Otto Tech Systems News

Independent Safety Experts say Otto Tech shows “Great Promise for Reducing Ladder Accidents on Jobsites”

Oakton, VA –  Ellen Giuntini, CEO and co-founder of Otto Tech Systems today gratefully accepted the report of an independent panel of 28 construction, insurance, government and university safety experts which evaluated the reliability and effectiveness of what the US’s fourth largest construction company, STO Building Group believes has “great promise for reducing ladder accidents on jobsites.”

With technology embedded in a multiplatform ladder, Otto helps safety professionals see and manage something no one has ever seen – what happens before workers fall.  Ladder accidents are the leading cause of death for construction workers. 

A second round of significant field testing will be conducted this summer with the STO Building Group and the world’s first Smart LadderTM, the Little Giant SignalTM will be available in limited quantities in the New York market this Fall.   The Otto system to reduce incidents, which includes the SignalTM , was one of the featured technologies at this year’s ENR FutureTech, the preeminent construction technology conference.

Moderated by Chuck Easterly, the former Director of Safety and Health Services for SAIF, Oregon’s not-for-profit workers’ compensation company, the independent panel evaluated data from more than 1,300 hours of field testing on construction sites of 32 ladders with embedded technology intended to detect, classify and issue warnings of risky behavior.   More than 460,000 records of worker behavior while using these ladders were recorded, which will be used to develop data products and insights which provide project management with actionable information to enhance worksite safety.

The panel concluded that the Smart LadderTM “collected, utilized, and transmitted the data at scale, was unaffected by harsh conditions on any of the test sites, and was highly effective at reducing the incidence of ‘near misses’… [the system] needed refinement in several ways, in particular ‘deeper insights into the precise timing of risky and other behaviors’.”

Scott Clark, a panel member and Regional Operations Director, SAIF, noted “Falls from ladders result in some of the most severe worker injuries that I see in the workplace. The technology tested for this pilot has significant potential to improve worker safety and is a massive leap forward into data-driven decision making using proactive vs. reactive information.”
Giuntini accepted the Panel’s recommendations and has directed all suggested revisions be reviewed by the development team for incorporation into the product as design moves forward.

The experts’ panel report is available at https://ottotechsystems.com/our-technology/  

Contact
Ellen Giuntini
7034031713

Otto Ladder Safety, Inc. announces election of H.P. Goldfield, Cory Scott, and James Bifulco to its Board of Directors.

Oakton, VA – Otto Ladder Safety, Inc. (the parent company of Otto Tech Systems) announced the election of H.P. Goldfield, Cory Scott, and James Bifulco to its Board of Directors.

With technology embedded in a multiplatform ladder, Otto helps safety professionals see and manage something no one has ever seen – what happens before workers fall.  Ladder accidents are the leading cause of death for construction workers. 

Field testing will conclude soon with the STO Building Group and the world’s first smart ladder, the Little Giant SignalTM will be available in limited quantities in the New York market this Fall.   The SignalTM is one of the featured technologies at this year’s ENR FutureTech, the preeminent construction technology conference.

H.P. Goldfield brings a critical mix of Board governance and international trade to Otto and will help lead us from a domestic to a global business. During the Reagan Administration, Mr. Goldfield served as Associate Counsel to the President at the White House and then as U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Trade Development. He is a Senior Consultant to the Albright Stonebridge Group and a Senior International Advisor to global law firm Hogan Lovells where he is responsible for international trade and transactional problem-solving and developing and implementing complex legislative and regulatory strategies.  Mr. Goldfield served for years on the Board of the US Chamber of Commerce and on the Board and as chair of its Governance Committee of ENR 400 construction company Black & Veatch.

Cory Scott brings the property owner perspective to Otto. He is Executive Vice President, Asset Management for Macerich, a leading owner, operator, and developer of top retail and mixed-use destinations in major U.S. markets (NYSE:MAC) with its much-admired portfolio of market-dominant properties. Macerich is the industry’s leader in environmental sustainability. A 25-year veteran of the real estate industry, Mr. Scott has been instrumental in many major development projects, including shaping the transformation of Tysons Corner Center from a dominant super regional shopping center into a vibrant, transit-oriented, mixed-use development.

Jim Bifulco is a co-founder of Otto and among the most highly respected safety professionals in the United States.  For more than 25 years, Mr. Bifulco was Managing Member of Total Safety Consulting, LLC (TSC), overseeing the activities of approximately 350 safety professionals assigned to major construction projects in New York and along the East Coast of the U.S.  When TSC was acquired in 2021 by insurance giant AJ Gallagher’s claims and risk management division, Gallagher Bassett, Mr. Bifulco accepted the role as GB’s Managing Director of their Technical Services Division, where he was tasked with developing and delivering aspects of their national end to end risk management solutions.  Mr. Bifulco remains a strategic advisor to GBTS.

Media Contact
Ellen Giuntini
+1 703-403-1713
Ellen.Giuntini@ottotechsystems.com