IN FOCUS
Workplace Safety Champions: spacebands Launches Innovative Wearables
From Pandemic Problem-Solvers to I
magine a world where workplace accidents become a thing of the past. This is the vision behind spacebands, a company founded by two enterprising school friends
during the pandemic. Their story began with a simple yet impactful solution:
a contact tracing device that helped businesses navigate the challenges of COVID-19. Delivering over 20,000 units internationally and garnering recognition from BBC, Sky News, and ITV, spacebands quickly established itself as a company to watch. But the founders weren’t content to rest on their laurels.
They saw an opportunity to go beyond pandemic solutions and transform workplace safety. After extensive customer feedback and £1.3 million in funding, Spacebands is now launching a revolutionary new product: a suite of wearable devices designed to proactively prevent accidents. Here’s how it works: Spacebands’ wearables act as guardian angels for employees. They continuously monitor for hazards like loud noises or unauthorised access zones, alerting workers in real-time to potential dangers. But the impact goes beyond immediate protection. Event data is saved for analysis by health and safety managers through the spacebands dashboard and mobile app. This data removes the guesswork from safety protocols, allowing for data-driven decision making. No more relying on hunches or blaming employees. spacebands technology identifies trends and patterns in accident-prone areas, enabling managers to take preventative action. This translates to a safer, more efficient workplace, with reduced accidents, improved productivity, and significant cost savings. The need is undeniable. With 7.9 million workers in the UK’s manufacturing, construction, and logistics sectors alone (ONS, 2023), and a staggering 1.8 billion globally (IBISWorld, 2024), the potential impact is immense. spacebands has already secured partnerships with global brands like Amazon, DHL, and Komatsu, a testament to the effectiveness of their solution. Beyond protecting workers, spacebands safeguards businesses. Employers are responsible for reimbursing the NHS for costs associated with workplace injuries under the Injury Cost Recovery Scheme (ICR). By preventing accidents, spacebands help companies avoid hefty financial burdens and protect vital NHS resources. The cost of workplace accidents in the UK alone is estimated at a staggering £20.7 billion annually
(UK Health & Safety Executive, 2023). spacebands’ wearables, starting at just £25 per device per month, offer a compelling solution with a significant return on investment. Spacebands is more than just a company; it’s a mission to create a safer, healthier future for workers everywhere. With their innovative wearables and data-driven approach, they are poised to revolutionise workplace safety and unlock billions in economic benefits.
spacebands.com.
Snickers Workwear’s Energising New Technical Midlayers
P
erfect Workwear – for less than perfect days. Snickers Workwear’s new range of lightweight Mid-layers are a Fusion of style and performance - built for active work in the Autumn.
Crafted for full flexibility on site and optimal comfort and built for active work, they’re fully flexible and can be worn as an outer layer when it’s warmer or a mid-layer when it’s a bit cooler. They’re full of handy technical features and innovative fabrics to tame the wind, plus brand new energising colours to brighten your spring-time workday. Choose from new street-smart styles such as the Windblocker Half-zip Hoodie or the Lightweight Flexiwork Mid-layer Jacket – creative workwear solutions designed to make your job easier. Whatever Snickers Workwear Mid-layer you choose, you can be sure that they all have body-mapping designs for a great fit, outstanding functionality and long-lasting comfort – all day, every day.
T
Gilberts is THE Choice in Hospitality Design
he new Social Hub Glasgow symbolises an array of “firsts” and establishes Britain’s
leading independent air movement supplier, Gilberts Blackpool, as a top-grade solution to creating the perfect hospitality ambience. The four-star Social Hub Glasgow is the first community-focussed hybrid hospitality venue in the UK and the first project to be delivered as part of the Merchant City regeneration of the site which has stood derelict for 20 years. At 20000m2 and 494 bedrooms, it is also Scotland’s largest hotel. Ventilation throughout the venue- that combines hotel and student accommodation with co-working spaces, plus bars, restaurants and a gym - is being provided by Gilberts’ grilles and diffusers. Gilberts has already in the past 18 months alone supplied ventilation delivery and extraction for the first Virgin hotel in the UK, Gleneagles’ first urban venue The Town House, and the first W Hotel in the UK. As part of the building services package delivered by Stothers M & E for principal contractor Gilbert-Ash, Gilberts has supplied, among others, its bespoke extract PE perforated diffusers, GSR ceiling-mounted fixed blade swirl diffusers, DG square louvred face diffusers in ceiling-mounted four-way blow variant and CV-H exposed ductwork grilles. The diverse units were chosen for their contemporary design which complimented the modern aesthetics of The Social Hub Glasgow and their suitability for the range of locations: for example, the GSR diffusers deliver high capacity supply and exhaust to cope with the high occupancy levels and thus air change requirements of the bar area, the omni-directional DGA units in the kitchen are easy to wipe clean, and the CV-H units in exposed ductwork deliver up to 70% ventilation area without any need for additional branches. “The UK hotel industry is experiencing major growth, worth £19+billion in 2023- almost double
that of 2021(1)!” says Ian Rogers, Gilberts Sales Director. “Our involvement at The Social Hub Glasgow firmly cements our reputation as the master in high-end building services’ components, with the quality of product and performance worthy of some of the top brands in the sector.” Founded 60 years ago, and still family-owned, Gilberts is the UK’s leading independent air movement engineer. It is unique in its ability to design, manufacture and test all products- including bespoke fabrications- in-house, to the extent it even designs and manufactures its own tools at its 140,000 sq ft head office and production facility.
gilbertsblackpool.com
NEW UPONOR BASE CONTROLLERS FROM GF BUILDING FLOW SOLUTIONS
P
roviding installers with a wider choice of residential thermostat solutions, GF Building Flow Solutions has added two new Uponor Base Controllers to its portfolio – the X-60 and X-80. Enginered for use with 230V standard wiring and easy to install, the new controllers feature advanced auto balancing technology that maintains the optimum comfort in each room, ensuring a balanced heating and cooling system. The new Uponor X-60 and X-80 Base Controllers utilise advanced algorithms to enable a more efficient system compared to manual balancing, resulting in energy savings for the end user. This is achieved with automatic balancing technology that constantly monitors and regulates the amount of energy required to maintain optimum comfort in each room. Specifically, the automatic balancing function automatically adapts to any changes in the indoor
temperature of the building and can even adapt to an existing installation without requiring recalculation during the initial setup. This technology can initiate the pump to activate or conversely, stop the flow to prevent unnecessarily high flow rates and therefore improve the energy efficiency of the heating system. The X-60 model features auto balance heating with six zones and 6 x 2 actuators, while the X-80 model offers auto balance heating with ten zones and 12 independent actuators. The X-80 model also includes a pump and boiler relay and supports heating and cooling modes without requiring special thermostats. Furthermore, for cooling applications, the X-80 can be configured to detect and avoid condensation by utilising the optional S-80 condensation set. Another key design feature of the new controllers is their compatibility with other systems.
In fact, they can be built on existing 230V cabling of a building to enable faster installation. The X-60 and X-80 can be connected to a wide range of 230V thermostats including those from other manufacturers, providing installers with greater flexibility when working on heating applications. “Finding a flexible and efficient underfloor heating solution in residential buildings requires
technology that is compatible with as many devices as possible, is autonomous, and saves costs,” says James Griffiths, Senior Marketing Manager (North West Europe) at GF Building Flow Solutions, adding: “By utilising advanced algorithms, the new X-60 and X-80 Base Controllers provide a more efficient system compared to manual balancing and we are delighted to add these new products to our range. By reducing both energy costs and installation time, installers are provided with a wider range of solutions for flexible, cost-effective, and reliable underfloor heating systems.”
GF Building Flow Solutions offers a complete range of Uponor products to ensure a comfortable indoor climate and sustainable energy use all year round, including the already established Uponor Smatrix Pulse smart room control system. To find out more about the new Uponor X-60 and X-80 Base Controllers, visit our website.
www.snickersworkwear.co.uk Read the latest at:
www.bsee.co.uk www.uponor.com BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER AUGUST 2024 35
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46
