Highway services provider Ringway Jacobs has adopted a video-enabled lone worker protection service to improve levels of safety and reduce fleet risk.
It’s rolled out the integrated technology solution from Peoplesafe and SureCam to provide a personal safety solution for its highway inspection team that delivers added protection compared to a traditional dashcam.
Its operatives, who are responsible for walked, visual inspections of footways and carriageways, are in danger of violent and abusive behaviour from road users. As they frequently work in remote locations, they also face higher risks from slips, trips and falls, as well as traffic collisions both inside moving vehicles and at the roadside.
The video-enabled lone worker service provides drivers with a quick and easy way to request assistance thanks to the integration of the Peoplesafe Pro smartphone app with SureCam’s video telematics platform.
It’s able to support the driver both in and outside the vehicle, sending real-time data to a designated alarm receiving centre (ARC) to enable proactive management of emergency situations.
Drivers scan a QR code using the Peoplesafe mobile app to register their unique user ID, which confirms who is driving the vehicle. This automatically enables controllers in the Peoplesafe ARC to access audio communication along with supporting video footage captured from cameras fitted on 163 Ringway Jacobs vans and specialist vehicles, as well as incident data, when an alarm is raised.
The audio and visual data also ensures that the most appropriate action is taken quickly, with immediate access to emergency services if required.
David Bonehill, head of fleet at Ringway Jacobs, commented: “Health, wellbeing and safety are at the heart of everything we do, so our aim is to always provide a safe working environment for our employees. This latest initiative, developed with our valued partners at Peoplesafe and SureCam, has not only increased compliance of our lone worker processes, but also extended and enhanced the levels of protection we can provide our drivers.”
Naz Dossa, CEO of Peoplesafe, added: “We have taken our existing lone worker solution to the next level through this intelligent partnership with SureCam that places the end user first. The most significant impact we have seen is the peace of mind it provides to both employers and employees, making it an attractive proposition to those fleet operations, such as Ringway Jacobs, that prioritise people’s safety and welfare.”
