For further information on any news stories please contact Peter Swan at SBES. +44 1737 226622 or email peter.swan@sbes.co.uk

SBES Lone Worker System Replaces Pager System ...>>>
SBES Statistical Survey ...>>>
Lone – But Not Alone ...>>>
SBES Protects Exxonmobil Aviation Staff ...>>>
SBES Launch Water Sensitive Lone Worker Alarm ...>>>

VIRTUAL DEMOS HELP USERS FIND THE RIGHT SYSTEM

To help those researching lone worker solutions find the right products for their particular application SBES, the lone worker protection specialist has virtual demonstrations of some of its products in action, these are available to view at www.sbes.co.uk.

The virtual demos demonstrate the flexibility of the SBES product portfolio and will help those who have identified a problem with lone working as part of a risk assessment decide on which product is best suited to their environment or application.

Beginning with a demonstration of SBES’ core product, Lifesaver, the demos give a short but clear indication of what each product in the range covers and what it can be used for. The Lifesaver demo for example shows a warehouse application and clearly shows how SBES deals with problems associated with signal coverage and the reaction time of the system.

For mobile workers, the Protector virtual demo is a clear run through of how the system might be used by maintenance/ service personnel frequently moving between buildings.

Tracer, the GPS/GSM and two-way satellite enabled vehicle-based system is demonstrated by showing the classic case of a lone operative, working at height in a remote location who has an accident. This demonstration clearly shows how the remote monitoring centre, which such systems can be relayed to, answers the call with speed and accuracy. Using GSM/GPS or two-way satellite communication to suit the particular application the Tracer system can pinpoint a prone operative to within 1m whatever their location – anywhere in the World.

SBES’ latest technical innovation is shown in the last virtual demonstration where the backpack mounted Responder system is shown in various situations. The Responder system again uses GSM/GPS or two-way satellite communication and is equally suited to lone workers undertaking potentially hazardous tasks in the field or service workers walking between locations in a City centre.

Leisure is also covered by the Responder system and activities such as walking, running, mountain biking, climbing, hiking and sailing are all areas in which participants could be effectively protected.

As SBES CEO Peter Swan says “We know that our lone worker solutions are suitable for use in a wide range of applications. The virtual demonstrations, while only covering a few applications, illustrate the modular nature of all of our solutions. We hope that this facility will help those who have identified a potential risk be assured that there is a proven, cost effective solution available. But, if people have any doubts they should not hesitate to contact SBES’ specialist staff who will be pleased to help.”

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SBES LONE WORKER SYSTEM REPLACES PAGER SYSTEM

SBES, the lone worker protection specialist has recently upgraded its LifeSaver system at the National Institute of Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC) site in Potters Bar. The original LifeSaver system was installed in 2003 but has been expanded to cover other applications and areas.

The original LifeSaver system was used to cover various areas not generally populated during the working day, such as plant rooms and walk-in freezers, and other high risk areas. The system is used by both Institute staff and external contractors who may be working alone in risk areas. The wire-free alarm transmitters immediately inform the necessary personnel of any problem that may arise and its location.

According to the site’s Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) advisor: “The upgrade replaces an existing emergency responder system using pagers. The system was being used in areas of potential oxygen depletion. We use liquid nitrogen on the site which replaces oxygen very rapidly, if there is an alert of this nature although additional ventilation controls automatically cut in, we still need people to evacuate the area very quickly.”

A major drawback with the existing pager system was that emergency signals from the pagers might be held in a queue, which is an obviously unacceptable risk and NIBSC needed to remove this third party intervention. After an initial site visit and discussion of the application with SBES it was decided that the required functionality could be integrated very easily into its LifeSaver lone worker protection system. If a critical alarm is triggered all of the lone worker units sound an audible alarm and this puts into action an emergency response team who are equipped with self-contained breathing apparatus.

The installation of the equipment to enable the newly expanded alert function was quick and easy. As the EHS advisor confirms: “The upgrade only took about two hours, SBES had all the equipment ready when they came to site and they quickly installed and tested the equipment.”

One of the major benefits of the new SBES system is that the people who use the system at NIBSC are already familiar with the equipment. “We have not used the system in anger since its installation”, says the EHS advisor thankfully, “However, when we have tested the system it has always worked.”

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LONE WORKER SURVEY

Lone worker survey reveals dissatisfaction with mobile phone technology.

SBES, the lone worker protection system specialist conducted a quick-fire survey at this year’s Safety & Health Expo. The survey has revealed that an amazing majority of organisations that have a lone worker system in place are not satisfied that it meets their requirements.

Of the people SBES surveyed 100% had lone workers in their business, and of these respondents 96% had some sort of lone worker protection system in place. Of these 16% had a paper-based system, 67% had a mobile phone based system and 3% had both. The most significant point from the responses is that none of the respondents believed that these systems met their requirements.

This is placed into context when you consider that of the people surveyed 25% had experienced a lone worker incident in their organisation

Peter Swan, CEO of SBES commented on the survey by saying “While I am sure that most people can see the obvious deficiencies of a paper-based system it is the number of people that are dissatisfied with their mobile phone-type solution that is a real worry. Mobile phones may have revolutionised personal and business communication but the problems that they have in terms of signal strength, range and battery power make them largely unsuited to lone worker protection. Plus, they simply do not have features such as an incapacity alert or a tilt sensor to indicate if a worker is rendered unconscious for example.

“ Because of their ubiquity many organisations have gone down the mobile phone route for their lone worker protection needs and it seems from these results they have wasted their money. Despite the network providers claims that they cover 98% of the country, if you read the small print that 98% only refers to populated areas. There are large areas, such as the Highland of Scotland and Romney Marshes for example that are not covered.

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LONE – BUT NOT ALONE

Is it safe and legal to work alone? Unfortunately there is no single answer to this question and with modern working practices frequently asking people to work unsocial hours it is a question that many are being faced with. Here Laboratory News looks at the issues surrounding lone working and analyses some of the solutions.

Making the issue of lone worker protection even more complex from an employer’s point of view is that there is no definitive legislation in this area. Duties towards lone workers are covered under The Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 and The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in its publication Working alone in safety – controlling the risks of solitary work (downloadable from www.hse.gov) defines lone workers as: “those who work by themselves without close or direct supervision.  They work in a wide range of professions e.g. in warehouses, factories, research establishments and as night security personnel.  Employers have responsibilities for the health, safety and welfare at work of their employees and the health and safety of those affected by the work e.g. contractors and self-employed people who companies may engage.  These responsibilities cannot be transferred to people who work alone.”

The HSE publication goes on to state that: “It is the employer's duty to assess risks to lone workers and take steps to avoid or control risk where necessary. A lone worker should not be at more risk than any other employee and precautions should be put into place to account for normal work and foreseeable emergencies such as illness, accidents and workplace violence.  Employers should identify potential risk such as: Does the workplace present a special risk to the lone worker? Is there risk of violence? Are women staff especially at risk? Can the lone worker summon help in the event of an emergency?”.

In all likelihood, many of the very general terms and definitions contained in the Working alone in safety leaflet will resonate with your working environment. The reasons for this are that with no prescriptive legislation, lone worker protection comes down to individual risk assessments and thus the onus is placed back on the employer.

Solutions

Having conducted a risk assessment and established that there is a risk that needs to be managed, what are the options available? One of the first options that is usually considered (and discarded as quickly) is that of the ‘buddy’ system. The ‘buddy’ system means that, the person who would have been a lone worker is accompanied by a co-worker, at all times. Fine in theory, but in manpower costs alone a vast majority of employers immediately look for an alternative solution. The ‘buddy’ system is obviously unworkable in a laboratory/research environment where, by the very nature of the work, employees spend their time in disparate locations, often in large buildings. The very idea of having a ‘shadow’ is slightly ridiculous.

Paper Based Systems

When staff enter a site, they either sign-in or are in some other way logged as being on the site. Fire regulations and permit to work systems of course demand this, but is knowing that someone is on site really protecting them as a lone worker? If they have an accident, or are incapacitated is anybody going to be alerted? It could be claimed that at the end of the shift, for example, or on security handover the fact that a certain person has not left for the night may be noted. But is that unusual enough to spark an alert? More pertinently, if there has been a problem will any alert be in time to manage the incident successfully?

Mobile Phone Solutions

As more and more employers start to recognise their legal obligations to protect lone working employees, many will look for ways of applying technology. It is inevitable that lone workers will be asked to use a mobile phone, possibly one they already own, to raise an alert should they find themselves in trouble. By doing this employers are unwittingly creating new issues for themselves and their workers.

The primary issues not being addressed are: Firstly, a properly implemented system requires analysis of working practices, risk assessment and on-going training of both workers and management. Secondly, and more fundamentally, a mobile phone is a communications tool, it is not designed for purpose and arguably by providing an employee with a mobile phone the employer can increase the risks faced by the worker. There is also some evidence that guidelines being considered by the Police suggest that any device used to raise an alert should be specifically designed for this purpose and not a phone with a speed dial facility. It is even being said that the Police will only respond to alerts that are managed through recognised alarm receiving centres.
As well as these problems there are also headaches for the employer. All mobile phones and their bills need to be managed and accounted for. The issues are: How do I manage the phones I give to my employees? How do I ensure business and private calls are managed? How do I make sure that the employee will remember to have the phone on them and to have it turned on?
As well as these problems there are also the problems of network coverage. Network providers claim that 98% of the UK is covered by the mobile phone network but the small print associated with this claim refers to ‘populated areas’. What if your facility is in a remote area or if the building you are working in has areas where the signal is particularly affected?

Recent research at the Safety & Health Expo revealed that of those respondents that had an existing lone worker system in place (involving paper recording or mobile phone technology) none were convinced that the system they had bought met their requirements.

Peter Swan, CEO of SBES, the lone worker protection specialist commented on this research by saying: “While I am sure that most people can see the obvious deficiencies of a paper-based system, it is the number of people that are dissatisfied with their mobile phone-type solution that is a real worry. Mobile phones may have revolutionised personal and business communication system but the problems that they have in terms of signal strength, range, battery power and robustness make them largely unsuited to lone worker protection. Plus, they simply do not have features such as an incapacity alert or a tilt sensor to indicate if a worker is rendered unconscious for example.

Lone Worker Technology

Working alone in safety comments on specific lone worker technology saying: “Devices designed to raise the alarm in the event of an emergency need to be provided to employees.  The devices need to be easily operable and be connected to a call centre or to someone that can send immediate help. Lone workers, by definition, are more vulnerable to accident and aggression than most employees and therefore it is vitally important that their employers develop long-term strategies in order to protect their safety. Risk assessment should help decide the right level of supervision, training and protective equipment that needs to be employed.”

SBES has provided its LifeSaver system to many laboratory installations across the UK. Installations such as the Health Protection Agency, Glasgow Royal Infirmary’s Pathology Lab, Applied Bio Systems and Castrol Technology have all benefited from this robust, dependable, cost-effective solution. The SBES system is based around its lone worker unit. This is a mobile phone sized device that attaches to clothing (typically a breast pocket or a belt). The device has a tilt sensor so it cannot be set down and forgotten, nor can it be turned off, as it is equipped with long-life (two years) nickel-cadium batteries. The unit is activated in a number of ways, when a person uses the panic facility and depresses the two orange buttons located at the side of the unit, this sends an alarm to the LifeSaver control panel which will identify the person and their location, as well as activate a loud audible alarm and/or phone/text responders. If the employee becomes incapacitated then a tilt sensor is triggered (upon the unit being beyond 45 degrees for 15 seconds or more) which again activates the control panel alarm system. This system negates all of the human elements of dial-in or text-in systems and because of the technology used the signal issues surrounding mobile phones are not relevant.

SBES gives a bespoke engineered service to every application that it provides a solution for. The LifeSaver system is typically most suited to laboratory environments but further types of technology including GPS/GSM and alarm receiving centre solutions can be found at www.sbes.co.uk.
One laboratory application saw the SBES LifeSaver lone worker portable alarm system provide an ideal combination of versatile personal safety, ease of use and economy for the National Institute of Biological Standards and Control at its Potters Bar site. A public funded body under the Department of Health, the Institute installed LifeSaver to cover various areas not generally populated during the working day, such as plant rooms, walk-in freezers and other high risk spots, after comparing the SBES system with others on the market.
According to the Institute’s Environmental, Health & Safety Advisor, the SBES system appeared to be the most versatile without being overcomplicated, and was also the most economically advantageous. The system is used by both Institute staff and external contractors who may be working alone in high risk areas. The wire-free alarm transmitters immediately inform the necessary personnel of any problem and its location.
Installation was relatively easy and the system is very simple to use, according to the EH&S advisor, who also reports that it gave cost-savings in terms of man-hours since staff do not have to continually work in pairs or stop to telephone security. Weekend work has also been made easier and safer.

Most of the LifeSaver alarms are kept at the main reception area and are issued by a logging out system. Some alarm units are also positioned at the main entry points into specific high risk areas, with clear instructions to staff to use a unit whenever working alone. The system is very easy to understand and manage, reports the EH&S Advisor, explaining that the concise instructions enabled contractors to master its use very quickly. Another advantage of the system at the Institute was its ability to work within walk-in freezers and cold storage areas where other devices such as mobile phones, pagers and radios did not operate.

The cost of compliance

With the HSE estimating that it can cost £20,000 just to investigate a serious workplace incident, there is an increasing pressure on management to make sure their health and safety procedures are robust. This is without mentioning the spectre of the ‘corporate manslaughter’ legislation which will look to punish those who fail in their health and safety responsibilities.

The overriding messages that readers of Laboratory News should take from this article are that, in all likelihood, there is a need to manage lone workers on the site in which you operate and that a mobile phone solution, however it is operated, will probably create more issues than it solves. However, having identified a problem during a risk assessment, organisations should be re-assured that specialist providers like SBES have installed many systems in similar environments to theirs and with a client list that includes the NHS, ExxonMobil and Tesco they can be assured that any solution they specify will be a powerful addition as they drive towards best practice.

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SBES PROTECTS EXXONMOBIL AVIATION STAFF

SBES has recently completed the installation of a diverse lone worker protection system for ExxonMobil Aviation at six airports across the UK. The system, the first of its type anywhere in the World, will protect workers either out on site refuelling aircraft or back at the operational base.

The initiative to install the SBES system has come from Paul Heald, SHE and OIMS adviser for ExxonMobil Aviation in the UK. He recognised that during a 24h period at Manchester Airport personnel were often working alone and that a solution to this ‘grey area’ was not adequately provided by the risk assessments that had been conducted.

Finding a lone worker alarm system that met the specific requirements for refuelling work at airports was a particularly precise task. Call-in type systems using mobile phone technology were discounted as the nature of ExxonMobil’s business at the airports means that a worker could be away from his base for five or six hours as planes need refuelling. Working patterns are unpredictable so calling in during this period would just not be feasible. The other, more important issue is that mobile phone-type technology cannot be used in hazardous environments where product vapour could be ignited by a phone’s normal operation. A huge plus point of SBES’ ATEX-certified technology is that, as Paul Heald says “It can be dropped into a bucket of fuel if needs be.”

SBES provided ExxonMobil with two different solutions to its lone working problems. Firstly, it addressed the problem of lone employees working on mobile fuel tankers anywhere across the huge site with no fixed itinerary. Each worker is issued with an ATEX-certified, intrinsically safe lone worker alarm unit that can be activated in two different ways (by depressing twin buttons or by being tilted off 90 degrees for more than 25 seconds). In the event of an incident the alarm unit sends a signal to a LifeSaver base station which has been specially adapted and wired into the vehicle’s electrical system. This activation of the unit will cause all the lights on the vehicle: headlights; brake lights; hazard lights to flash randomly and for a two-tone horn to sound in order to attract attention. This will continue until the system is reset. To avoid nuisance alarms there is a reset button installed on the cab of the vehicle.

The second lone working hazard was that at anytime (although particularly during the hours of 10pm until 5.30am) there is very often an ExxonMobil employee who works alone at the base area. In order to solve this problem SBES installed its best-selling LifeSaver system that sounds an external strobe/beacon sounder alarm should it be activated. However, if the base area is deserted the system offers a secondary protective function and it will automatically dial a series of ten pre-set telephone numbers informing the recipient that the system has been activated. The first numbers called are those of local airport services – security, police, fire and the recipient must dial eight if they accept the call. This will then stop the system from dialling any further numbers. If there is no answer or an answer machine clicks in then the system automatically dials the next number on the list. The system also has the capability to text information to off-site mobile phones.

The engineering ingenuity of SBES does not finish there though. At three of the airports (Manchester, Luton and Bournemouth) the LifeSaver system also facilitates access to the base areas by automatically opening the gates to the premises.

Despite the diverse locations of the airports (as well as the three mentioned above other installations have been carried out at Liverpool, Southampton and Birmingham) and the fact that a bespoke system was required Paul Heald describes SBES’ service as “faultless”.

For more information on the range of worker protection systems developed by SBES call 01737 226622.

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SBES LAUNCH WATER-SENSITIVE LONE WORKER ALARM

SBES, the lone worker protection specialist, has launched a new alarm unit that activates when it comes into contact with water. Intended for companies that have employees who work on or around water, the alarm is launched alongside a new satellite communication version of its backpack-style Responder system.

The traditional SBES lone worker tilt alarm is activated in two ways. Firstly, assistance can be summoned by pressing the two orange side activation buttons simultaneously. This immediately sends a signal to summon help. Secondly, should the unit be tilted at an angle of more than 45 degrees for 15 seconds the unit will emit an audible tone or vibrate violently for 10 seconds. If the unit is not returned to an upright position an emergency signal will be sent. A delay switch fitted to the top of the unit can disable the tilt function for 7 minutes at a time to allow for workers who need to operate off vertical.

Now, as a result of research and development conducted by SBES on behalf of a customer, the lone worker alarm is activated automatically if the unit comes into contact with water. As the customer’s sites were often rural and remote locations then the only practical solution was to develop SBES’ Responder system so that it used satellite technology to relay a signal in case of emergency, or immersion in water.

Peter Swan, CEO of SBES says “The weakness of mobile phone type lone worker solutions is that they rely on good network coverage, and even less reliably, they rely on people to remember complex procedures. Our new system ensures coverage as long as there is sky above the unit and an alert will be received at a receiving centre where emergency contact procedures are all specified in advance.”

As with all of SBES’ solutions the new products are modular and scaleable, able to be integrated with its other lone worker protection systems:
LifeSaver - a fast, accurate way of summoning help using radio and suitable for fixed locations.
Protector – a self contained system housed in a portable carrying case.
Tracer – a vehicle based system with a communications unit fixed to the vehicle, allowing the worker to work up to 1km from the vehicle while being protected.
Responder – an alarm that sends signals to a communications unit carried in a lightweight (1kg) bag.

With the protection of lone workers becoming an increasingly complex issue, SBES’ range, with the addition of its new water sensitive unit and satellite communication system has become applicable to an even wider range of applications.

For more information on the range of worker protection systems developed by SBES call 01737 226622.

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