BOSSES at NI Water have invested in more than 700 connected wearable devices from Limerick safety technology provider Blackline Safety in a bid to keep its frontline workers safe.
The G7c wearable cloud-connected multi-gas monitors, with integrated cellular connectivity and location technology, provide NI Water with the unprecedented ability to detect the presence of hazardous gases and obtain gas readings in real time, with built-in two-way communication, even deep underground.
“NI Water’s priority is the safety and wellbeing of our staff, and while we operate to high industry safety standards, we are always seeking new technology and innovative solutions to increase safety and eliminate potential risks,” said the utility's senior technical trainer Jason Devine.
“The real-time visibility provided by the Blackline devices – combined with GPS location, messaging and indoor location compatible capabilities – were key features to augment safety across our organisation.”
G7c is the world’s first 3G-connected gas detector with integrated, as-it-happens lone worker monitoring and evacuation management tools.
The technology enables organisations to view in real time all their workers’ locations and gas readings in the field, and configure their devices, from any Internet-connected smartphone, tablet or computer, no matter how remote the location.
The devices automatically watch over workers and call for help when needed.
And should a gas leak, fall or a no-motion incident be detected, assisted-GPS capability guides responders directly to the worker’s location.
G7c provides full-view insights for optimized emergency responses, enabling teams to react with all the information necessary for rescues in complex, hazardous environments.
“Our devices deliver layers of protection to ensure a critical lifeline in the event of an emergency,” said Simon Rich, Europe sales director at Blackline Safety.
“The advanced technology not only allows organisations to actually see what’s happening in the field in real time so they can gain a better understanding of safety situations facing workers in the moment, but it also gives them the ability to analyse incident responses, identify areas for improvement, and predict what might happen in the future.”
NI Water, which has 1,500 staff, is the sole provider of water and sewage services in the north, supplying 605 million litres of clean water and treating 362 million litres of wastewater daily.
