it had no formal system for preventing damage.
Fortunately, Golden Guernsey's material handling
equipment vendor, Wisconsin Lift Truck Corporation,
instantly recommended the
ShockWatch ImpactManager™
ID to help solve these issues. Golden Guernsey's Plant
Engineer Larry Keeney and Safety Director Jeff Hayes were
instrumental in analyzing the problem, evaluating the
ShockWatch system, and overseeing the project implementation.
Golden Guernsey began by using just one ImpactManager ID on a trial basis in November 2003.
The company saw an immediate decrease in damage caused by that vehicle, and soon equipped
all 11 of its lift trucks with the devices. In just two months, the number of monthly impacts
fell — astonishingly — from 1,036 to just four. The ShockWatch monitoring system has enabled
Golden Guernsey to sustain that low rate ever since.
"ShockWatch provides an easy solution that is proven to work," said Mark Wargolet, Customer
Support Representative at Wisconsin Lift Truck Corporation. "And the ShockWatch service
representatives have been invaluable in providing professional on-site training and ongoing
support to us and our customers."
The ImpactManager ID limits equipment access to certified operators in the dairy's 150,000-square
foot facility. For Golden Guernsey, the alarm is a key feature because it not only sounds on
impact, but also prevents the engine from running for more than 10-second intervals after an impact.
Even attempts to hide accidents fail because the device reports each incident and the offending
operator's identity through an internal network. Knowing that the equipment is monitored causes
operators to drive at safer speeds, resulting in significantly fewer incidents and a much safer
environment for all the workers.
"Larry Keeney does an excellent job managing this system and monitoring the ShockWatch management
reports, so he can instruct employees about proper equipment usage when necessary," said Wargolet.
"This is exactly the type of resolution that the ShockWatch system was designed to deliver."
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