Mitie has won an award at the UK Rail Industry Awards for “Workforce Safety”, recognising its significant contribution to the effective and efficient running of the UK rail industry.
The company beat off strong competition to secure the endorsement of the independent judges at the UK rail industry event, attended by over 600 industry insiders.
The total security management (TSM) business of the FTSE 250 strategic outsourcer was given the award because of its work with partner Reference Point and client Network Rail, the operators of Britain’s rail infrastructure.
Employees needed a safe and practical tool for managing access to track sites, so TSM commissioned a platform with the objective of ensuring no-one undertakes an activity unless they have been trained and assessed as competent.
Working with software partner Reference Point, Mitie’s team implemented the enhanced fully managed Sentinel scheme – a card system that ensures each and every track worker is fit, trained, and competent to start work on Network Rail’s infrastructure.
The new Sentinel card system enables 100% authentication of staff training – as compared to the old system where only an estimated 2% of cards were authenticated. Also, the system provides access to the UK’s only large shared access lone worker protection system.
The partnership has enabled Network Rail to implement a solution that meets the rail industry’s workforce competence and skills checking needs, as well as improving workforce safety for its trackside workforce.
Darren Gamage, Technology Services Director of Mitie’s total security management business said:
“I’m delighted this unique and industry leading system has been recognised. This is testament to how significant the technology will be in improving safety across more workforces not only in the transport sector but across any industry. We see significant opportunities in other sectors with safety critical activities”
Gareth Llewellyn, Director of Safety and Sustainable Development at Network Rail said:
“New Sentinel is the passport for working on our network safely. Technology has moved on apace since we introduced Sentinel originally in 1999. The opportunity to take advantage of smartcard and smartphone technology will take Sentinel to the next level, providing us with benefits that we haven’t seen before.”
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For further information, contact:
Chris Watts, Bell Pottinger
T: +44 (0)20 7861 2859 E: cwatts@bell-pottinger.com
