Minimum Separation Distance

As a safety technology company, Tended is committed to developing solutions to address some of the most pressing safety challenges that employers face with keeping their workforce safe.

The safety of both employees and the wider public has been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Employers have a responsibility to protect their workforce and provide a safe working environment, especially during the current climate. An outbreak in their workplace can trigger a complete shut down while the virus is contained, which can be damaging to company reputation and put both employee and the general public's lives at an unnecessary risk.

However, it can be challenging for employers to ensure their workers are maintaining a safe distance, particularly if their workplace is not designed to keep people apart.

Tended has developed an innovative social distancing wearable that alerts users if they come within a set distance of their colleagues. Using ultra-wideband technology, this solution ensures high precision, which is vital for an effective solution. Tended is also developing additional features, including collision avoidance, hazard reporting and evacuation alarms. By expanding the solution to address further critical safety issues, Tended can support the longevity and value of our safety solutions, both during and beyond the COVID outbreak.

Tended's current social distancing solution is being trialled across different industries including utilities, logistics, manufacturing and construction, and requires connection to a smartphone. For this project, Tended will develop cellular functionality to remove any reliance on additional hardware. Not only will this improve the experience for the end user and support client needs, it will also increase uptake as social distancing can be maintained across working environments with different needs and challenges.

By reducing the hardware required, Tended will also be able to help to reduce the environmental impact, as 1.5 million tonnes of electrical waste is thrown away in the UK each year alone. Incorporating cellular functionality into our safety solution will ensure that no unnecessary hardware is required on a short-term basis, reducing our impact on the annual wastage.

Beyond reducing hardware waste, Tended has been able to re-shore our supply chain from China to the UK. This allows us to reduce the significant environmental impact associated with transportation, as well as giving greater visibility and control over safety standards and manufacturing wastage. Reshoring to the UK manufacturing industry also allows Tended to contribute to an industry that has struggled since the beginning of the outbreak due to a 26% to 50% fall in orders.