EQSS’ OverWatch Detects Operators’ Position and Movements by LiDAR Sensor

In recent years, the rapid integration of secondary guarding systems on booms lifts has been a significant advancement in MEWP safety. However, the development of secondary guarding for scissor lifts has proved more challenging to find a solution that does not restrict the machine’s productive purpose, says Andrew Delahunt, global business development manager of Equipment Safety Systems (EQSS).

In response to this challenge, Australia-based EQSS has developed and successfully introduced OverWatch, an industry-first, human-centric secondary guarding solution for scissor lifts.

With a LiDAR sensor at its core, OverWatch detects the operator’s position and movements, and then intervenes only when their safety is compromised. It does not interfere with normal operation of the scissor lift, instead it continuously monitors the operator’s position using an infrared light beam. The system can determine when an operator has moved abruptly or is in a dangerous position, either of which will immediately stop the lift.

It features a small sensor that attaches to the scissor lift control box. This is paired with a powerful processor running advanced sensor AI fusion algorithms to track both operator movement and machine movement, to identify when a cutout is required. 

OverWatch is designed for the equipment rental industry and is quickly gaining traction in the U.S. and worldwide. It is a robust, unobtrusive, and cost-effective secondary guarding solution that fits any scissor lift and requires only a simple one-time calibration. It works on all jobsites and in all weather conditions and has been widely adopted in Australian rental fleets and on construction sites. Recently, Haulotte integrated OverWatch as an option on its latest generation of electric scissor lifts, available globally.

EQSS designs and produces computer safety systems for mobile machinery in construction, mining, and logistics. They use modern and cutting-edge technology to create modular safety systems, ranging from AI image processing to LiDAR sensing devices. Based in Melbourne, Australia, everything is done in house, including software development, circuit board design, hardware design, board printing and assembly, and machine integration.