Olympic Steel – Minneapolis, MN (Plate): Tim Busch, Jeff Engen and Will Robbins

When using a crane to load the infeed conveyor near the shot blaster, there is a blind spot that requires the operator to load plates on the conveyor without being about to see the landing area of the plate. Jeff Engen, Crane Operator, identified the issue and offered several solutions. It was determined that using …

When using a crane to load the infeed conveyor near the shot blaster, there is a blind spot that requires the operator to load plates on the conveyor without being about to see the landing area of the plate. Jeff Engen, Crane Operator, identified the issue and offered several solutions. It was determined that using cameras to see the blind spot was the way to go. After receiving quotes up to $21,000, Will Robbins, Senior Project Analyst, researched and found a solution for less than $600. Jeff and Will worked with Operations Manager, Tim Busch, to install and verify that the solution would do what they needed it to do. After one modification, the solution is working and the crane operator can view the area from the cab using the cameras, reducing safety risks (and saving the division a lot of money for a similar outcome).

Lesson Learned:

Don’t accept an obstacle as something you need to work around, especially when it significantly increases the risk of incident or injury. A solution that keeps people safe is always worth the time it takes.