TOUGH JOB , RUGGED PHONE safety . Data from the UK ’ s Health and Safety Executive ( HSE ) showed that there were 43 fatalities amongst construction industry workers in 2015 / 2016 , making construction one of the most dangerous sectors to work in . With workforce safety being a major concern for managers , they need the peace of mind that they have the right tools in place that can provide consistent and reliable communication between employees and management , as well as the emergency services , should an accident ever occur . A durable and robust handset , armed with an IP68 rating and other ruggedised features such including toughened Gorilla Glass can give a construction manager confidence that the device will perform and survive in the toughest of working environments .
Furthermore , specialised rugged devices can be installed with a Lone Worker Protection App . This allows a worker to set one of the device ’ s main and easily reached buttons with panic alarm functionality . Should they get into trouble whilst working alone , this function offers an audible and text alarm , sending a worker ’ s GPS location and alert message to their manager or colleague . For construction workers working at height , an accelerometer function can also be pre-configured to trigger an alarm if the employee suffers a fall .
THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB Projections by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills reveal that in the next decade , the construction industry will see faster employment growth than any of the other major business sectors . As the industry expands , managers will need to employ technology that not only ensure streamlines connectivity throughout firms but also ensures the safety of their workers . Mobile has the potential to provide all of this , but for construction workers the latest technology cannot be truly harnessed unless a phone is rugged enough and robust enough . A device that is easily water-damaged , has a short battery life or fails to support a lone worker in an emergency situation , is insufficient for today ’ s construction worker . Investment in a rugged handset is a small price to pay for the benefits that a company could see if they choose to embrace this technology .
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