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Caterpillar launches monitoring service for both man and machine

Caterpillar has launched a 24/7 monitoring service to oversee the human factor in machinery operations. Through in-cab and wearable safety technologies, analysts at Caterpillar’s 24/7 Monitoring Centre correlate data about the health and productivity of operators and equipment. The information can reveal the magnitude of conditions such as fatigue and distraction and their impact on operations. “Our customers want better visibility of how behaviour impacts safety and productivity,” said Tim Crane,
December 10, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
New Cat machines provide extensive data using telematics
Caterpillar has launched a 24/7 monitoring service to oversee the human factor in machinery operations

Through in-cab and wearable safety technologies, analysts at 178 Caterpillar’s 24/7 Monitoring Centre correlate data about the health and productivity of operators and equipment.

The information can reveal the magnitude of conditions such as fatigue and distraction and their impact on operations.

“Our customers want better visibility of how behaviour impacts safety and productivity,” said Tim Crane, Caterpillar’s safety services manager. “This innovative solution offers our customers the opportunity to mitigate risk and improve productivity.”

Caterpillar’s solution uses industry-leading technologies to gain visibility of risk, he said. Property damage, increased fuel burn and tire abuse have all been tied to fatigued or distracted operators.

The Driver Safety System (DSS), developed by Seeing Machines, an alliance partner of Caterpillar, includes an in-cab camera and alert system to notify the operator the moment a fatigue or distraction event occurs.

Events are tracked by analysts who also capture operator sleep quantity and quality information provided through the wrist-worn Cat Smartband, an actigraphy solution powered by Fatigue Science.

The enhanced visibility to risks extends beyond front-line employees to expose improvement opportunities throughout the organisation, including education and training, shift scheduling, leadership coaching and other cultural elements.

The DSS and Cat Smartband are part of a growing suite of tools that assist customers in improving safety by recognising that some risks are natural, inevitable and fully manageable, if made visible.

Combined with Cat machine data available through EMSolutions, the Cat MineStar System and the Cat Vital Information Management System (VIMS), operator performance data from the DSS and Smartband paints a powerful picture of fatigue and distraction risk and its impact on productivity and profitability.

“Technology alone is not the silver bullet for a safer or more productive operation,” said George Taylor, vice president of Caterpillar’s customer services support division.

“In fact, most technologies fail without proper consideration of the organisational culture and a plan to manage change. Caterpillar’s safety solutions bring management and employees together to achieve excellence, providing customers the greatest opportunity for successful implementation,” said Taylor.

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