Background

The John Deere Waterloo Works is a monumental operation and a cornerstone of agricultural innovation for over a century. Spanning over 2,700 acres, it is the company’s largest manufacturing complex, where dedicated teams design, forge, and assemble the legendary 7, 8, and 9 Series tractors. Within this massive footprint lies their Foundry Operations, a vital site where the components of these machines are created.

Problem

In the casting plant, sand is used to create patterns and molds for metal parts. Once the castings are complete, the excess sand must be cleaned off. While John Deere had already invested heavily in high-quality PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) for their team, they identified a critical gap in protection.

When workers reached the end of their shift or headed to a break, their uniforms were heavily coated in fine sand dust. Removing PPE while covered in these particles meant the workers, and anyone nearby, were at immediate risk of inhaling respirable dust. To truly protect their staff, John Deere needed a solution to manage and remove the dust before the PPE was ever taken off, preventing it from spreading into clean areas of the plant.

Solution

To solve this, John Deere integrated three Bat Booth® units into high-traffic areas across the foundry.

• Point-of-Exit Cleaning: By placing units in specific high-flow zones, John Deere made it easy for workers to de-dust their clothing immediately after leaving the casting area.
• Industry-Validated Safety: The Bat Booth is designed in line with NIOSH guidelines and is UL-Certified, giving the Waterloo team peace of mind that their safety tech meets the highest US standards.
• A Quick 10-Second Transition: In just 10 seconds, the booth removes hazardous particles, ensuring that when workers finally remove their PPE, they are breathing clean air.

Fun Fact: When these units shipped out in late 2019, our team couldn’t resist attaching John Deere tractor toys to the ratchet straps as a nod to the iconic machines these booths would help build!

Result

Completed in November 2019, this installation has helped John Deere maintain its commitment to a world-class safety culture. By neutralizing the risk of secondary exposure, they’ve ensured that the dust stays in the foundry.

Ready to see how a 10-second change can protect your entire team? Contact us.