Life-saving solutions expand

The award-winning software system conceived and developed to improve health and safety standards in the construction industry is rapidly being adopted by other business sectors.

Wetherby-based Mobile Software Systems’ “Mobile Safety Solutions” product utilises Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) technology in stand-alone or Internet mode. It takes the pain out of health and safety and many other compliance requirements across a wide range of operations, including and beyond the construction industry. 

Logistics operations, facilities management organisers and large-scale industrial process manufacturing sites are now taking the system on board, following the first major contract – a health and safety package for the surveyors handling over 2000 branches of a major UK bank. Other construction industry and associated firms are now following suit with annual contracts typically starting at around £10,000 and moving up into six figures.

At Mitsui Babcock’s Grangemouth plant this summer the system will control health and safety compliance as some 600 contractors carry out maintenance procedures during the annual shutdown. Once proven at Grangemouth, it is planned to roll the system out on many other major projects, including Sellafield in Cumbria, while the Wolseley Group will use it in over 4000 pan-European outlets, including Plumb Centre and Build Centre.

Meanwhile, advanced logistics supplier Wincanton is using the system to check on depot safety at over 500 depots throughout Europe.

Widening the safety net

MSS’s Tony Preston believes recent successful contract gains are just the start of a much bigger picture for the young company: “In construction health and safety matters, the system is invaluable for speedy access to accurate data, from trivial incidents up to criminal negligence cases and even corporate manslaughter.

“We’re now seeing much wider applications and tailoring solutions for independent client companies in a number of different industries. In each case, we invest substantial time in understanding exactly how a new client company operates and the problems it faces.

“We’re now looking at expanding into Transport, Healthcare, Education, Housing, Environmental Compliance and Call Centres. And on a completely different level, the system is ideal for market research projects, large and small.“

How to save lives, time and money

Mobile Safety Solutions’ web-based application software is ideal for use by mobile workers, in public places and for multi-site operations and allows data to be shared, compared and unified. Hand-held computers (PDAs) replace traditional paper-based inspections, risk assessments, investigations and audits. An Internet connection uploads data, photos, signatures and related information to a website. The site is hosted on behalf of clients, and acts as a data store, report alerts and action plans.

Storing all the data in a single, secure place, as a corporate compliance management system, scorecards show key performance indicators, outstanding non-compliance matters and work schedules, producing an overall effective operational unit.