOPS AIR HORN DANGER. 2