Savannah, GA — Thanks to everyone who came by to talk shop about safer, smarter material processing at the Georgia Safety Conference, held September 3–5, 2025 at the Savannah Marriott Riverfront. Our team brought a hands-on lineup built around one simple idea: reduce injuries while increasing throughput—from vertical panel saws to ergonomic dollies to reach tools that keep feet on the floor and shoulders out of harm’s way.
Why safety leaders care about vertical panel saws, carts, and reach tools
When the goal is fewer recordables without sacrificing output, three levers make an outsized difference:
Engineering controls at the cut
Vertical panel saws index the material, not the operator’s body. With the work upright, you avoid awkward stoops, long reaches, and unstable table feeds that drive strains and rework.
Material handling that eliminates team lifts
If one person can stage, move, and position bulky items smoothly, you’ve removed the riskiest part of the job—without adding headcount.
Micro-interventions that prevent “just this once” climbs
Simple reach tools stop ladder grabs, chair stands, and shoulder-high stretches—the small behaviors that become big injuries.
Below are the highlights we featured in Savannah and why safety managers, operations leaders, and shop supervisors are standardizing on them.
Spotlight #1: Varsity Series Vertical Panel Saw
What it is: A compact, portable, pro-grade vertical panel saw designed for tight shops and job sites. The Varsity Series offers full-sized cutting accuracy in a smaller footprint, thanks to a folding stand and frame wheels that make it easy to roll, deploy, and store. Ideal for breaking down sheet goods precisely—without dedicating half your shop to a horizontal table.
Why it’s safety-forward
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Ergonomic posture: Work upright. The machine—guided by the carriage—does the travel, not the operator’s back.
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Repeatable accuracy = fewer re-cuts: Less rework means fewer extra handling cycles (and less dust exposure).
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Fast setup in the safe zone: Deploy it near storage to shorten carry distance and reduce collision risk.
What safety leaders notice first
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New hires get productive quickly: vertical cutting is intuitive.
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Clean lines and predictable feed reduce cognitive load and “winging it” on the table saw.
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Easier floor management: smaller footprint keeps aisles clear.
Spotlight #2: Scoop Dolly
What it is: A pivoting hand-truck-like dolly that slides flat under the load, then tilts the object back using a scoop handle. Because the casters stay flat on the floor as you tilt, they don’t bind or stress bearings, which keeps moves smooth and controllable. Optional wheel configurations expand the footprint for ramps, docks, and uneven transitions.
Why it’s safety-forward
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One-person moves for top-heavy or bulky items: Doors, windows, cabinets, machines—without the risky “two-person shuffle.”
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Controlled center of gravity: Adjustable support lets you set the right angle for the payload, maintaining balance and line-of-travel control.
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Fewer push/pull strains: Smooth caster tracking reduces sudden resistance, the #1 culprit in back and shoulder tweaks during transport.
What safety leaders notice first
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Near-misses from “help me grab this” drop dramatically.
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Job sequencing improves because a single operator can stage independently.
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Operators self-select the safer method because it’s faster and easier than muscling the load.
Spotlight #3: Pocket Reacher
Traditional reach poles are inherently dangerous as it requires awkward squatting, bending, or ironically reaching with your own body while standing precariously on top of a ladder.
What it is: A compact, telescoping reach tool that lets operators hook, pull, and position items on shelves, pallet racks, and pegboards without climbing or over-reaching. It’s light, collapses for pocket/holster carry, and swaps between narrow and wider heads for different tasks.
Why it’s safety-forward
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Eliminates “quick ladder” culture: Fewer unauthorized climbs and chair stands.
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Protects shoulders and necks: Turns awkward overhead reaches into neutral, elbow-close motions.
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Speeds light picking and facing: Safer and faster—so adoption sticks.
What safety leaders notice first
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Small tool, big impact on first-aid and near-miss counts.
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Frontline teams love it; compliance becomes self-reinforcing because it saves time.
- Reach Pole Stationed at the top of the ladder ready to go.
The engineering edge behind SawTrax accuracy: Accu-Square
SawTrax vertical panel saws use Accu-Square, a patented indexed alignment system that “sets and forgets” the relationship between guide tubes and frame. It stays square—even after moves—so you’re not chasing adjustments or accepting rework risk. Fewer out-of-square cuts means fewer repeats, less handling, and less exposure time on the tool.
Safety + productivity: the compounding effect
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Fewer lifts and carries → fewer strain/sprain injuries and fewer bottlenecks between storage and cutting.
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Cleaner, straighter cuts → less rework, less dust, shorter exposure windows.
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No-climb reach → fewer line stoppages due to ladders, fewer near-miss reports, faster light-duty work.
When you combine a vertical saw for primary breakdown, a ScoopDolly for movement, and a Pocket Reacher for small tasks, the system delivers more than the sum of its parts: measurably safer workflows that are also faster.
Missed us in Savannah?
If we didn’t connect in person, we’d still love to walk you through the lineup you saw attendees using on the floor:
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Varsity Series Vertical Panel Saw — compact, portable, pro-grade cutting with a folding stand and wheels.
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ScoopDolly — pivoting, flat-under-load dolly that makes one-person moves realistic and safe.
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Pocket Reacher — telescoping reach tool that keeps operators grounded and productive.
Want a tailored spec for your space, materials, and throughput targets? Tell us your most common sheet sizes, the tightest aisle you navigate, and your top three “near-miss” scenarios. We’ll map a safety-first, speed-second package that fits your shop—and your injury-reduction goals.
