A global leader in waste management and water solutions, SUEZ manages significant fleets of trucks and machinery within its operations. Safety of their drivers and the communities they operate within is a priority, as well as seeking innovation to create smarter, more effective ways of doing things within their business.

We have used SGESCO-MAX products now for over three years, and have found them to be an innovative safety solution for our fleet vehicles and effective in achieving zero incidents in trucks reversing or accidentally rolling away.

Tony Rawson, National Fleet Category Manager, SUEZ Recycling and Recovery, Australia and New Zealand

SITUATION

To maintain a zero-harm reputation, SUEZ prioritises the use of systems to identify risks and hazards to improve safety. Working in waste management, SUEZ operates fleets of garbage trucks for clients all over Australia. After an intensive review of past hazards, SUEZ’s technical team identified two main areas of safety requirements for SUEZ’s fleet operations:

1. To reduce the risk of a rollaway truck, SUEZ needed a solution to install in its vehicles so as to mitigate the risk of a driver forgetting to apply the handbrake.
2. To stop a driver accidentally reversing over a person, an animal, or property, SUEZ needed the capability for a driver to be able to see all angles behind a vehicle when reversing.

SOLUTION

SUEZ approached SGESCO-MAX to utilise its MAX-SAFE products, designed for commercial vehicles.

The MAX-SAFE Anti-Rollaway Brake System – where the handbrake is automatically applied on behalf of the driver if they leave the vehicle – was specified as a safety solution to reduce garbage truck driver risk.

The MAX-SAFE Reverse Watch® radar was also identified as a solution to help garbage truck drivers monitor blind spots when reversing into alleys or narrow refuse stations, where they can’t fully see directly behind the vehicle.

OUTCOME

SUEZ now specifies MAX-SAFE safety products – the Anti Rollaway Brake System and Reverse Watch – as standard installs on all of its new fleet purchases with its vehicle and machinery suppliers. The products are fitted by the vehicle supplier and SGESCO-MAX maintain the products under warranty.