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How to coordinate multiple operators for equipment supervisors

Steps for equipment supervisors to coordinate several operators on one jobsite, with tool options and common mistakes to avoid.

By 2Dig ยท

2Dig is published by the makers of OperatorLink, which is compared here alongside other tools.

Coordinate several operators by agreeing on one set of signals, one shared way to send them, and who may give each one before the first move. OperatorLink shows STOP, HOLD and SLOW to the crew through a phone browser, with no app install. [1] [1]

OptionWhat it doesFeeCard fee
OperatorLinkShows STOP, HOLD and SLOW to the crew and passes button presses, chat and voice between phones in a browser [1]Currently free to use, no paid plan built yet [1]not published
Phone video call appnot publishednot publishednot published
Two-way radionot publishednot publishednot published

What you need before you start

Equipment supervisors need a set of signals that every operator understands before the first move. Agree on the words, such as STOP, HOLD and SLOW, and on who may give each one, so no operator has to guess. Each operator needs a phone with a working browser and a data signal, because the signals pass between phones in a browser. [1] One person starts the jobsite session and shares a link or QR code with everyone else. [1] The link stops working 12 hours after the first person joins, so a link from an earlier shift needs replacing. [1] Before the shift, decide who starts the session and who confirms that HOLD and SLOW are cleared at the end. [1]

Step by step

  1. Confirm that each operator's phone has a working browser and a data signal for the whole shift. [1]
  2. The supervisor opens the session from a phone browser, with no app install needed. [1]
  3. Share the link or QR code with every operator and signal person, and have each one join from it. [1]
  4. Before the first move, confirm that every operator is in the session and sees the same signals. [1]
  5. Tell the crew which signals stay on: HOLD and SLOW stay on for everyone until the last person leaves. [1]
  6. Ask each operator to keep a move button held while moving. A move that stops arriving for 2 seconds is dropped by the other phones. [1]
  7. Make STOP the first signal everyone knows. Pressing it releases every held direction on every phone and shows a full-screen alert to everyone else. [1]
  8. Check the alert on each phone before the lift starts, since the buzz differs by browser. [1]
  9. At the end of the shift, everyone leaves the session. A jobsite with nobody in it is wiped after 3 idle hours. [1]

Tools that can do it

OperatorLink is made by the team that publishes this site. It shows STOP, HOLD and SLOW to the jobsite crew and passes button presses, chat and voice between phones in a phone browser. [1] [1] One-tap radio-style calls such as Go Ahead, Copy That and All Clear are sent as chat messages. [1] Anyone who joins can take part in a voice call run from the phone browser. [1]

A phone video call app is a second option. No facts are available here about how one works, so check whether the call can stay open for the whole shift, whether the supervisor can see the operators and signal person clearly, and whether the phone locks its screen during a lift.

A two-way radio is a third option. No facts are available here about one, so check that the crew agrees on plain voice terms, that each operator can hear over machine noise, and that the channel stays clear through the lift.

Match the option to the crew and the site, and keep a fallback ready, since browser signals depend on each phone's data signal.

Common mistakes to avoid

Relying on one phone to send STOP. If that phone loses its data signal, the crew has no other way to see the stop, so agree on a back-up method before the lift.

Assuming every phone alerts the same way. On Android browsers, signals such as STOP make the phone buzz, while iPhone Safari ignores the buzz, so check the screen and sound on each device. [1]

Using a link from an earlier shift. A jobsite link stops working 12 hours after the first person joins. [1]

Leaving an empty session and expecting it to hold. After 3 idle hours with nobody in it, the jobsite is wiped. [1]

Forgetting that HOLD and SLOW stay on until the last person leaves. [1]

Lifting a move button too early. If a move stops arriving for 2 seconds, the other phones drop it. [1]

Frequently asked questions

Is OperatorLink free to use?

OperatorLink is currently free to use, and no paid plan is built yet. [1] Because the signals travel over the phone network, each phone still needs a working data signal for the whole shift, so check the phone's data plan before relying on it. [1] The product runs in a phone browser, so there is nothing to install on the crew's phones. [1]

What does the STOP button do in OperatorLink?

STOP releases every held direction on every phone in the session and shows a full-screen alert to everyone else. [1] HOLD and SLOW work differently, because they stay on for everyone until the last person leaves the jobsite. [1] Agree before the shift on what each operator does when STOP appears, so the response is quick and the same for everyone.

How long does an OperatorLink jobsite link last?

A jobsite link stops working 12 hours after the first person joins it. [1] A jobsite with nobody in it is wiped after 3 idle hours. [1] For a new shift, start a fresh session and share the new link or QR code with the crew. [1]

Do STOP signals buzz every phone in OperatorLink?

No, not on every phone. On Android browsers, signals such as STOP make the phone buzz, while iPhone Safari ignores the buzz. [1] On an iPhone, the full-screen alert is the signal that reaches the operator, so check that the screen stays on and visible on every phone before the lift. [1]

Can OperatorLink run voice calls during a lift?

Anyone who joins the jobsite can take part in a voice call run from the phone browser. [1] One-tap radio-style calls such as Go Ahead, Copy That and All Clear are sent as chat messages. [1] Because voice runs in a browser, agree on a fallback method for a weak signal on site before the lift begins.

OperatorLink is currently free to use, and no paid plan is built yet. [1]

Try OperatorLink

Sources

  1. OperatorLink's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)

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