Could Canada get any safer? – Xwatch announces new partnership with ABTECH in Québec 

The Canadian construction world has just got a little bit safer now that Xwatch Safety Solutions have partnered up with ABTECH, a technological solution distributor, to begin rolling out their XW series in Eastern Canada and, hopefully, reduce the number of on-site accidents and fatal injuries – a number which has remained high across the globe, despite all the workplace initiatives and technological advancements put in place over the last few years. 

Xwatch Safety Solutions, a UK-based manufacturer established in 2018, announced in 2021 that it had established an integration partnership with Leica Geosystems, a Swiss manufacturer of surveying products, to transform jobsite safety by interconnecting excavator height control and slew control with Leica Geosystems’ 2D and 3D machine control and safety awareness solutions. 

This week, however, the British firm has confirmed a second partnership, this time all the way across the Atlantic. Working with ABTECH, a major distributor in Eastern Canada, the company is hoping its range of reliable construction and surveying instruments will help bring down the shocking number of workplace injuries (both fatal and not) that still occur every year. 

Having already revolutionised the safety market in the UK, with height control, slew control, rated capacity indicator (RCI) systems, Xwatch is now aiming to emulate this strategy in the Great White North, continuously raising the bar for safety in construction, mining and transportation. 

The full range of XW systems are all designed and manufactured in the UK using only the highest quality components sourced from leading technology manufacturers. The systems consistently undergo the most rigorous testing scenarios before being launched to ensure they meet, and exceed, any current legislation within the construction industry.  

The XW series strives to meet the growing demands of site safety and data management with its easy-to-use operator screen. Setting and creating a safety barrier around the equipment within the equipment’s operating reach, whether it is height, slew, or RCI control, the “feather touch” proportional hydraulic will easily produce a safe and comfortable working environment for the operator.  

Xwatch’s height and slew system has also recently been integrated with Leica’s personal alert solutions, the PA10 and PA80. These devices can communicate with anchors situated on heavy construction equipment and offer a range up to 50 m (164 ft.), enabling the detection of personnel in the surrounding areas. A PA tag, worn by ground personnel, communicates with the anchors on the equipment to alert all parties if a person is getting too close to a machine.  

Philippe Girard, Construction Vice President at ABTECH, comparing the partnership between the two brands to a ‘perfect match’, says: 

“Every year, the construction industry suffers losses of colleagues and friends on construction sites – therefore managing the people plant interface is of vital importance. With the Xwatch Safety Solutions suite of safety systems and with the integration of Xwatch Leica Geosystems PA10-PA80 products, we are confident that the number of fatalities caused by heavy machinery activities will see a significant reduction.”  

Conversely, Dan Leaney, Sales and Operations Director at Xwatch, commented on the new partnership, as well: 

“Technology delivers productivity and a crucial part of productivity is to keep the operator and co-workers safe in the field.”  

Dan Leaney

Workplace safety is of the utmost importance and it’s good to see that the global market has continued its commitment to keeping workers protected against preventable injuries and accidents. Investment in solutions like Xwatch’s will in time lead to significant changes in the overall dreadful statistics we currently have and I, for one, cannot wait for the day when construction workers no longer fear for their lives while on the job. 

What do you think of this partnership? Will it make a noticeable difference?