OverWatch celebrates 10,000 safety systems

Equipment Safety Systems (EQSS) is celebrating the delivery of its 10,000^th OverWatch, the secondary guarding solution for scissor lifts. OverWatch is a device that monitors the operator’s position and stops the machine if the operator becomes at risk of being crushed against the scissor lift controls.

To recognize the support of the industry in reaching this safety milestone, EQSS presented commemorative trophies to scissor lift manufacturers and rental companies at the HIRE 23 exhibition that took place in Sydney on 24 and 25 May.

Ross Bowden, managing director of EQSS, says, “We take comfort in knowing that 10,000 scissor lifts are now fitted with OverWatch secondary guarding. When we consider that multiple people can jump onto a scissor each day, it is a high number of workers who have been protected by OverWatch.”

“Crush protection was initially introduced more than 10 years ago on boom lifts and is now the industry norm. It is so important that scissor lift operators have that same level of protection.”

EQSS has received the approval of all major aerial lift manufacturers to install OverWatch on their machines and is CE certified. Haulotte now offers OverWatch as a factory-install option on their latest generation of scissor lifts produced at their facilities in France and China.

Bowden adds, “Every single OverWatch that is installed onto a scissor lift is one more step towards helping workers return safely to their families at the end of each workday. We are grateful for the support of the OEMs and rental companies in helping promote our crush protection solution and wanted to take this opportunity to recognize them as we have achieved this fantastic milestone.”

Launched by EQSS in 2020, many of the OverWatch devices in operation are currently within the Australian hire industry, however EQSS has recently begun delivering OverWatch into international markets. Rental companies and major contractors in the UK, US, Singapore, Japan, and Europe have already embraced the solution and it can be found on increasing number of jobsites worldwide.