After experiencing the risks involved with live testing heavy machinery first-hand, SafeGauge founder and managing director Luke Dawson set out to change the industry for good.
Routinely carrying out maintenance on heavy machinery during his time at several Australian mine sites, heavy plant mechanic Luke Dawson became concerned by the level of risk to which he and his colleagues were exposed on a daily basis.
Pneumatic and hydraulic maintenance of equipment is essential on a mine site, but it can put technicians at risk of crush and fluid-injection injuries.
Dawson began formulating ideas for new technologies that could keep workers out of the line of fire and increase safety standards around live testing machinery.
His developments led to the 2019 establishment of SafeGauge, of which Dawson is founder and managing director.
“It started with a wireless pressure transducer for technicians to read hydraulic pressure away from danger,” Dawson told Safe to Work. “Soon followed the development of other high-demand products including the wireless dial indicator, tachometer, push rod and no-contact laser measurement to safely complete common high-risk maintenance tasks.
“We have grown to a team of 25 today, with a range of skills to engineer, manufacture and supply to the mining industry around the world.”
SafeGauge remains proudly Australian-owned, with sales in over 15 countries and backing by a global distribution network that promotes and supports safer working practices in all heavy industries.
Of all SafeGauge’s innovations, Dawson said the MultiTool Pro is the most advanced tool on the market for live machinery maintenance.
“Up to 12 tools can connect to our MultiTool to test, log data and generate comprehensive reports,” Dawson said. “From two touches of the screen, the user can be testing which, most importantly, makes it easy to use.”
The MultiTool Pro, like all SafeGauge tools, has a specialist wireless capability that allows workers to test equipment remotely, such as from the cabin of a mining machine.
“All tooling is quick-connect to the machine and can be used from up to 100m away,” Dawson said. “This allows even the largest machines in the industry to be maintained from a safe distance.”
SafeGauge’s products are currently used in a variety of applications, mostly on heavy mobile machines including haul trucks, bulldozers, excavators, graders and loaders for any type of live work.
“It could be a quick pressure test of a brake pack, or an in-depth commission of a machine after overhaul,” Dawson said. “Importantly, the flexibility of each product is not brand-specific and will remain agnostic across our entire range.”
Through his industry experience, Dawson has built an understanding and close connection to SafeGauge customers and their needs.
“We listen and design our products from their direct feedback,” he said.
“Having the internal capabilities for the product design, manufacturing and network of credible distributors around the world clearly separates SafeGauge from any competitor, though we also understand we are all working towards the same goal of improving the safety of the mining industry.
“We aim to join forces to help make a greater difference rather than compete.”
Dawson said SafeGauge’s job isn’t done once a product is supplied.
“We see each new customer sale as an opportunity to support them throughout their journey to eliminate live work with ongoing product support, team training and servicing,” he said. “Sometimes we don’t have all the answers, but we invest our time to understand the customer’s problem and provide either advice or engineered solutions.
“Common feedback we receive from our customers is how easy SafeGauge products are to operate.
“Designed with a mindset of not needing a user manual, we wanted the products to be intuitive enough for first-time users to understand.”
Interoperability, customer satisfaction and ease of use are central to SafeGauge’s mission to eliminate live work.
This commitment is setting the company up for a future defined by keeping workers and technicians safe on the job.
And SafeGauge isn’t stopping at Australian miners.
The company recently expanded into the US with an office based in Phoenix, Arizona.
And with more and more innovations bearing fruit, Dawson said SafeGauge is looking to expand into other countries.
“We have an exciting product roadmap that solves unique problems,” he said.
“Our most recent product release includes a free mobile application for large companies and individual mechanics and contractors alike to keep their workers safe.”
Dawson said SafeGauge is providing customers their own data in a way that helps improve efficiency and machine availability.
“We are empowering our customers with the technology to test their machines safely and return them back to work in a timely manner,” he said.
“Our goal is to ensure no one has to risk their safety when live testing machinery and we will continue working hard to change industry standards.”
This feature also appears in the November-December issue of Safe to Work.