Sensor based system and method for authorizing operation of worksite equipment using a locally stored access control list

An equipment sensor, comprising:

• a mechanical interface configured to attach the equipment sensor to a piece of equipment;
• a processor configured to detect whether an operator is authorized to operate the piece of equipment, wherein detecting whether the operator is authorized to operate the piece of equipment comprises:
• receiving, from a wearable sensor of the operator, a signal including an identifier for the wearable sensor;
• retrieving, from a memory local to the equipment sensor, an access control list of operators that are authorized to operate the piece of equipment;
• determining whether the identifier for the wearable sensor corresponds to an entry in the access control list;
• and
• based on determining that the identifier for the wearable sensor corresponds to an entry in the access control list, without additional authentication, authorizing the operator to operate the piece of equipment based on detecting a presence of the operator within a range of the piece of equipment, the presence of the operator being detected within the range of the piece of equipment based on the signal received from the wearable sensor of the operator exceeding a threshold, the threshold being set differently based on a type of the piece of equipment and a location of the equipment sensor on the piece of equipment relative to a position of the operator;
• at least one altimeter adapted to detect an altitude of the piece of equipment;
• at least one accelerometer adapted to detect motion of the piece of equipment;
• and
• a wireless network interface adapted to communicate data to an external system, the data comprising:
• the altitude of the piece of equipment;
• the presence of the operator of the piece of equipment;
• and
• the motion of the piece of equipment.