Peoplesafe and SureCam have teamed up to ensure highway inspection workers with Ringways Jacobs in the UK are safer when they carry out their duties.
Ringway Jacobs, a highway services provider, supports more than 16,000km of highways, 13,500km of footways and almost 11,300km of Public Rights of Way. The company adopted the video-enabled lone worker protection service earlier this year for its inspection team responsible for walked, visual inspections of footways and carriageways.
All too often, these operatives are seen as the ‘face’ of the highway authority and in danger of violent and abusive behaviour from road users. Meanwhile, they are frequently working in remote locations, so face higher risk from slips, trips and falls, as well as traffic collisions both inside moving vehicles and at the roadside.
The service integrates the Peoplesafe Pro smartphone app with SureCam’s video telematics platform to provide drivers with a quick and easy way to request assistance. It supports the driver both in and outside the vehicle, something that Peoplesafe says is not possible with any standard in-cab SOS button function device. This means real-time data can be sent to a designated alarm receiving centre (ARC) to enable proactive management of emergency situations.
Ringways initially rolled out dual facing connected dash cams in 2021, fitted on 163 vans and specialist vehicles enabling footage to be viewed by Peoplesafe’s Alarm Controllers in the event of any alarm being raised on the Pro mobile App.
Drivers simply 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 added audio and visual insight also ensures that the most appropriate action is taken quickly, efficiently and safely, with immediate access to emergency services if required.
“We have taken our existing lone worker solution to the next level through this intelligent partnership with SureCam that places the end user first,” said Naz Dossa, chief executive of Peoplesafe. “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.”
Peoplesafe, based in Epsom, England, specialises in lone-worker safety solutions for all sectors. Surecam, founded in 2014 and based in the US state of Missouri, is a global producer of dash-cam solutions for vehicle fleet operators. Its telematics solutions help fleet managers monitor harsh driving, hard braking, speeding and more.
