A transformative personal protection and emergency response solution, developed jointly by CriticalArc and RAA, one of South Australia’s largest mutual organisations and most trusted brands, has been shortlisted in the ‘OSPA’ Outstanding Security Performance Awards run by ASIAL, the Australian Security Industry Association.
 
The RAA SafeZone Lone Worker App is an innovative partnership that delivers multiple benefits for people working in Australian small-to-medium businesses (SMEs) and not-for-profit organisations (NFPs). For the first time, outreach workers in healthcare and lone workers operating in remote environments have access to high level personal monitoring and response protection previously available only to organisations with significant resources and infrastructure.
 
The smart phone application  brings together CriticalArc’s internationally proven, cloud-based security and safety systems – that incorporates the SafeZone comprehensive  solution – with RAA Secure Services’ world-class Monitoring Emergency Response Centre, which provides A1-rated triage and response around the clock.
 
Thanks to this partnership, the RAA SafeZone Lone Worker App now allows Australia’s smaller employers to ensure response to worker emergency incidents without the need for cost prohibitive MPAS (Mobile Personal Alert System) technology.
 
The offering enables organisations to demonstrate comprehensive duty of care, particularly where outreach workers may be vulnerable visiting private homes, or in sectors such as agriculture, mining, oil and gas where lone worker safety is a vital concern.
 
RAA SafeZone customers are also finding that improved worker care is helping them attract and retain the best talent, says Robert Christie, CriticalArc’s Technical Operations Manager, Asia Pacific.
 
“Safety at work is certainly a big concern for employees and their families,” says Mr Christie. “Now RAA Safezone is helping employers do more than just comply with Worker Health & Safety rules, it’s letting them demonstrate that they really care by providing the best available monitoring and protection for all their employees, in all situations.”
 
As an example of the RAA Safezone Lone Worker App in action, some of Australia’s most dedicated homelessness support workers – those at Adelaide’s Hutt Street Centre – are now monitored and cared for by the solution, with offsite monitoring and emergency response facilities enabled by the easy-to-use SafeZone app on their smart phones.
 
The application now enables staff to raise an alert, or to set a pre-emptive ‘check in’ timer, and get immediate help and support if they feel unsafe. This is proving particularly popular with the Hutt Street Centre’s Case Navigators while working in the community in the parklands of Adelaide or the homes of clients.
 
Shane Corker, Business Development Manager, Secure Services for RAA, welcomed the OSPA award honour as a recognition of the positive effect the RAA Safezone Lone Worker App would make to Australian workers and their families.
 
“We are delighted to be part of this innovative partnership with CriticalArc and to be offering a fantastic service that’s already making such a big difference to people’s lives.”
 
For more information on CriticalArc and SafeZone go to www.criticalarc.com. For the latest news and industry insight follow CriticalArc on LinkedIn and Twitter.