A pioneering mobile app developed by North Yorkshire’s newly established highways maintenance company has been shortlisted in the Highways Awards 2022.
The Connected Safety Net incident reporting mobile app is used by employees to detect and record near-miss incidents, allowing the use of photos and video to quickly add more detail to reports.
It includes automatic GPS location capture and has the ability to work offline; an invaluable feature for NY Highways’ staff who often work in remote, rural locations with low connectivity.
In addition to its use onsite, the app can be used in depots to detect non-compliance with PPE, as well as identifying when someone comes close to a moving vehicle and ensuring vehicles keep to one-way systems.
The app, which was produced by technology company Connected Safety Net in partnership with NY Highways and CCTV provider Clearway Technology, has been shortlisted in the Product of the Year category.
Executive member for highways and transportation, Cllr Keane Duncan, said: “We are delighted that our incident reporting app has been recognised in the prestigious Highways Awards. It has been a great step forward for our service delivery, as it is believed the automation of near-miss capture is a first for the highways industry.
“The app also has the ability to engage staff as the process is more streamlined and efficient. We are saving approximately 1,000-man hours and just under 4,400 pieces of paper based on just one incident per week. I would like to congratulate the great achievement of NY Highways which we must remember has only been operating for a year.”
Managing director of NY Highways, Ross Bullerwell, said: “Since its creation, NY Highways has aimed to be at the forefront of technology and we are always looking for innovative safety solutions. I am pleased to see our work on the incident and near-miss reporting app has been acknowledged by the Highways Awards.
“With this app, not only can we reduce incidents in the long-run and ensure the safety of our employees when they are at work, but it is a tool that can be adopted by other authorities or businesses in the construction and highways sector.”
The Highways Awards are a prestigious event in the highways sector, recognising the outstanding achievements of the people, teams and projects that have gone above and beyond to keep the country moving. The awards ceremony is set to take place in London on 19 October.
