International. In order to streamline and simplify the management of employee social distancing protocols on return to work, HID Global made significant additions to its IoT HID Location Services ecosystem, also encouraging compliance with federal, state and local regulations to help prevent exposure to COVID-19 in work environments.
The new HID Location Services physical distancing app for workplace safety uses HID BEEKS Aware safety devices with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) that alert employees when they are less than 2 meters (6 feet) away for a certain period of time. The new contact tracing app uses the same HID BEEKS Aware device or a BEEKS credential/holder that is easy to incorporate into existing ID cards, allowing for a complete digital record of the location and history of interactions an employee has had while at work. This makes it possible to respond promptly to cases and activate isolation procedures as needed.
"Digital management of social distancing is critical to fostering the behavioral changes needed to create a safer environment in which employees feel comfortable returning to work," said Mark Robinton, vice president of IoT Services, Identification Technologies division, HID Global. "Our goal with HID Location Services for workplace safety is to use our renowned IoT ecosystem to help organizations regain productivity with confidence, making it easier for all staff to adapt to physical distancing in the workplace and removing cumbersome manual preparations from the contact tracing process."
How does it work?
• Employers define distancing policies and alert parameters. Zones with virtual perimeters (in real geographical areas) can be created around high-traffic areas (rest rooms, corridors, lobbies) in order to minimize large crowds of people.
• BEEKS Aware devices with BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) are issued to employees, visitors and contractors for them to carry while in the workplace. Using communication capabilities between counterpart devices the device flashes and emits a brief audible alert when employees are within 6 feet (2 meters) for more than 2 minutes (or as configured by the administrator).
• At the click of a button, detailed reports are generated that allow contacts to be tracked using historical data on employee travel and interactions to activate safety protocols.
• To independently track contacts, employers can link the feature to employees' current identification credentials.
Commissioning in just hours: no integration required
• Quick setup using HID BEEKS devices, secure HID Bluzone cloud software and HID BluFi ™ gateway/other gateways.
• Immediate access to real-time analytics containing location data, such as the type of interaction and duration of the contact (including start and end times).
• Uses existing enterprise networks or Bluetooth over Wi-Fi network connection and cloud services to make deployment easier. No additional installation of infrastructure, hardware, or network cabling is required.
