Tended has launched a pilot of its geofencing solution with Network Rail’s Western route to drive safety improvements for trackside teams.
The pilot will run for six months with the aim of rolling out the technology across the route. As well as improving the safety of the Western route’s maintenance teams, Tended’s solution will also support off-track and capital delivery teams, as well as individuals working alone when inspecting or patrolling the track.
The Western route has among the highest-speed train lines in the country. Track workers often work next to adjacent lines still open to traffic. Maintaining a minimum distance of two metres between the worksite and a running line, workers are at increased risk of inadvertently stepping into danger if they lose situational awareness. Working in these high-risk environments creates an increased need for ever more sophisticated safety measures.
Using Tended’s geofencing solution, Network Rail will provide an extra layer of protection for their trackside teams to supplement their safe system of work.
Before work starts on site, virtual fences will be mapped out to create safe working zones and access points. Track workers are provided with a wearable device at the start of their shift, which determines their position in the safe work zone with centimetre accuracy. The moment a worker exits a safe zone, they will be alerted via their wearable, helping them instantly regain situational awareness and preventing them from straying onto an adjacent open line.
“We’re really excited to be working with Network Rail’s Western route to deliver workforce safety benefits,” said Dominic O’Malley, Tended’s Head of Commercial Operations, who will be overseeing the pilot.
“Our innovative geofencing technology will play a pivotal role in demonstrably enhancing workforce safety by delivering centimetre accurate wearables that immediately respond if a worker leaves their designated safe work area.
“By embracing cutting-edge safety solutions like these, Network Rail and their principal contractors can make sure that their workforce stays out of harm’s way while executing critical tasks alongside open rail lines.”
The implementation of Tended’s geofencing technology marks a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to prioritise worker safety within the rail sector and as part of Network Rail’s CP7 plan.
As part of CP7, Network Rail’s Western route has been allocated a £3.3bn investment, which includes critical renewals and supporting workforce safety through the implementation of new technology and innovations.
Following Network Rail’s new geofencing safety standard released in September 2022, Tended’s geofencing technology is being rapidly adopted across the industry as its benefits are immediate. It has also been implemented by the Wales and Borders route and key supply chain organisations, including AmcoGiffen and Siemens, who have already begun deployments across their teams in these regions.
These organisations are trusted partners involved in delivering Wales and Western region’s £2bn programme of works over the next eight years.
