Kosran introduces safety and income control

A new safety and telematics technology for aerial lifts is being rolled out, following successful field trials with Nationwide Platforms.

Kosran Safety Access Control (SAC) system was specifically designed and developed to help prevent unauthorised use of access equipment on job sites. It also claims to deliver money-saving efficiencies for equipment rental companies including increased utilisation, accurate servicing intervals and improved rental income.

Following the success of the pilot scheme with Nationwide, developer Kosran is now offering the technology for sale to the wider access rental market.

The technology can be easily retrofitted to most brands of aerial work platform. It requires the user to enter a unique, four digit PIN code before the machine will activate. If the operator does not have the right code, the access platform remains shut down. This helps to increase site and worker safety and reduces accidents and machine damage. The rental company or machine owner can allocate up to 100 PINs to each machine and monitor in real time who is using each machine via their PIN - this also means multiple contractors working on the same site can share machines.

Kosran SAC is the only technology on the market that provides remote control over both the aerial work platform and who can operate it, said the company. A unique feature is the telematic converter, linking the keypad PIN code-operated immobilisation system to any tracking device, explained the company. This innovation enables the machine owner to view and remotely add or delete authorised keypad PIN codes from a laptop, PC, or an App for smart phones and tablets.

The telemetry enables rental companies to remotely track detailed information on machine usage and location, in real time. Kosran also produces daily and weekly reports, helping rental companies to identify each site’s future machine requirements – and to accurately bill multiple contractors for their precise usage of each machine.

The technology is designed to significantly increase machine utilisation, generating increased rental income. It also helps better plan machine servicing based on actual hours of operation. Furthermore, the ability to safely hold stock of machines on a site helps reduce transport costs and lower associated emissions.

Patrick Sheeran, CEO of Kosran, said: “The main driver behind developing SAC was to increase site and worker safety by preventing unauthorised use of aerial lifts by unqualified operators.

“However we have taken the concept further by combining it with telematics, creating the first system on the market that gives fleet owners complete remote control of their machines, including who is authorised to use them.

“This empowers rental companies to truly manage their fleets efficiently, meaning the system delivers ROI in as little as 60 days.”

Nationwide Platforms, the UK’s largest specialist powered access rental company, fitted 140 Kosran SAC systems to a fleet it supplied to construction contractor Skanska. The machines are in use on the Royal Hospital (St Bart’s) redevelopment in London. The Kosran technology, re-badged by Nationwide as SkySentry, allows Skanska to ensure that only suitably qualified sub-contractors can use the machines. It also enables Nationwide to accurately bill the contractor and 22 sub-contractors for the hours spent on each lift; and to keep a stock of machines on-site, safe in the knowledge that unauthorised users cannot operate these lifts.

Nationwide now has 500 Kosran SAC systems (all re-badged as SkySentry) for Balfour Beatty, working at Heathrow Terminal 2 and for contractors on the Hydro, Crossrail and other infrastructure projects and will be conducting a full product launch later in 2013.

Mr Sheeran added, “Thanks to the feedback and engagement from Nationwide Platforms and Skanska, we know we have a proven, robust and high quality product that we can now take to market.

Kosran is officially launching SAC at Vertikal Days 2013, which takes place at Haydock Park racecourse, UK, on 26 and 27 June. Visit Kosran on the outside stand 145A or attend one of the free Kosran seminars in the Marketplace Marquee from 11.00-11.45am each day.