Hyde Group has given Blackberry devices running Guardian24’s lone-worker security system to 1,000 staff covering its housing, repairs, sales and arrears operations. The three-year contract began in early 2010.
The provision of the new service is due to a combination of the housing provider’s concern for its lone worker’s safety and its Health and Safety legal obligations which demand that lone or mobile workers must be able to summon help by means of a portable and reliable panic alarm device. Kim Smith-Clarke, health and safety manager, Hyde Group, said, “As an employer, we have to protect our staff and ensure their safety.”
Guardian24 can be used on a BlackBerry smartphone, Windows PDA, mobile phone or specialist lone-worker device, and is the first British Standard-compliant (BS-8484) lone-worker service for the Blackberry.
The Guardian24 service lets Hyde’s staff to log their whereabouts, daily tasks, send GPS location fixes and raise alerts; if a lone worker feels unsafe, they can summon emergency help using a dedicated hot key on the BlackBerry, even if the keyboard is locked. The alarm can also be activated covertly, even in standby mode, resulting in a call being made to a nominated Hyde contact who can then listen to the incident to determine the response required.
All details of incidents are recorded and stored and, if required, can be transcribed and used as evidence in court. If a GPS-enabled BlackBerry is used, this technology can also remotely locate an employee in the event of an incident.
