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HEALTH & SAFETY


RECEIVING INCIDENT ALERTS FAST SAVES LIVES Many of today’s handsets come with integrated panic buttons and man-down sensors too, providing a way to play a role in protecting staff. In some situations, these features will not be enough to solve the emergency. Extra measures will need to be taken to integrate and automate alerts and machinery stops into some equipment and production processes – but, just being able to raise an alert immediately, almost instantly, increases the awareness of an incident rapidly, providing teams with time to deal with the problem. Similar to when a fire starts in a building – the work of tackling the fire and minimising risk to life is yet to come. In any scenario, it is important that response teams are capable of receiving the alert information quickly, and once establishing the seriousness of the incident, they have the means to collaborate with others quickly, to coordinate a response. Communication technology and automation can play a big role in this process. For instance, not all response teams are medically trained. So the first thing a first responder might do to help a colleague - who is critically ill and unresponsive - is to call the first aid team to get medically trained personnel on the scene as quickly as possible. This call may also be followed by a call to emergency services, the gatehouse - to keep access to the location of the accident open - and a colleague, who can escort paramedics quickly through the building or site to access the patient. Another key question here is about how the alarms reach the response team in the first place? This can be done via an automated platform that distributes alerts directly to the response team on their PC and/or Comms Device. There are other methods, however, an automated system provides key information - such as lone worker’s name, number and location - first hand, directly on response teams’ screens so they do not need to jot it down. These applications also ensure alerts are accepted by a member of a team, which is then communicated, so the rest of the team know who is dealing with it. Essentially, it is a blend of the most appropriate technology and process that protects people.


CONCLUSION


If manufacturing and engineering organisations intend to look after lone workers and meet HSE requirements, they must ensure that they have the right technology and appropriate supporting communication processes in place to protect lone workers from when an incident occurs. Implementing this is crucial. In some cases, the difference between severe injury and/or life or death.


ANT Telecom www.anttelecom.co.uk


INDUSTRIAL COMPLIANCE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2023 39


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