Miller Ingenuity to supply Koppers with new ZoneGuard yard protection system

Koppers has selected Miller Ingenuity to supply its ZoneGuard yard protection system for use at Koppers’ Sommerville, Texas, plant.  

This agreement will support Koppers in its commitment to advancing a zero harm culture that places the safety of employees above all else. 

The ZoneGuard yard protection system is a new extension within the ZoneGuard electronic RWP product line. The system uses Miller Ingenuity's train detection technologies and the setup from the ZoneGuard fixed system to warn workers within a rail yard of any incoming track vehicles or cars being pushed into the facility.  

Train detectors determine if track vehicles are entering or exiting the facility and workers receive alerts from their wearable devices and the train alert modules mounted throughout the rail yard. 

“We are excited to take this next step with our ZoneGuard line of products,” said Kevin Smith, senior vice president of global sales and marketing, Miller Ingenuity. “Yard employees are vulnerable to human error mistakes that can result in serious injuries or fatalities. This new product ensures they have a secondary form of protection that allows them to perform their jobs safely and efficiently. We are proud that our ZoneGuard technology will help enhance rail safety for our industry’s hardworking employees, no matter where they are working.” 

“At Koppers, our team is steadfastly dedicated to finding new ways to advance our Zero Harm culture,” said Joe Dowd, Koppers vice president of Zero Harm. “The impressive idea to have a system whereby workers in our rail yard could be immediately notified of cars being moved around the tracks came from an employee through our internal innovation program. We are thankful that with the help and expertise of Miller Ingenuity, that idea has become reality. The ZoneGuard yard protection system is now one more way we can better ensure the safety of our people.”