A system for monitoring equipment includes at least one sensor generating a detection field; an electronic equipment tag associated with a piece of secured equipment; an electronic personnel tag identifying a person; and a server, in communication with the at least one sensor, for matching detection in the detection field of the equipment tag with detection in the detection field of a personnel tag and determining whether a person identified by the detected personnel tag is authorized to use equipment corresponding to the detected equipment tag. A method of monitoring equipment includes detecting a electronic equipment tag associated with a piece of secured equipment in a detection field; detecting a personnel tag identifying a person in the detection field; and determining if the person identified by the detected personnel tag is authorized to use equipment corresponding to the detected equipment tag.