Maintaining clear lines of communication with your workforce is an essential part of health and safety in any organisation, but especially those within hazardous environments when a communication breakdown could lead to an accident.
Part of this is being able to monitor and understand where employees are within the workplace at any given moment - both in terms of effectively directing the nearest worker towards a job and issuing job tickets, but also in ensuring workers are aware of nearby hazards.
Indoor Positioning is a key functionality of digital two-way radios and can be used for locating and tracking radio users in real-time – including within buildings when GPS is not available.
Co-ordinating operations
In busy and potentially dangerous environments when multiple teams are working together, such as on a building site or in a warehouse with moving vehicles or large equipment, being able to co-ordinate workers and track personnel movements is vital.
This real-time monitoring along with integrated alarm systems provide immediate responses in the event of an emergency so responders can co-ordinate quick responses.
Central monitoring
Being able to monitor digital two-way radios can be extremely useful when it comes to remote monitoring and reacting to changing scenarios.
Voice dispatch, for example, provides a communication link between dispatchers and remote radios, allowing communication privately with individuals or with groups to coordinate activities and workers during strategic operations, and also in the case of an emergency or accident.
GPS Tracking
GPS works by providing information on exact locations using the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Network.
One of the problems with relying on GPS tracking is that the receiver used to track movement is reliant on satellites that use microwave signal that are transmitted to GPS devices, giving information on location, speed, time and direction which does not work when working indoors.
The GPS networks within two-way radios allow for employees to be monitored - along with vehicles and business assets - in real-time to ensure maximum safety.
Being able to view routes and set up Geofencing, using software programmed using GPS helps to define geographical boundaries can also help to alert dispatchers and radio users when someone has entered a hazardous area.
Adaptable safety
Along with the tracking ability of Indoor Positioning, it can also be used in conjunction with other safety features like Man Down or Lone Worker.
While these features can alert when an employee may be in danger or has suffered an injury and needs help, the Positioning feature would enable a dispatcher to immediately identify where that worker was and send help to the precise location.
Being able to respond quickly to these kinds of emergency can help to prevent potentially fatal consequences.
Indoor Positioning and real-time tracking of digital two-way radios are an important part of not only improving health but safety and security of employees.
To find out more about how digital radios can help your business or to find out what other features can be deployed within these devices, click here