Lone working

In response to the growing demand for employee protection and a one-stop solution to keep workers safe on the job, Blackline Safety Corp., a globally renowned company in connected safety technology, has announced a major expansion of its round-the-clock safety monitoring service. The expansion includes growing the Blackline Safety Operations Centre (SOC) – the only in-house safety monitoring service operated by a connected safety vendor, which operates 24/7, 365 days a year – by increasing the company’s specially-trained monitoring staff to meet rising user demand in North America. First European in-house SOC in France The company will also launch its first European in-house SOC in France in spring of 2022, in order to better serve international customers. “The more the world becomes a connected place, the more businesses are looking for a seamless, end-to-end consolidation of employee safety services,” said Sherrie Sawkey, the Director of Global Safety Operations at Blackline Safety Corp., noting that the company expects to see a 100 per cent increase in the number of connected devices monitored due to the expansion. Growing market for lone worker protection Sherrie Sawkey explained that the need for enhanced, consolidated monitoring services is on the rise With the market for lone worker protection in North America and Europe combined estimated to reach more than 260 million in 2022, Sherrie Sawkey explained that the need for enhanced, consolidated monitoring services is on the rise. Sherrie Sawkey adds, “Employers want to deal with one vendor for hardware, software and monitoring because it leaves less room for error when every second counts, and that’s where we have a distinct advantage. As a result, we’re looking to expand the number of our monitoring agents by up to 50 per cent.” Blackline Safety Operations Centre (SOC) Launched in 2015, in order to focus exclusively on safety monitoring through Blackline connected devices, the Blackline SOC is staffed by professionally trained agents, who are experienced in managing safety alerts, including skillfully handling gas and lone worker incidents – from receipt through to resolution, by following each customer’s unique emergency response protocol and involving local first responders as needed. Since then, the Blackline SOC has experienced steady growth, increasing from two agents to 20, who currently handle 800 to 1,000 alerts daily, from more than 37,000 connected devices, including both wearable and fixed safety monitors. Remote workforce In 2021, after transitioning its dedicated command centre to a remote workforce, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Blackline SOC managed, handled and responded to a record 250,000 alerts for the year, the majority of which were related to high gas levels or missed check-ins. Only 20 of those alerts escalated to the point, where local emergency services were contacted through the 9-1-1 emergency network, with Blackline agents using the company’s advanced technology to direct first responders to the exact location of the employees involved. Highest standards in safety monitoring Blackline’s technology is cloud-based, featuring GPS-enabled safety sensors and devices Sherrie Sawkey said, “We are committed to providing the highest standards in safety monitoring and ensuring the safety of all our users, so they return home safe and unharmed. The fact that such a small percentage of alerts ended up requiring outside intervention shows that our technology does what it’s designed to do - prevent emergencies before they happen.” Blackline’s technology is cloud-based, featuring GPS-enabled safety sensors and devices that leverage the Internet of Things (IoT) to connect workers to live monitoring. The platform includes high-performance emergency response and evacuation management capabilities, as well as contract tracing. GPS-enabled safety sensors and devices Blackline’s technology connects employees with software that pinpoints their location, enables back-and-forth information sharing and collects vital data, making it possible to detect the exact location of a gas leak or determine how often workers are travelling through high-risk areas. The company’s wearables are offered in two robust models — one connected via a cellular network and another via satellite.

Interface Security Systems (Interface), a globally renowned managed service provider, delivering business security, managed network, UCaaS and business intelligence solutions to distributed enterprises, has announced an expanded suite of Personal Protection Monitoring services that use active RFID tags to protect infants from abduction, prevent mother/infant mismatches, and monitor memory care patients. Personal Protection Monitoring services Personal Protection Monitoring was first launched in June 2020, with a focus on protecting at-risk lone and mobile workers in retail, restaurant, and hospitality brands. With this launch, Interface adds healthcare solutions to their Personal Protection Monitoring portfolio. This will include the following new service offerings: Infant security system for newborn infants in birthing centres and hospitals, in order to prevent abductions and accidental pairing of the infant with the wrong parent. Wander management system for patients in hospitals, behavioural health facilities and memory care centres. Interface Security Systems - GuardRFID partnership Interface will deploy GuardRFID’s RFID active tags, along with the RTLS Interface Security Systems has partnered with GuardRFID, a globally renowned company in real-time locating systems (RTLS), to implement the infant security and wander management systems. Interface will deploy GuardRFID’s RFID active tags, along with the RTLS, and integrate the solution with on-site alarm systems and video cameras for real-time alarm management and the capability to provide video verification of alarm events. Real-time locating systems (RTLS) Kerry Brock, the President & Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) at GuardRFID, said “GuardRFID’s in-house designed and manufactured RTLS solutions meet stringent certification and standards needed by healthcare facilities. We are excited to partner with Interface, who can offer a broad array of physical security solutions for healthcare customers on our platform, with their superior solution design, integration, and maintenance support.” Brian Garavuso, the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Interface Security Systems, said “Our experience in implementing lone and mobile worker safety solutions has given us deep insight into the challenges associated with delivering personal protection monitoring solutions. Our new solutions for infants and wandering patients build on this capability and give us the opportunity to help healthcare service providers to ramp up security and protect lives.”

Vismo (vismo.com) has announced the launch of Vismo Monitor, an app to help organisations easily monitor alerts about threatening or potentially threatening events, from their travelling or lone working employees. The new app enables those with access to the Vismo Secure Portal, such as security teams or managers, to receive alerts directly and securely to their mobile devices. Vismo Monitor app Employees can raise alerts using the Vismo Locate & Protect App. Its Red Alert feature can be activated easily if an employee finds themself in a high-risk situation. The alert will then notify security teams or managers through an In-App message on the Vismo Monitor App. All important details are displayed, including the individual’s last known location on the map, the time and date the alert was activated their phone number and email address, and immediate access to an audio recording from when the alert was activated. The administrator - security team or manager - can press the number to directly call the individual from the app. Providing employers with all necessary information Employees gain peace of mind knowing their monitoring teams have all the information they need The app ensures employers have all necessary information on hand, so they can act quickly when a staff member finds themself in a critical situation. It provides organisations with an immediate and intuitive tool, in order to ensure they can closely monitor and respond to alerts. Employees gain peace of mind knowing their monitoring teams have all the information they need, so as to provide support, even when the teams are away from their desks. Close monitoring of employee alerts Craig Swallow, Vismo’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), said “Developed by Vismo, the new Monitor app enables employee alerts to be closely monitored, ultimately ensuring support is sent to those who need it.” Craig Swallow adds, “Our customers were telling us that alert administrators, such as their security team, needed more immediacy of alert notification. Vismo is dedicated to listening to client feedback and continually implementing new features into its products and services. Vismo Monitor is a great example of that.” Enhancing employee security Vismo helps organisations better protect their employees in many different industries, from those travelling globally to those who have staff who work alone in the community. Interested companies can contact Vismo’s team for more information or for a demonstration of Vismo Monitor. Vismo’s employee safety solutions are used by many FTSE 100 and Fortune 500 companies, NGO agencies and a growing number of SMEs, and organisations in the public sector, as part of their duty of care towards their employees.

The majority of companies (68%) have experienced an incident involving a lone worker in the past three years, with a fifth of these incidents described as severe or very severe, according to research from lone worker solution, StaySafe. In addition, nearly a quarter of staff feels unsafe at least once a year. StaySafe surveyed over 1,300 lone workers and health and safety executives in the ‘The Lone Worker Landscape Report 2021’. Levels of protection This research aims, for the first time, to uncover the disparities between the opinions of employers and the lone workers themselves with the hope that, through greater understanding, the levels of protection given to lone workers can be improved. The research finds that incidents relating to external factors including accidents, ill health, aggression, and violence make up 41% of recorded lone worker incidents, with the rest (59%) involving stress, mental health issues, and tiredness. Incidents rates Male-dominated industries have higher rates of incidents overall, with 76% of utilities, telco, and construction Manual, traditionally male-dominated industries have higher rates of incidents overall, with 76% of utilities, telco, and construction companies experiencing an incident with a lone worker in the last three years. 66% of FM, property, and estate agents had reported an incident in the last three years, closely followed by housing and local authorities at 65%. Charities, social services, and the NHS recorded the lowest number of incidents (59%), which may be linked to both the nature of the roles, the increased levels of training in these industries, and company culture. The research showed that this group conducted the most training with 60% holding briefings on regulatory requirements relating to lone working. There could also be an issue with under-reporting in these industries. Lone worker safety concerns  Only around a third (36%) of lone workers have expressed their safety concerns to their employer. However, companies seem unaware that lone workers are failing to report these concerns, with nearly all (92%) believing that their lone workers are speaking to them regularly about any incidents and concerns. Don Cameron, CEO of StaySafe, comments, “The considerable under-reporting of hazards is a major concern for health and safety executives, particularly as they seem unaware that their staff isn’t having these conversations. Under-reporting can lead to employers under-estimating the real level of risk faced by staff daily and failing to put in the necessary protective measures to prevent accidents or incidents.” Increasing safety measures following an incident 83% of companies took action following a lone worker incident through improved training or additional protective measures The majority of companies (83%) took action following a lone worker incident, usually through improved training or additional protective measures. However, a significant minority of companies (17%) took no action at all. In addition, the research indicates that companies are often overestimating how well they have dealt with hazards or incidents. 78% of executives say that they have addressed their employees’ concerns to a great or fair extent, with only 45% of lone workers agreeing. Understanding safety concerns Don Cameron adds, “We can see when it comes to reporting incidents, companies, on the whole, are doing the right thing. However, the research shows that health and safety executives can only take appropriate action when they are aware of safety concerns or potential risks and hazards that lone workers may face.” “It’s clear that there is a high rate of lone worker incidents, many of which are severe, and health and safety executives have to focus on preventing these before they happen by ensuring that they understand the safety concerns of their staff.”

The owners of Innovative Business Software A/S (Innovative), Montreal-based Valsoft Corporation (Valsoft Corp.) have acquired UK-based security firm, Bold Communications, in a move to drive expansion of its presence in the United Kingdom. The acquisition will strengthen Innovative’s product offering, with the inclusion of Bold Communications’ CCTV alarm event handling and lone worker protection services. Innovative Business Software A/S is a global provider of security technology in the Nordic region and a member of MIT Group, an operating portfolio within Valsoft Corporation. Valsoft Corporation is based in Montreal, Canada and specialises in the acquisition and development of vertical market software businesses. Bold Communications acquisition Bold Communications is one of the United Kingdom’s renowned alarm monitoring platform providers and for over 30 years, the company has developed alarm communications and management systems for the alarm central station and ARC market. The company supports more UK alarm and CCTV monitoring control rooms than any other supplier and is globally recognised for security monitoring solutions, with its Gemini software platform. Major vendor of alarm solutions in EMEA region We’re excited to build on Bold’s distinguished reputation, established over 30 years in the UK security industry" Dennis Bang Andersen, the Vice President (VP) of Innovative, said “We’re excited to build on Bold’s distinguished reputation, established over 30 years in the UK security industry. This acquisition marks another milestone in our ambition to establish Innovative as the leading vendor of alarm receiving and handling solutions in EMEA.” Dennis adds, “We’re delighted to welcome our new colleagues to the team, together we can look forward to supporting our customers in the UK and Nordics into the future, with best-in-class solutions and services.” Supporting Innovative’s EMEA expansion roadmap Bold Communications’ Managing Director, Brian Kelly, commented “The synergies between Bold and Innovative were clear to both businesses and I look forward to helping build on the fantastic brand and products we’ve developed here at Bold, over the least 30 years.” Brian adds, “We will, of course, continue our tradition of best-in-class customer service in the UK, while supporting Innovative’s roadmap for continued expansion in EMEA.”

In the wake of an unprecedented increase in reports of violence and abuse towards frontline workers, body worn video systems provider, Reveal Media and lone worker protection specialists Peoplesafe have entered into a strategic partnership to provide public-facing workers with a body camera solution designed to record all incidents. Initially adopted by the police force, body worn video technology is starting to be adopted by other industries, from healthcare providers such as ambulance staff through to retail and security workers. Real-time visual information Unlike traditional lone working devices - which are designed to be discreet - body cameras are deliberately obvious to deter potential aggressors from being verbally or physically aggressive. The combined technology enhances protection by adding real-time visual information to any incident. Once a wearer raises an SOS alarm on their Peoplesafe Pro lone worker app (via their smartphone), the camera will start recording the incident. The combined technology enhances protection by adding real-time visual information to any incident “Working with members of the public can be unpredictable, particularly for lone workers who are often viewed as easy targets for physical and verbal abuse” explains Naz Dossa, CEO of Peoplesafe. “Wearing a body camera, combined with our Peoplesafe Pro lone worker app, is proving extremely effective in changing people’s behaviour, reducing the likelihood of an assault on the wearer.” Personal safety alarms Alasdair Field, CEO at Reveal Media adds; “Pairing a lone worker service to body worn video technology adds a new dimension of safety for frontline workers as it provides direct access to emergency support. We are committed to protecting key workers and having the support of a fully accredited, 24/7 Alarm Receiving Centre in addition to our cameras will not only help us further improve our service, it will also add an extra layer of security and reassurance.” “As the market leading provider of body worn video in the UK, Reveal Media is well equipped to provide the best visual protection for our frontline workers.” UK based technology business, Peoplesafe is the provider of GPS personal safety alarms and applications for more than 150,000 at-risk and lone workers across both public and private sectors. Combining this service with Reveal Media’s body worn video technology will provide a failsafe solution to what is becoming an increasingly prevalent problem.

There is no denying that the COVID-19 pandemic has radically changed the way we work. In May 2021, 31% of the countries workforce was still working remotely, with 71% of businesses in professional, scientific, and technical industries remote-working. Work patterns shifting Although the conversation often focuses on office workers, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the way many other, non-office sectors operate. In the security industry, since the introduction of lockdowns and social distancing guidelines, the way businesses monitor sites has changed. While in the past, security guards would have patrolled the premises, companies are increasingly opting to use high bandwidth security, deploying CCTV to monitor sites - rather than people. At OV, we believe the only way to ensure CCTV is as trustworthy as a person, is to use a multi-network SIM in the device, ensuring connectivity 24 hours a day – every day. Smart Surveillance Reliable video surveillance means deploying CCTV cameras with the Internet of Things (IoT) Switching to CCTV doesn’t simply mean installing a camera on a wall. To ensure your site is monitored 24-hours a day, with real-time footage available to your staff, reliable video surveillance means deploying CCTV cameras with the Internet of Things (IoT). Smart surveillance not only reduces the need for a security officer on site, but also minimises the reliance on a member of staff continuously monitoring the CCTV footage. Instead, cameras connect to a centrally managed system, so if an emergency happens, it notifies the system. It then sends an instant alert to a designated person or the emergency services. This streamlines the typical monitoring process, removing possibilities of human errors and computer lags, increasing efficiency. And, equally as important, since the COVID-19 pandemic, it removes the reliance on in-person surveillance. Deploying IoT sensors across the site However, the role of a security guard is not always just to monitor and prevent crime. When stationed at a block of offices or flats, an officer often also monitors the premises, ensuring that everything is running smoothly, for example, checking for faults in entry systems and lifts. Though this technically sits with the maintenance team, losing a security guard in place of CCTV could risk losing another pair of eyes on the ground. This risk can be averted, if businesses also deploy IoT sensors across the site, connected to the same centrally managed system as the CCTV. Sensors send data collected in real time Sensors installed into lifts and door entry systems work in a similar way, sending data collected on the object in real time. If an error with the system arises, an instant alert will be sent, and maintenance can be scheduled immediately. Although smart solutions are on the rise, for some businesses, in-person security is still the best or the preferred option. Pre-pandemic, there may typically have been multiple security staff on-site, but to accommodate for social distancing guidelines and fewer people on the premise generally, security guards have increasingly worked solo. Wearable IoT devices for lone workers’ safety The wearable IoT devices have an emergency button and voice access installed Lone working, especially for security personnel, comes with its risks. When faced with emergencies, such as burglaries or violence, the risk of working alone is immediately heightened. To keep lone workers safe, businesses can provide staff with wearable IoT devices. The wearable IoT devices have an emergency button and voice access installed, so in the case of an urgent situation, the wearer can discretely press the button, and it will immediately alert the monitoring station, who will be able to hear what is happening at the incident location. Furthermore, wearable IoT devices can also monitor key health markers and regular movement, so if a worker either stops moving for a prolonged time, or their health markers suddenly change, an alert will immediately be sent to a pre-agreed contact, or the emergency services, to send out help instantly. Connectivity, the key to the seamless operation of IoT While this technology can protect businesses and staff, it can also help to remove instances of human errors, when inaccuracies can still occur. Ultimately, we’re handing the baton of trust over from person to tech. So, if smart technology is to perform as we expect it to, it must be connected to a reliable network. Connectivity is the key to the seamless operation of IoT, because without it, devices cannot work and losing connection for the security industry is not an option. A business needs to trust that security equipment will do its job, after all, the safety of their site and staff is in the ‘hands’ of it. Multi-network SIM is the safest option Not only are multi-network SIMs the safest option for ensuring connectivity, but they are also invaluable To confidently trust in IoT, a multi-network SIM is the safest option. Using a single network means that if that provider experiences issues or outages, so will the equipment. Whereas, with a multi-network provider, if one network drops, it will simply switch to another in the area, in order to ensure reliable security 24 hours a day. Not only are multi-network SIMs the safest option for ensuring connectivity, but they are also invaluable, as the security industry assesses the short-term future of mobile connectivity. Whether it is the closing down of 2G and 3G networks, or the availability of new technologies, such as LTE-M or 5G, opting for a multi-network SIM is the best option available. Smart security solutions as reliable as the connected network Whatever the plans are of the individual networks, a multi-network SIM ensures that you can access older services, such as 2G and 3G, as long as any network continues to supply service, and get the newer technologies, such as LTE-M and 5G, as soon as the first network makes them available. Ultimately, smart security solutions are only as trustworthy as the network they are connected to. As businesses roll out new technologies that rely on connectivity 24 hours a day to perform their job, multi-network providers should be the only option considered and utilised. With a multi-network SIM in a CCTV device, businesses can be confident that their site is monitored and secure, every hour of every day.

Many employees who once commuted to on-site corporate offices now spend their time working remotely or travelling between sites Over the past two decades, the workforce has drastically changed. As mobile devices became increasingly affordable and the demand for multiple offices, distributed campuses and globalisation has increased, many employees who once commuted to on-site corporate offices now spend their time working remotely or travelling between sites. In 1997, only 9.2 million U.S. workers (7 percent of the U.S. workforce) were working remotely for at least part of each week. By the end of 2015, the mobile worker population had grown to 96 million people and continues to grow. Mobile workers are expected to surpass 105 million by 2020—meaning that nearly three quarters of the total U.S. workforce will be mobile. With an increasing number of employees traveling and working remotely, the days of a dedicated worker who commutes to and from a single location every day of the week are just about over. Today’s digital workforce no longer works in a corporate office, meaning businesses have new physical security challenges in regards to tracking an employee’s location, which can be necessary during natural disasters or other significant public incidents (an active shooter, for instance). That said, security professionals must take a second look at their policies and procedures for employee safety. To protect employees in this new mobile world, where people, assets and brand reputation threats may face higher than normal levels of safety and security risks, businesses must focus less on securing physical, four-wall perimeters and instead take a global approach to security that focuses on protecting travelling, remote and lone workers. Travel system integration First and foremost, organisations with mobile workforces must integrate a multi-modal communications system into their security plan. While we can never predict when emergency events will occur, mass communications systems allow security managers to notify employees quickly after such events—based on their preferred method of contact—and provide actionable guidance that employees can follow to minimise confusion and stress, which will ultimately keep them safe. While we can never predict when emergency events will occur, mass communications systems allow security managers to notify employees quickly after such events In a traditional corporate setting, notification systems that allow for communication across multiple contact paths would likely have been sufficient to ensure that critical messages were delivered to all employees, as everyone was expected to be in the office. Any incidents occurring outside of the office did not need to be considered. In today’s mobile world, communication systems should be integrated with other systems, such as travel itineraries and corporate travel systems, so that in the event of an emergency incident, organisations can quickly assess if they have any employees in or travelling to the affected areas and warn people heading towards potentially dangerous situations. Ensuring local compliance For organisations with globally distributed employees, contractors, customers, or partners, additional capabilities must be integrated into their security practices. Namely, support for local dialects, languages and preferred communication methods should be integrated into emergency alert systems. During an emergency, it can be increasingly difficult to perform even simple tasks quickly and accurately. Organisations can reduce the difficulty of communicating tasks under pressure and increase recipient comprehension by delivering messages in a local language that is familiar to the recipient. Notification systems must also comply with all local data privacy and security laws to ensure messages are received by employees in different parts of the world. These laws can differ by region and often restrict the transfer of data over country borders. The best systems for today’s mobile world have the capability of storing and segregating contact information in specific data stores around the world, ensuring that this data will not leave defined jurisdictional boundaries, while also guaranteeing that valuable information reaches the necessary contacts during emergency situations. Knowing where your employees are helps identify who you should be communicating with and better refine your response Location-based alerting When a location-based emergency occurs, companies need to make certain that they can quickly communicate key information, directives and important updates to their employees—no matter where they are located—to help ensure their safety. Knowing where your employees are helps identify who you should be communicating with and better refine your response to a specific security incident. Security managers can automatically keep employee locations current, even when they’re travelling or moving between buildings and campuses, by integrating location intelligence into an incident management platform. With strong location data and analytics, organisations have the capability to maintain robust databases of where their employees are, where they’re expected to be and where they were last—and then use that data to send targeted notifications and alerts to the relevant people that are affected by a specific incident. Solutions like Safety Connection enable this location data to be collected from an organisation’s various physical systems, including: Access control and badging systems Wired and wireless network access points Hoteling systems Corporate travel management systems Mobile employee safety Imagine a scenario where an armed man enters one of the office buildings on an organisation’s campus. Usually there are 200 people on campus, but that day 40 people are working remotely, travelling or at home sick. Another 30 employees from other offices are on-site for a sales meeting. Based on each employee’s location and proximity to the intruder, the company’s security team can automate building evacuation and muster directives much more efficiently.  With location-based analytics, the security team would know exactly who to send critical information and emergency alerts to With location-based analytics, the security team would know exactly who to send critical information and emergency alerts to and how many people they should expect to receive confirmations of safety from; whether employees are in their assigned location or a location they are visiting. In this case, the security team would focus their efforts on protecting the 160 people who normally work on campus, plus the 30 visiting employees, as they know the 40 people off-campus are out of harm’s way. In our increasingly global and mobile world, organisations cannot afford to limit their critical communications to physical facilities. By ensuring mass communication systems are integrated with travel systems, comply with local data and privacy laws and leverage location-based analytics, organisations ensure that critical messages are delivered and received both locally and globally and can rest easy knowing that their growing mobile workforces are safe.

There are between 4 and 6.8 million lone workers in the UK, and many of us arelone workers at some point in our working lives The Suzy Lamplugh Trust was set up to highlight the risk faced by lone workers and to offer information and advice to reduce the risk of violence and aggression for everyone. It was established following the disappearance in 1986 of 25-year-old estate agent, Suzy Lamplugh, after she had gone to meet an unknown client. This article is based on a presentation given by Rachel Griffin, Director of the Trust, at the Lone Worker 2015 Conference in London. What lessons had we learned over the last 29 years following the disappearance of Suzy Lamplugh?  Key principles of lone worker safety Assess the risk of the job you’re going to before going out. Know how you’re going to get out before you go in. Ensure someone knows where you’re going, how you’re getting there and back, and what to do if you don’t check in on time. Defusing and de-escalating rather than engaging – keep lines of communication open rather than meeting aggression with aggression. Trust your instinct – if a situation feels wrong then it probably is; make an excuse and leave. There are plenty of definitions of personal safety but it’s important that each organisation defines what it means by personal safety, says Griffin. And it’s not just about physical violence. It’s relatively rare that people get killed at work – there are 0.46 fatalities per 100,000 workers. Mental health is the biggest single factor for days off work – in 2014 mental health accounted for the most working days lost. Such illness can arise solely through verbal abuse at work. Trade union survey on shop workers’ experience Griffin then presented a survey by a trade union showing that 56% of shop workers’ experience verbal abuse in a year, while 4% experience violence. This contrasts with a survey of employers by the British Retail Consortium that has the figures 2.6% and 1.2% respectively, suggesting that shop workers are not reporting incidents to employers. A positive safety culture is important when implementing tracking systems – employees must feel they are for their safety and not to keep tabs on them Current policy is directed at the tip of the safety “iceberg,” says Griffin, with resources aimed mainly at high-risk activities, which means there will be fewer inspections of what are perceived to be lower-risk activities. It’s estimated that there are between 4 and 6.8 million lone workers in the UK, and that many of us are lone workers at some point in our working lives. Griffin’s clients tell her that pressure to work alone is increasing as budget cuts hit. In the housing sector, for example, workers increasingly face other issues that pose risk when they are on their own. Safety culture & tracking systems in organisations If you are introducing tracking or tracing systems, you need to persuade your staff that they are for their safety, rather than management keeping tabs on them. In order to create a positive safety culture in your workplace you should: Agree a definition of personal safety for your organisation. This should include a definition of what constitutes violence and aggression. Listen to your workforce. Your lone workers understand their risks better than anyone, so they should be included in developing policy and procedures. Make reporting easy and blame free. Only when workers feel confident to report will your organisation understand the risks it faces and take steps to manage those risks. Support staff when an incident occurs, for example with an employee assistance programme/counselling. Question the culture of “we’ve always done it this way,” especially in high-risk activities such as home visits. Many organisations see going to clients’ homes to be essential when that service could be more safely delivered elsewhere. Train, train and retrain. Revisit training – including the use of any systems or devices – regularly, so that complacency doesn’t creep in.

Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust (KCHFT) has become the first UK health service provider to adopt CriticalArc’s SafeZone technology for lone worker protection, staff safety, mass and targeted communications, and emergency response coordination.   SafeZone was acquired through the UK Government Cloud 12 Framework and is being delivered in partnership with Chubb UK. The service will help provide rapid emergency assistance for the Trust’s 5000 plus staff – including lone workers out in the community – with specialist help available regardless of the user’s location. Improving workforce management The technology precisely locates checked-in users and enables control room operators to coordinate faster responses, for example, by directing all relevant responders to the scene of an accident. As well as improving personal safety for thousands of healthcare workers across Kent, senior managers believe the technology will deliver far-reaching efficiency benefits that could serve as a model for other NHS trusts to follow. For example, SafeZone will improve workforce management, communication and coordination between local care teams and their team leaders.   The technology allows the Trust to set-up any number of user-groups in specialist categories The technology allows the Trust to set-up any number of user-groups in specialist categories so that alerts can be directed to the most appropriate manager, depending on whether the staff member is asking for routine advice, reporting a non-urgent problem using the ‘See it? Say it!’ feature in the SafeZone app, or calling for emergency response. This will allow more efficient and flexible coordination of care delivery. Streamline reporting processes The technology is also expected to lead to more accurate recording of aggression against staff, and reporting of health and safety issues, because incidents can now be escalated directly to the Security Team for recording and provision of advice and guidance with additional support from their clinical line managers. Managers say this will help streamline reporting processes and make it more likely that staff will report problems. “This will give us a more accurate picture of risks, and free-up our clinical teams to focus on delivering patient care, while the security department can intervene more effectively to keep people safe,” says Wayne Sherratt, KCHFT Head of Security. Maintaining uninterrupted response Chubb’s 24/7 control room operation will ensure seamless monitoring and support for the healthcare teams Chubb’s 24/7 control room operation will ensure seamless monitoring and support for the healthcare teams at night, maintaining uninterrupted response even when the trust’s Security Team aren’t immediately available. Chubb’s controllers will provide advice for staff requesting help and contact the police as needed. Wayne added: “Chubb have demonstrated a flexible and supportive approach to our particular needs.” The SafeZone solution will replace more traditional lone worker technologies that were previously locally managed, creating siloed systems. With NHS providers under continual financial pressure, Wayne hopes the new service will deliver significant savings by providing a single-platform centralised solution for the whole trust. Send early notifications Further savings will be generated by SafeZone functions including ‘tip reporting’ which will make it easy for staff to send early notifications highlighting issues –anything from broken equipment to a spill in the stairwell that could cause an accident. SafeZone is already used by over 45 per cent of universities in the UK to improve safeguarding for students and staff, and many of its capabilities will be as transformative for the healthcare sector, says Darren Chalmers-Stevens, CriticalArc’s, Chief Operating Officer. “CriticalArc is now helping to provide the best round-the-clock protection for nurses, medical teams, and care staff across Kent. As the first NHS provider to adopt SafeZone, KCHFT is demonstrating its determination to make staff safety and wellbeing a top priority, and to unlock significant new benefits in terms of staff retention, efficiency of operations and value for money. SafeZone makes it easy for organisations to connect with their people – whether they are based remotely, lone working in the community, travelling on business, or present on-site – transforming how they respond to incidents and allowing them to offer Safety Everywhere™, wherever there is a duty of care.”

In a surveillance monitoring context, video metadata refers to the structured details that the user can extract from given video footage. It is data that provides information about other data – a “data about data” in short. Human-based video metadata, as its name suggests, are data derived from human targets in the monitored scene. It can be utilised based on user’s requirements to significantly enhance the management and operation of various application scenarios, while carefully maintaining people’s privacy at the same time. To give some insights into its practical usage, here are three conventional applications of human-based video metadata to adopt based during monitoring needs: 1) Searching targets One of the most common applications of human-based video metadata is for target searching after an event. Intelligent surveillance devices, such as the Dahua WizMind products, offer a Quick Target Search function that can locate suspects in time using their physical attributes. Irrelevant targets in the captured images are filtered out by the back-end devices (IVSS, NVR) or by the platform Target attributes include beard, glasses, mask, hat, etc., which are continuously being developed and increased to meet the requirements of various application scenarios. Irrelevant targets in the captured images are also filtered out by the back-end devices (IVSS, NVR) or by the platform. It can capture up to 640* targets (with attributes) per second with an impressive detection rate of 98%*. Generating statistics In addition, another useful application of human-based video metadata technology is for target statistics. WizMind counts in real time the human targets in the monitored scene and filters them based on target category and direction. The directions include A>B, B>A, or A<>B. And to top it up, it can also generate reports by year, month, and day. It can capture up to 96** objects per frame, providing a detection rate of 98%** and an accuracy rate of 96%**. 2) Detect PPE wearing WizMind can detect wearing PPEs in construction sites including safety hats, protective vests, face masks, and glasses Wearing personal protective equipment or PPE is a must on any construction site. Depending on the scope of the project, monitoring the proper wearing of PPEs on the site could be a tough challenge to implement. The latest PPE Detection Technology of Dahua WizMind can detect wearing of commonly used PPEs in construction sites including safety hats, protective vests, face masks, and glasses. It can even detect the colour of the uniforms (top and bottom) of workers. When a violation has been detected, the site supervisor or manager can be notified via the DMSS mobile app. Similar to target searching and statistics functions, it also offers a detection rate of 98%**, with an accuracy rate of 96%**. 3) Aid city road planning Who would have thought that aside from vehicle-related data, statistics related to people on the street can also be useful in planning city roads? By collecting attributes of pedestrians, directions, and periods, local road planning departments can design better roads tailored for road users and commuters. One good example is the Dahua solution developed for a local organisation in Ireland. Aside from motor vehicles and non-motor vehicles, metadata of pedestrians are also captured on main city roads and streets around plazas. These data are then securely transferred to an SFTP server for further data analysis. The data summary is relayed to the local transportation department to help them plan and manage streets more efficiently. Key Takeaways Human-based video metadata can be effectively utilised to optimise the monitoring operation of various application scenarios. Metadata based on human targets can be used to search suspects after an event, and to generate accurate statistics of the people in the monitored scene. Also, these structured data can be used to detect proper wearing of PPEs in a particular site, and help local transportation departments in planning and maintaining city roads to benefit the general public.

Digital Barriers, a globally renowned provider of edge-intelligent surveillance and security technologies, reveals its collaboration with the Future Farms Cymru project, run by North Wales Police. Real-time surveillance solutions Digital Barriers has equipped a farm in North Wales with its real-time surveillance solutions, to demonstrate the role that sophisticated technologies can play in cutting the cost of rural crime, estimated by the National Farmers Union to have reached 54 million pounds in 2019. Rural areas and farmland can be inherently difficult environments to secure. However, Digital Barriers’ scalable and flexible solutions are designed to work in demanding conditions, such as remote and vulnerable locations. AI-based edge analytics Digital Barriers’ video streaming capability and AI-based edge analytics can provide reliable and secure monitoring Proven and trusted within the military and defence domain, Digital Barriers’ state-of-the-art video streaming capability and AI-based edge analytics can provide reliable and secure monitoring, thereby protecting people, places and assets. The first technology being showcased as part of Future Farms Cymru project is a live streaming body worn camera for the enhanced protection of lone workers. If an incident occurs, the wearer can press the urgent assistance button, which transmits video and a live GPS location back to a designated monitoring centre, providing immediate response. EdgeVis Shield The second is EdgeVis Shield, a combination of easy-to-deploy ground sensors that can be used to secure vast perimeters, including farmland containing high value assets. The autonomous system automatically detects when irregular behaviour occurs around a perimeter, sending alerts and live video, if a trespasser or vehicle approaches. PC Dewi Evans of the North Wales Police Rural Crime Team commented on the announcement, “In recent years, we are increasingly seeing rural communities and businesses being targeted by criminals. Therefore, it is vital that rural businesses employ the right security methods to protect their assets. Criminals need to know that the farm they’re targeting could be equipped with this cutting-edge technology and they will be almost certainly caught.” Countering rise in rural crime Neil Hendry, Vice President EMEA at Digital Barriers, said, “I am happy that our technology is being used on the front line in the fight against rural crime. The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected businesses of all shapes and sizes, with farmers struggling to protect themselves against criminal activity.” Neil Hendry adds, “Future Farms Cymru is an important initiative, and we are delighted to be able help shape and support the future food and farming policy, with our robust video surveillance technology.”

TETRA has been widely adopted by several commercial and utility companies across Europe and further afield, including in countries and regions famed for their arctic weather conditions and long harsh winters. With operational temperatures dropping to between -20°C and -30°C in many of the operational environments, Sepura’s rugged TETRA terminals can cope with the challenge of snow, ice, water and freezing temperatures. In particular, Sepura’s SC20 and STP9000 hand-portable terminals are often favoured for use in such environments for their IP67 environmental protection rating that ensures they continue to work after submersion in up to 1m of water for up to 30 minutes. TETRA hand-portable terminals Growth can cause a communications solution to quickly become insufficient and the requirement to implement a new one that is safe, reliable and scalable is paramount. SkiStar Åre were busy preparing for the Alpine Ski World Cup which would increase the need for a flexible system that can handle the capacity a large-scale event requires whilst remaining robust with uncompromised use in the dropping temperatures. Dispatcher system with TETRA base stations Safety and resource management was paramount and so a new dispatcher system was also implemented Safety and resource management was paramount and so a new dispatcher system was also implemented, enabling operator staff to easily monitor and communicate the location and status of users. The new system saw four TETRA base stations strategically placed across 4 Swedish regions, alongside the deployment of 170 Sepura SC20 hand-portable radios, praised by a control room user for sound quality and the ability to make individual calls. The terminals offer intuitive operation and outstanding RF performance and are Bluetooth and applications ready to match their safety and resource management requirements. Managing Safety & Operations at Ski Resorts As expected, daily challenges at ski resorts are often due to weather and environmental elements that have the potential to compromise the functionality and audio clarity of radios used as part of their critical communications solution. But another obstacle to consider is coverage across vast sites, especially if they are split, like the slopes of Tignes. The Société des Téléphériques de la Grande Motte (STGM) in the Rhône-Alpes region, France, replaced their existing analogue system with a TETRA communications solution comprised of mobile terminals and rugged Sepura hand-portable radios featuring the Man-Down safety feature from Sepura partner, Sysoco. SRG3900 vehicle-mounted gateway terminals Sepura’s SRG3900 vehicle-mounted gateway terminals allow STGM to extend coverage into mountainous areas, particularly those affected by ‘black spots’ and climate conditions which are not covered by the infrastructure. Interoperability between TETRA and analogue networks is allowed, permitting cross-network communication to maintain links with analogue users across the two sites. Read the full story here. Idre Fjall is a world-renowned, year-round ski resort that offers over 40 ski runs and 82km of cross-country trails to the 600,000 plus annual visitors. Alongside the challenges posed by weather conditions, environmental factors and keeping visitors safe around the clock, the resort also hosts international events and their critical communications systems therefore must not falter on reliability, usability, audio or connectivity even in prolonged usage. Lone-worker and man-down safety features Sepura and partner Swedish Radio Supply established a solution consisting of a trusted TETRA infrastructure With the Ski-Cross World Cup and Speed Ski World Championship under their belt, it was imperative to boost communications to optimise safety for staff and visitors. In order to achieve this, Sepura and partner Swedish Radio Supply established a solution consisting of a trusted TETRA infrastructure and a fleet of STP9000 hand-portable radios. The rugged terminals offer the resort exceptional battery life, IP67 environmental protection rating, lone-worker and man-down safety features and a minimum operational temperature of -30°C. They were found by users to be intuitive, easy to use and unbeaten for audio quality and overall reliability. Clear, uninterrupted communications Sire-Kvina, one of Norway’s largest power companies operates seven hydro-electric power plants using watercourses in the South-west Norwegian mountains. When implementing a new TETRA communications system, Sire-Kvina chose Sepura STP9000 hand-portable radios for their powerful and robust ability to keep connectivity across their 15-site network, continuing to operate in Norway’s typically harsh winters. The company has a strict 90% uptime objective for production facilities and must by law be able to maintain internal communication for 72 hours even if regular supplies are cut out, they therefore must ensure that their communication system is reliable and provides a lifeline for their teams in a range of demanding environments from mountain tops to tunnels deep inside the mountains. Company employees are now successfully equipped with high-performance radios that offer a front-facing loudspeaker for clear audio alongside large colour display screens; ideal for viewing images, maps and text in Sire-Kvina’s demanding operational conditions. Implementing TETRA radios Like Sira-Kvina, Sogn and Fjordane Energy (SFE) have a distribution network that extends over high mountains and deep valleys operating 26 power stations. Previously using analogue systems for decades, the energy provider sought an alternative robust communication solution to successfully take them through daily routine work as well as emergency situations previously experienced. Implementing TETRA radios, utilising Norway’s Nodnett TETRA network was a natural progression for SFE Implementing TETRA radios, utilising Norway’s Nodnett TETRA network was a natural progression for Sogn and Fjordane due to the applications offered with a digital connection, which the users so desperately needed. SFE have since been able to increase restored network capacity and availability which has in turn increased security for the company, with Kåre Teigland, Head of Information and Communication Technology at SFE endorsing the coverage as “very reliable”, so much so that they would not expect any issues during a storm. STP9000 hand-portable radios The Norwegian Road Administration (NRA), part of the Directorate of Public Roads, is responsible for maintenance, expansion and control of Norway’s public roads and relies on a robust communication solution to keep operations running smoothly and efficiently. The NRA previously relied on analogue communications which worked well overall but suffered in areas with limited signal range, mostly affecting areas such as tunnels, in which there was no coverage at all. Having upgraded their system and terminals through Sepura partner Wireless Communications AS, Sepura’s STP9000 hand-portable radios now provide complete coverage, even across the mountainous regions and extending to those all-important blackspot tunnels. Sophisticated communications system The sophisticated communications system is the first of its kind for the administration and with a radio installed in each car, the Haukeliester traffic centre now has direct contact with all the operating vehicles. Access to a co-channel used by emergency services has also been obtained, allowing communication between organisations in case of an emergency. Read the full story here. From the challenges of operating in extreme environments and sub-zero temperatures to coverage and capacity, Sepura’s hand-portable and mobile TETRA terminals continue to prove themselves as a rugged and reliable communications solution. Advanced safety features, advanced positioning capability and clear audio are intrinsic to every radio, meeting a range of business and mission critical user needs.

Integrity Security Group is using SmartTask’s SmartForms to gain added visibility and dramatically cut down on its administrative burden. Having adopted the employee scheduling and mobile workforce management software last year for the provision of proof of attendance, control room management and staff rostering, the company is now using its electronic data capture functionality to streamline a range of operational processes. Initially, SmartForms are being used for vacant property and mobile patrol inspections as well as daily vehicle checks, already saving more than 15 hours of admin a month. SmartTask SmartForms The SmartForms replace previous paper-based processes that were increasingly difficult to manage by the office-based admin team “We are now using the SmartTask SmartForms to help reduce administration, capture critical work data and enforce health and safety procedures,” explains James Chittil, General Manager at Integrity Security Group. “We are constantly looking at clever ways to take advantage of the software’s rich functionality, so we can continue to simplify and enhance the way we operate.” The SmartForms replace previous paper-based processes that were increasingly difficult to manage by the office-based admin team. All reporting for vacant property and mobile patrol inspections – for both scheduled patrols and alarm activations – are now completed using a SmartTask-enabled smartphone. By electronically capturing all relevant information, including photo evidence, Integrity can quickly provide customers with a status update and details of all undertaken work as well as respond to any identified issues. Vehicle checks and fleet management Meanwhile, daily vehicle checks for Integrity’s fleet of vans are now completed using a specially-developed SmartForm, so the company can instantly see if drivers are complying with this health and safety procedure. Any vehicle-related problems or damage can be raised by the driver and actioned immediately by the admin team to mitigate fleet risk. Mileage data is also captured through the software, enabling maintenance requirements to be tracked and scheduled at appropriate intervals. “The SmartForms are enabling us to dramatically reduce paperwork and remove manual processes. This is making it much simpler for both our security officers in the field and our office-based admin team to capture, collate and communicate essential operational data. This is not only helping us make better use of our valuable resources, but also enhance the service we are providing to customers,” added James Chittil. Paul Ridden, CEO of SmartTask commented: “Our experience within the security sector means we are continually developing new functionality that overcome real-world problems for our customers. This is the reason we are working in partnership with a growing number of security businesses who recognise the value they can gain and the benefits they can achieve from using the SmartTask software.” Integrity selected SmartTask to replace an outdated time and attendance system, enabling it to effectively monitor the whereabouts and welfare of staff Lone worker protection Integrity selected SmartTask to replace an outdated time and attendance system, enabling it to effectively monitor the whereabouts and welfare of staff as part of its commitment to lone worker protection. The company is also using the intelligent rostering functionality to streamline internal planning processes, while the interactive dashboard supported the launch of a dedicated, out-of-hours control room operation by providing a live view of all scheduled shifts and expected or missed check calls. SmartTask is an advanced and simple-to-use employee scheduling and mobile workforce management solution that enables security companies to better plan and manage their workers, so they are at the right place, at the right time. The cloud-based software solution combines intelligent rostering, live monitoring and integrated proof of attendance across both static and mobile teams, making it the ideal tool to improve operational control, enhance customer satisfaction, and support duty of care to staff.

ANSecurity, a specialist in advanced network and data security, has announced a successful project involving all of the NHS operating groups within Lincolnshire that has moved from an expensive legacy remote access solution to a new platform that has dramatically reduced licencing costs while improving access to more sites, across a wider range of devices with simplified management requirements. The unified remote access service deployed by ANSecurity is shared within a community of interest network (COIN) between the United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (ULH), Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust (LCHS) and Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LPFT) serving over 2000 users at 111 sites spread across the county. The transformational implementation in late 2016 was delivered by ANSecurity for ULH as a multi-phase project to redesign parts of its core infrastructure to improve the flexibility of its secure remote access and reduce costs. ANSecurity’s “Co-Driver” approach means that through the solution design phase and on-going management process, both groups agree to take responsibility for different aspects such as failover testing, configuration management, bespoke training and supporting ULH in meeting its compliance requirements. NAC and SSL licensing servers The project uses a high availability deployment of Pulse Secure ‘Connect Secure’ virtualised appliances that includes a license server to enable the organisations to define additional licenses as either Network Access Control (NAC) or Secure Socket Layer (SSL) connections to ensure future flexibility. The licensing server is based on concurrent users which allow the COIN to scale its licence requirements to better reflect the shift based working patterns within the NHS. The service based offering also includes a two-factor authentication feature that is now available as a smartphone based App to further reduce management overheads associated with handling physical two factor authentication tokens. The move to the shared model will save LCHS an estimated £30,000 and £40,000 a year in licensing and support costs “Our legacy solution was temperamental in terms of reliability and had difficulty working with some of our sites and was not liked by our users,” explains Ian Baldam, ‎Deputy Director of Informatics at Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, “The licensing model also meant that it was proving expensive to maintain and grow to meet the needs of our staff. We had looked at what ANSecurity and United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust had done for its users and based on a detailed evaluation – it looked like a perfect fit for our needs and our colleagues at LCHS.” Ian Baldam estimates that the new service will generate significant savings in licensing fees alone. The jointly financed service is available to NHS staff across Lincolnshire and provides secure access to administrative and clinical systems such as Datix (incident reporting), Lilie (sexual health), expenses and the employee staff records and network shared drives. The service uses an SSL VPN authenticated by Network Access Control plus local device checking to ensure that users are logging in from devices that have an authorised operating system version along with ensuring each device uses encryption. Access for remote workers “From our point of view, we have a lot more remote workers who need access on the move and the old solution struggled to provide access in a reliable fashion,” explains Dan Dring, Acting Head of IM&T for Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust, “We are using more IT systems than ever before across the NHS and we need to be able to offer our staff reliable access to all applications 24 hours a day.” Dan Dring calculates that the move to the shared model will save LCHS between £30,000 and £40,000 a year in licensing and support costs. "We hope that other NHS organisations that are in a similar position to us can benefit from our experience" Pulse Secure appliances are deployed at two separate sites for resiliency and maintained by the IT team at United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust who lead the project. “ANSecurity has been with us every step of the way in this project and the results have been fantastic,” says Jon Hill, Senior Network Engineer at ULH, “They have given us advice when we needed it, got people on site to help with implementation and training and made sure that we created a service that best serves our needs.” Wider range of supported devices as lower licensing costs Jon Hill notes that alongside much higher levels of satisfaction from users, reduced licensing costs and a wider range of supported devices and sites; management overheads have also significantly reduced. “Across the three organisations, we have fielded just two level 2 support calls in the last month in respect of the remote access services and both of those were resolved quickly with minimal effort.” For the future, Jon Hill plans to adapt the local device checking policies to strengthen its security stance to combat threats such as Wannacry as well as moving the Pulse appliances to a clustered mode to allow it to scale up services to more users as added. “For an organisation striving to make life easier for our staff, while also trying hard to ensure value for public money – it’s these types of projects and partners like ANSecurity that provide tangible savings while offering a real-world benefit that we need more of. We hope that other NHS organisations that are in a similar position to us can benefit from our experience and that other shared secure access services can deliver similar types of results,” Jon Hill adds.

The death of Michael Brown at the hands of police in Ferguson, Missouri, in August 2014, highlighted to the public, the importance of body-worn cameras. There was no bodycam footage of the Ferguson tragedy. Arguably, it would have shed additional light on the shooting. Since then, body cameras have become a tangible legacy of Ferguson, Missouri. Bodycam footage is seen as providing greater accountability and ensuring an impartial record that can support, or debunk, any claims of police misconduct. Body-worn cameras are also finding their way into broader usage, even including customer service applications. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: How important will body-worn cameras be moving forward? 

In the past few weeks, the light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel has brightened, providing new levels of hope that the worst of the pandemic is behind us. Dare we now consider what life will be like after the pandemic is over? Considering the possible impact on our industry, we asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: Which security technologies will be most useful in a post-pandemic world?

Employee turnover is a problem for many companies, especially among younger employees who have not developed the philosophy of employer loyalty that was common in previous generations. Nowadays, changing jobs is the norm. The idea of spending decades working for a single employer seems almost quaint in today’s economy. However, excessive employee turnover can be expensive for employers, who are looking for ways to keep their brightest and best employees happily toiling away as long as possible. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: How can the physical security market promote better employee retention in a competitive employment environment?