For EHS, safety and operations leaders
Put an Industry Insider on Your Pedestrian Detection Decision
Vendors bring experts to every demo. I sit on your side of the table. Independent help choosing, piloting and rolling out forklift and heavy equipment collision avoidance technology, from someone who has built, sold and supported it.
- 30+years in industrial technology
- 4books on safety technology
- 300+published articles
- 29KEHS and safety followers
Worked inside
- Blaxtair
- Cyngn
- Topcon
- Hemisphere GNSS
- DigitalGlobe
- RioDatos
Delivered for
- Anglo American
- BHP
- CODELCO
- Barrick Gold
- Antofagasta Minerals
Collision Avoidance Technology Pays Off When Three Things Line Up
Every vendor brings an expert to the table. When your team has one too, the evaluation becomes a fair, informed conversation, and the system you choose earns its place on the floor for years.
Tested in your real conditions
Dust, glare, racking, reversing and mixed fleets are part of the trial from day one, so the system you pick performs on your floor, not just in a clean aisle.
Alerts operators trust
Zones, sensitivity and training are tuned with the people on the machines, so every alert means something and the system stays switched on.
Pilots that end in a clear decision
Baseline data and pass/fail criteria are agreed up front, so leadership gets a confident yes, no or next step, backed by evidence.
The good news: this technology works. Camera AI, RFID, radar and UWB all make floors safer when they are matched to the site, proven in a well-designed pilot and set up so operators trust them. Getting that match right is exactly where an insider helps.
An Independent Safety Technology Consultant on Your Team
I join your evaluation team for as long as you need me. I have worked for the manufacturers, built the dealer channels and supported the end users, so I know the questions vendors would rather you did not ask.
- Technology-neutral across camera AI, RFID, radar, UWB and video analytics
- Vendor shortlists and scorecards built on your site conditions
- Pilots designed with baseline data and clear pass/fail criteria
- Written recommendations leadership and insurers can stand behind
Outcomes Your Leadership Will Notice
Confidence in the choice
A recommendation grounded in how systems perform in operations like yours, not in a brochure.
Budget well spent
Invest in hardware that scales from the first pilot to every site, with no second guessing.
Operators who keep it on
Configuration, training and change management that protect adoption on every shift.
A decision you can defend
Documentation of risk, options and rationale that holds up with leadership, insurers and regulators.
From First Call to Confident Rollout in Four Steps
Every engagement starts with a written scope and fixed price. You decide how far to go.
- 1
Discovery call
30 minutes on your operation and the decision in front of you. No charge, and I will tell you plainly if I am not the right fit.
Free - 2
Risk and site review
Layouts, traffic patterns, fleet, lighting and incident history, remote or on site.
1 to 2 weeks - 3
Technology match and vendor evaluation
A shortlist, a scorecard and side-by-side testing on the conditions that matter to you.
2 to 4 weeks - 4
Structured pilot and rollout
Baseline data, success criteria and a clear yes or no, then standards and training to scale.
Optional retainer
Technology Decision Reviews from $3,500 · Site Assessment and Vendor Evaluation from $7,500 · See all engagement options →
Different From a Vendor Rep or a Generalist Safety Consultant
| Capability | Vendor sales rep | Generalist safety consultant | John Buttery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Works for you, not a product | No | Yes | Yes, with any conflict disclosed |
| Compares camera AI, RFID, radar and UWB | Own product only | Rarely in depth | Yes |
| Has deployed systems on real fleets | Own product only | Seldom | Forklifts, tuggers, excavators, mining |
| Knows how vendors price, sell and support | Their own | No | Built dealer channels |
| Designs pilots with pass/fail criteria | No | Sometimes | Built into every pilot |
Three Decades Where New Technology Meets Real Operations
Machine control on construction equipment, geospatial systems for the largest mining companies in South America, autonomous industrial vehicles, and AI pedestrian detection on forklifts and heavy equipment. Work across North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
- Logistics · MexicoAI pedestrian detection on a forklift fleet at a high-volume logistics center
- Automotive · MexicoAutonomous tuggers in a global automaker's production facility
- Earthmoving · U.S. and CanadaPrecision machine control on excavators for a large site contractor
Author of four books on industrial safety technology
Pedestrian Safety Consulting Across Industrial Operations
Warehousing and distribution
Forklifts, reach trucks and order pickers in high-traffic aisles and docks.
Manufacturing
Tuggers, AMRs and forklifts beside production lines.
Ports and terminals
Reach stackers, yard tractors and ground crews.
Construction
Excavators, loaders and telehandlers with ground workers.
Mining
Haul trucks and underground fleets, surface and below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Still unsure? Read the guides EHS teams use before they buy.
Are you tied to a particular pedestrian detection vendor?
I am CEO of RioDatos LLC, which sells industrial safety technology. I disclose that at the start of every engagement and evaluate camera AI, RFID, radar and UWB systems on their merits. If a RioDatos product is not the right fit, I say so in writing.
How much does a pedestrian detection consulting engagement cost?
A remote Technology Decision Review starts at $3,500. An on-site Site Assessment and Vendor Evaluation starts at $7,500 plus travel. An Advisory Retainer starts at $2,500 per month. Every engagement starts with a written scope and fixed price.
We already have an EHS team. Why bring in a consultant?
Your team knows your site and your people. I add what is hard to get from inside: how these systems are built, sold, priced and supported, and how they really perform in the field. I work alongside your team, not instead of it.
Can you help if we are already running a pilot?
Yes. If results are unclear, I review the setup, add baseline measures and success criteria, and help you reach a clear yes or no.
Do you work remotely or on site?
Both. Most decision reviews are remote using layouts, video, fleet lists and incident data. Site assessments and pilots are on site. I have worked across North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Which equipment and technologies do you cover?
Forklifts, reach trucks, tuggers, telehandlers, wheel loaders, excavators, haul trucks and port equipment, using camera AI, RFID, radar, UWB and video analytics.
Evaluating Pedestrian Detection This Year? Talk to an Insider First.
Tell me about your operation and the decision in front of you. In 30 minutes you will know which questions to ask your vendors, whether or not we work together.