BMD prioritises remote worker safety with SafetyIQ

BMD is one of Australia’s largest privately-owned engineering design, construction and land development contractors. Over its 42-year history, BMD has delivered numerous infrastructure projects that have changed the face of Australia. Operating nationally, BMD’s work takes place across metropolitan and regional areas, as well as various remote locations throughout Australia. The company is committed to the health and safety of its people and works hard to ensure it has the proper systems in place to support them.

Many of BMD’s construction projects include working in remote locations, with people, travelling frequently to these sites alone. Ensuring the safety of a mobile and isolated workforce during all stages of travel is a priority for BMD. As BMD’s workforce include subcontractors who are responsible for their own employees, there was a need for a centralised system to manage the workforce’s movements.

For any organisation with a workforce that travel long distances, a solution to overseeing their employees’ movements and maintaining safety is a top priority. Previously, BMD utilised a spreadsheet based management plan which involved staff notifying supervisors of their arrival via text. The challenge with this system was the reliance on people to remember to check-in and as such the business was in need of a scalable, easy to use alternative.

The impact of the COVID-19 health crisis was pivotal to BMD restructuring the workforce management system in their business. With restrictions on flights and travel, new requirements and circumstances meant that there were risks that needed to be addressed for the safety and wellbeing of the workforce. Prioritising safety was of the utmost importance to ensure that workers travelled to and from a site safely, particularly given that construction was considered an essential service under Government guidelines.

BMD made the decision to open a SafetyIQ Starter account after thoroughly researching Remote Worker Management Solutions that were cost effective and easy to implement. Ultimately, BMD does not compromise the safety of workers and wanted to ensure there was a seamless transition. They were also looking for a system that was user friendly and included support and training. With projects spanning across the country in varying locations, the SafetyIQ Starter met all of this criteria and provides a centralised platform that allows BMD’s management to monitor team safety and staff movements.

The process for implementing SafetyIQ Starter required the onboarding of all subcontractors. They then trained the broader team of users, supervisors and administrators, ensuring that everyone knew how to use the system and leveraged its functionality. Importantly, the onboarding process offered the opportunity to field any concerns or questions with the implementation and use of SafetyIQ Starter.

Fundamentally, SafetyIQ Starter provided an easily implemented solution that was well-received by all stakeholders. Due to the time constraints and travel restrictions that were in place, the introduction of a new system needed to be fast and efficient. Uptake and use of the SafetyIQ Starter system was easily scaled ensuring that all workers utilised the platform. From the point of implementation, travelling workers completed a quick risk assessment on commencement of their journey. The system then required the worker to check-in by responding to prompts every two or two and a half hours. Failure to complete checkin would lead to an escalation notification being sent to the predetermined contact. From there, the necessary safety procedures would be initiated. Managers were given access to a comprehensive dashboard, which gave a unique oversight of the employee’s location and whereabouts.

When selecting a personnel safety management system, BMD prioritised useability, ease of implementation and support capabilities. The chosen solution also needed to be cost-effective to fit budgetary requirements. By implementing SafetyIQ Starter was able to support remote workers with a competent system that fulfilled compliance obligations and at the same time ensure that workers were safe. With training and a seamless integration of the SafetyIQ Starter system BMD was able to ensure that operational and safety efficiencies were met.

BMD employees found that SafetyIQ Starter effectively replace a manual system which was heavily on people’s memory and therefore susceptible to user error. The escalation process was also commended by BMD workers, who appreciated the allowance for quick and easy monitoring of staff, especially in the event of an incident.

“The overall benefit of the SafetyIQ Starter system overhaul has been the ease for people to complete the check-ins on the run through the app. With just the hit of a button, workers can complete a risk assessment prior to travel and assure managing staff of their safety. SafetyIQ Starter has eliminated the challenges BMD sought to resolve.”
– BMD Safety Manager