Case Study: Detroit Diesel Remanufacturing

About Detroit Diesel

Detroit Diesel Remanufacturing offers a full line of heavy-duty diesel engines, axles, transmissions, safety systems and connected vehicle services for the commercial truck market. A subsidiary of Daimler Truck North America, the company has products and services supported by a parts and distribution network of over 800 locations in North America.

Goals

With heavy machinery and complex equipment, Detroit facilities have plenty of property risks. Leaders at the company chose to address them through risk engineering and created an ambitious list of goals.

Top-Notch Employee Safety Processes. Reducing the risk of worker injuries was the No. 1 priority for company leadership.

Identify Electrical Hazards. Detroit wanted to detect electrical safety issues at various plants to reduce risks of fire, arc flash, or electrocution. The team was intent on addressing even the smallest problems to catch them before they manifest into something larger.

Reduce the Need for Cumbersome Personal Protective Equipment. Detroit hoped to reduce electrical hazard risks so workers could approach equipment without heavy PPE.

Continue Being an Employer of Choice. Detroit hoped to enhance their reputation as a safe workplace and use it to continue recruiting top talent.

Solution

Detroit partnered with TÜV SÜD for property risk engineering inspections at four sites in Ohio, Utah, Minnesota, and Indiana.

Arc Flash Study. Examining electrical panels and equipment to identify risks of arc flash – intense light and heat resulting from an electrical explosion resulting from connection problems in an electrical system. Current arc flash labels were installed on all appropriate electrical equipment.

Infrared Thermography Inspections. Using non-destructive testing to identify electrical and mechanical risks. The infrared thermography scans helped to detect any abnormal temperature, potential problem areas, and determine severity in electrical systems and mechanical equipment.

Expert Consultation on Fire Risks. TÜV SÜD helped Detroit get a more robust understanding of their fire risk exposure and offered a list of recommendations to improve its risk profile.

Results

Reduced Risk Profile. Fire and electrical risks are greatly reduced after Detroit followed the TÜV SÜD recommendations.

Safer Workplaces. Employees working on equipment are now even safer when working at Detroit facilities.

Improved Data Management. With risk assessment data readily available in the TÜV SÜD data management system, Detroit has easy access to its most important metrics. 

Compliance with NFPA 70E and Other Standards. Detroit facilities are up-to-date with safety and compliance standards.

Eased PPE Requirements. Workers can approach most equipment with minimal PPE, allowing them to work as efficiently and comfortably as possible. Of course, workers will utilize heavier PPE when necessary.

Improved Safety Reputation Among Potential New Hires. With a proven culture of safety, recruiting top talent is easier.

“The risk engineering inspections were well conducted and the information we received was incredibly useful. The recommendations helped us to build a list of action items to address minor problems before they become major problems. The entire team at TÜV SÜD was easy to work with, well organized, and thorough. They made it very easy for us and saved us lots of time.” 
- Jason Wells, Safety Environmental Engineer at Detroit Diesel Remanufacturing/Daimler Truck North America