MAKING JOBS EASIER - AND SAFER

Northumbrian Water Group (NWG) provides clean water and wastewater treatment services to nearly five million people across northeast and southeast England.  

Their worksites range from vast water treatment and biogas facilities to public roadways and underground sewer systems. These environments present various risks, including exposure to gases such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S), chlorine (CI2), ammonia (NH3), and sulphur dioxide (SO2), hazardous or contaminated water, explosions from hot work or combustible gas, confined space entry and lone work. An explosion at an unrelated UK water treatment plant in December 2020, where four workers died, underscored the need for a robust and versatile safety solution.

While NWG used portable gas monitors to detect hazardous gases, and mobile phones to maintain communication with workers, these devices had limitations. The gas monitors had cross-sensitivity issues with SO2 and CI2 which led to missed or faulty detection. They also required off-site calibrations to maintain the equipment, resulting in operational down time. The mobile phones were not intrinsically safe and posed an ignition hazard in biogas-rich environments. As a workaround, NWG supplied walkie-talkies, adding both complexity and cost with an additional device to manage.  

NWG was looking for an all-in-one solution that addressed the shortcomings of their current technology to significantly improve both safety and operational efficiency. 

NWG evaluated Blackline Safety’s cloud-connected G7c personal gas monitors and EXO area monitor at two of their water treatment sites, trialling seven G7cs and one EXO. 

EXO was chosen to remotely monitor gas levels in certain known high-risk areas. The wearable G7 devices enabled multi-gas detection and could be calibrated on site. Both devices can monitor up to five gases simultaneously, offering NWG the ability to detect the wide array of gases to which workers may be exposed in the water/wastewater industry. 

Integrated capabilities—like location technology and remote monitoring—could significantly improve lone worker safety. Push-to-Talk capabilities (using the device like a walkie-talkie) meant workers would only need to carry one device.   

With the all-in-one connected safety solution from Blackline, NWG experienced the following immediate benefits during their trial period:

• Hazard identification: With the help of EXO, NWG discovered a previously unidentified hazardous area on-site, reaching 75% of the explosive limit during operations. Upon receiving a high gas alert from EXO, NWG was able to respond immediately by issuing a ‘stop work’ order, notifying nearby workers and safely evacuating the area. Preventative measures have since been implemented to address the issue. 
• Boosted adoption: EXO and G7c seamlessly integrated into daily operations with minimal pushback from frontline staff who valued ease of use, reliability and connectivity. Mandatory e-learning courses and toolbox talks helped educate and train frontline workers on the new solution and its value as a necessary safety precaution to mitigate incidents. 
• Operational gains: NWG realised reduced operational downtime, as devices no longer needed to be sent offsite to be calibrated. 
• Reliable signal strength: G7c devices remained connected even in underground environments where cellular signal strength can be problematic.  
• Analytical insights: Data from connected devices highlighted areas of concern, like high-gas exposure zones, they were not previously aware of.