Case Studies

Support for COMPASS team

by Mark Rowe

In 2012 the contract services company Serco Group plc announced a contract with the UK Border Agency (UKBA) to deliver the COMPASS project. Serco is to provide accommodation, associated services and transport for asylum applicants in two regions of the UK.

COMPASS, or ‘Commercial and Operational Managers Procuring of Asylum Support Services’, replaced more than 20 UKBA contracts for accommodation and transport of asylum applicants and their families, at savings to the taxpayer. Serco is now the prime contractor for the north west of England, and Scotland and Northern Ireland. Responsibility includes initial short-term stays for asylum applicants; dispersed accommodation after their application is processed, transport to and between accommodation, and the related process support.

With over 220 lone workers attached to the COMPASS team, Serco looked at their duty of care to their employees.
Using the reports from the lone worker safety service SoloProtect, it became clear to Lee Horne – Business Support and IT Manager at Serco – that the contractor was not using the device to its potential; staff were not engaged and the company was in danger of not getting a return on their investment. Therefore, with the aim of raising awareness and lowering the risk to staff, a project was established to maximize use of the device. It was important for Lee to fully understand the risks that faced Serco lone workers, a list including, but not limited to; working with vulnerable people, evening or night work and driver-related risk. With a mix of staff training and on-going communication, the Serco staff began to engage; as a result, the intended device usage went up.

The Identicom product is designed to look and feel like a standard identity card, close to hand and discreet to use. It’s designed to fit a range of personnel and lone worker applications; whether primarily facing ‘People Risk’ (arising from social interaction – potential verbal abuse and attack) or ‘Environmental Risk’ (a ‘Man Down’ incapacitation, due to illness or a sudden trip or fall). SoloProtect offers the BS 8484:2016 accreditation in the British Standard for lone worker safety management, and an EN50518 compliant, in-house Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC).

Lee Horne says: ‘The safety of our staff, service users and the public is paramount in what we do. The SoloProtect device not only provides a visible deterrent but also gives staff the re-assurance that, if there were an incident, they would get the help that was needed. Our aim is to ensure our staff get home safe, the SoloProtect device helps us do that.’

Serco Housing Officer Chris Mairs believes the device is ‘simple and effective’ and he feels safer knowing the device is close at hand. ‘Although I am confident in working with my service users I also understand the need for protection around the unknown or hostile situations, so having the device gives me peace of mind should I ever need to use it.’

Visit www.SoloProtect.com.

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