Siemens Mobility will be using Tended’s wearable solution to enhance the safety of its trackside teams through the use of geofencing technology. Tended will work closely with Siemens’ teams to integrate geofencing into their current systems and processes to help improve the safety of its workers and more effectively manage on-track assets.
Tended’s solution has been developed and tested alongside Network Rail’s Safety Task Force to help create safer trackside environments by enabling organisations to map out safe working zones and site access points using incredibly precise geofencing technology. If workers leave the safe zone, they are alerted via a small wearable device, helping them regain situational awareness and move back to a position of safety. Backed by behavioural science, the solution is designed to prevent near misses and accidents by helping track workers stay within safe working limits and away from open lines.
The technology extends to the positioning of critical protection equipment. Users can accurately plot the location of assets, preventing equipment from being placed on the wrong line and verifying that no assets are left onsite.
Geofencing will be implemented by Siemens Mobility across locations around Northumberland in the Eastern region and around Welwyn on the East Coast Mainline. Devices will be used when working within possessions and separated sites of works to help Siemens comply with safety standards. Alerts will be triggered to prevent people from accessing the worksite before it is safe to do so or working in the wrong location, helping to protect teams and ensure that they are working in a position of safety.
The technology will also be used for geotagging to help ensure the safe and correct placement of marker boards and other assets to monitor the movement of on-track plant and machines in real-time.
Mike Sharp, Head of Infrastructure Access at Siemens, said: “The safety of our trackside teams is absolutely paramount and with the introduction of new innovative technologies to the industry, we can continue to make sites even safer for our workforce.
“The implementation of geofencing marks a significant shift for track worker safety and we are looking forward to embracing this technology and seeing first-hand how it improves our site safety and operations.
“Our trackside teams are working in complex possessions and it gives us great peace of mind knowing that we’re taking every possible precaution to ensure the well-being of our workforce.”
Tended’s CEO and founder, Leo Scott Smith, commented: “We are thrilled that Siemens has chosen to add Tended’s geofencing technology to their safety strategy and we look forward to working with them! Not only are we improving the safety of track workers, but it’s fantastic to also demonstrate the powerful application of geotagging to track critical assets to reduce the risk of error and improve the safety of plant movements.”
Photo credit: Siemens
