Six GSM mobile lone worker safety devices, equipped with a panic button and tilt sensors, and fitted with GPS ANT Telecom’s Alarm Messaging Server (AMS) have been supplied by ANT Telecom. This allows lone workers to send an alarm – delivered to the AMS by SMS, voice call, Wi-Fi, two-way radio, contact switch or over an LAN/WAN IP connection. Paralloy’s lone workers, which work at height, with hazardous materials and alone for long periods of time, manufacture precision components and assemblies for different markets including aerospace, industrial gas turbine and petrochemical.
Prior to its work with ANT Telecom, Paralloy was operating a buddy system at its site based in Billingham, whereby a lone worker would check in and then receive check calls from security every thirty minutes. This time consuming and manual process was not as reliable and robust as Paralloy wanted it to be. Now, if an employee has an accident they can immediately raise an alarm by pressing the panic button
The tilt sensor triggers an alarm automatically if the user is rendered unconscious. Alarms are then distributed to assigned responders, with the first person who responds notifying the remaining responders that the alarm is being managed. The lone worker device has automatic hands free answer feature, which can be activated when called by permitted parties. A responder can also listen in to assess the situation.
“The nature of the job involves our employees working with molten metal and furnaces, which are highly hazardous,” said Philip Rees, EHS Manager, Paralloy. “It is very physical work and many work unsociable hours. We want to be able to give them peace of mind that if they have an accident or fall ill whilst on their own, processes are in place so that help will arrive quickly and efficiently.
“When implementing a new solution, we wanted to review the entire process from start to finish, from how an employee raises an alarm to who will be alerted by the alarm, who will respond to it and who would investigate the alarm in more detail and locate the injured or unwell person. ANT Telecom fully understood this and was able to design a solution around us. The implementation process has also been very straightforward. They came in, set everything up, showed us how to use it and it’s been seamless since.”
