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    • Rethink Safety with Smart Communications - Author Sean Fitzgerald

      Published Dec 09 2016, 8:19 PM by Clare McFarlane

      Can communication really be expected to boost efficiency across transport networks?

      Facing the unenviable challenge of meeting soaring customer expectations whilst keeping workers safe in dangerous and hazardous environments is a constant battle for manufacturers. There are undoubtedly many steps that you can and are taking every day to ensure safety measures are met and if the worst should happen a quick and effective response can be made.

      DOES COMMUNICATIONS HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY IN SAFETY?

      The simple and quick answer is yes. Communication can transform plant safety by connecting people with a seamless real-time flow of information. The reason for my emphasis on the word ‘can’ is simple; communication devices do indeed offer the potential for ensuring safety but to truly reach their potential it’s the design, applications and accessories that complement them that bring a fully optimised safe environment.

      7 RADIO FEATURES NEEDED FOR TRUE SAFETY
      When a radio is treated as more than just a device to talk over, that’s when safety is optimised. These 7 features illustrate just this point:-

      1. LONE WORKER: Designed for personnel working alone in isolated environments, Lone Worker remotely monitors worker activity and initiates an emergency if a worker fails to respond to periodic alerts.

      2. MAN DOWN: Enhances the safety of workers by monitoring movement (or lack of movement!). Man Down triggers an emergency alert when a radio is tilted (for example if the user has been injured and is lying on the floor), or if they remain still for a period of time. This allows operators to identify when a worker has become incapacitated and call for assistance.

      3. REMOTE MONITOR: Allows a radio user to remotely activate another radio’s microphone and transmitter. This feature is especially useful if Man Down has been triggered, or when supervisors need to monitor the activity of a worker to check safety standards are being met.

      4. VOX (Voice Activated Communications): Enables a worker to respond to a request hands-free using a compatible headset. The radio is enabled automatically when audio is connected, allowing the worker to talk while carrying boxes or working on machinery.

      5. PPT (Push-to-Talk): Whole work teams can communicate instantaneously with a single button push. The large PTT button on MOTOTRBO™ radios makes communication easier than ever, even for workers wearing gloves.

      6. INTELLIGENT AUDIO: Factories can be noisy places and workers need to hear and be heard clearly. MOTOTRBO radios adjust volume automatically in line with fluctuating background noise to ensure commands are not misunderstood and requests for help ignored.

      7. RUGGED DESIGN: ATEX radios are designed, built and approved to operate in hazardous and potentially explosive environments with advanced ergonomics, large displays and buttons, intuitive user interface and built-in GPS for location tracking.

      Harnessing the full functionality of radios and applications designed specifically to enhance safety is what it takes to ensure you can both prevent as many incidents as possible, or at the very least be prepared to take action if something does happen.

      To discover more about the true potential of radio communication across the factory floor – not just for safety but also for boosting production and efficiency – download your copy of our communication guide.

      If you’d like to join the conversation about communication in hazardous environments, we’d be delighted to welcome you to the Motorola Solutions Community EMEA LinkedIn Group.

      Sean Fitzgerald is Senior Solutions Marketing Manager at Motorola Solutions
      Connect with Sean on LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/pub/sean-fitzgerald/1/705/4a0

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