Satellites for site safety

2554 Mobexx is offering a satellite communications capability for its Mentor Ranger in-vehicle computer intended to improve lone worker safety. The system switches automatically between cellular and satellite networks depending on the available coverage. This package is said to maximise connectivity between site personnel and the office, providing improved monitoring and communication whenever they are operating in high risk situations or isolated sites. The new satellite interface allows the Work Alone system to operate in either cellular or satellite mode. The system uses the global Iridium satellite network. Companies can use the Work-Alone system for live monitoring of mobile engineers and their vehicles on computer screen. This gives information for each vehicle and a countdown to the engineer's next update. Mobile staff wear a pendant to check-in to the system and click a button to activate the package, which triggers a countdown to the next required status update. If an engineer misses a check-in, the system creates an automatic alert, which highlights the vehicle on the office computer screen. Alerts are also created by pressing the pendant's panic button or if the pendant is motionless for a preset time. The system can also provide automatic email alerts of the missed check-in or panic event to managers.