Enhancing safety & efficiency for Australian utility workers

In Australia, the electricity, gas, water and waste services industry segment holds the third-highest on-site mortality rate, with three deaths per 100,000 workers on average, according to Safework Australia.  This data highlights the paramount importance of preserving the safety and security of field workers for any energy and utilities company. Yet, while these amenities are vital to society – making them both high profile and price sensitive – the workplace can often be hazardous.

Field workers regularly face challenges that put them at risk. The pressure to maintain quality of service and operational efficiency can create a sense of uncertainty around operational tasks. This is exacerbated by the fact that they often work alone in locations that may be remote or demanding, without access to real-time communications and collaboration tools. This is especially true of Australian workers, given the country's vast size and sparse population outside the Eastern Seaboard.
These are all challenges that can be addressed. This article will discuss some of these concerns as well as the solutions that will make the life of the energy and utilities field worker much safer and more productive.

A challenging mission

Energy and utilities off-site workers are exposed to many kinds of tasks that put them at risk of falls, electrocution, and even suffocation or extreme physical endangerment.

These tasks include:

• Climbing scaffolding or working at the top of radio or electric power line transmission towers to maintain or repair equipment
• Working in confined spaces or underground to deal with gas equipment, shut off gas lines or repair downed lines and high-voltage cabinets

There is also the risk of harm from members of the public, who may react aggressively due to frustrations with service disruption.
In some situations, the remoteness of the work may lead to a sense of isolation and demotivation. As a result, the field worker may feel disconnected from their organisation and may not manage deadline pressures properly, leading them to take unnecessary risks.

Mobility and Isolated Worker Protection

Real-time communications solutions based on Isolated Worker Protection (IWP) capabilities and cloud-based applications designed for mobile devices are crucial to helping field service management minimise these risks.
IWP, based on a Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) infrastructure designed around a base station and handset, is intended for both indoor and outdoor campus sites.

The DECT handset enables constant monitoring of the field worker and can trigger an alarm when help is needed. Functions such as man-down, red button, pull cord and explosion-proof capabilities for hazardous environments are some of the capabilities that such a system can carry, allowing the field worker to cope better with security risks. Compliant with DGUV 112-139 lone worker certification, this type of handset includes features like preventing device switch-off and prioritising alarms over any communication.
In a scenario where the field technician performing a critical task in a gas plant falls unconscious due to a toxic gas leak, the DECT handset will detect a lack of movement in either a horizontal or vertical position and trigger a man-down alarm that will alert the control centre staff to react.

Collaboration and remote assistance

At times, hazardous situations and complex tasks for the field technician require real-time assistance from an expert in the control centre. This is the case inside high-voltage cabinets, where there is a risk of burns or electrocution. With a cloud-based Remote Visual Assistance (RVA) solution, the expert can "see what the field technician sees" through a multimedia video session and provide instructions to complete the task safely. Staff can also share files, take pictures, and record videos offline to be uploaded to the server for tracking and training purposes.

Additionally, because field service efficiency can impact customer service quality, it is closely tied to customer satisfaction and retention—and ultimately, company revenues.
While field service efficiency depends on many factors—technician knowledge, tool availability, task reports, service and production downtime, and real-time information to reschedule tasks—fixing a problem on the first and only visit is ideal. According to Aberdeen Group research*, a First-Time Fix Rate (FTFR) of more than 70% equates to customer retention rates of 86%.
This is another area where the RVA can help. Real-time remote collaboration with an expert means field technicians can resolve more problems without a follow-up visit.
Such a system was successfully deployed in Athens, Greece, by the Athens Water Supply and Sewerage Company (EYDAP). By upgrading a dispersed and ageing communications system the company managed to reduce maintenance costs, save space, energy and employee time, and provide employees with a fully-flexible system with easy access to all communications including VOIP telephony and collaboration tools.

Training and knowledge sharing

Facilitating the training process and knowledge transfer is fundamental to improving the expertise and efficiency of field workers.
Digital training and knowledge-sharing tools can equip experts to deliver training through virtual and multimedia sessions, thereby enabling the field worker team to stay up to date with new technologies and access concrete examples of the scenarios they will deal with every day.

The future of the field worker

These tools are available to field service workers today, and more are coming. Cloud-based applications, such as augmented reality (AR), extended reality (XR), IoT, and AI, can be integrated into the current ecosystem to enhance working conditions. Furthermore, the openness provided by APIs is fundamental to interworking between different systems and adding value to the current environment.

Imagine a scenario where a field worker must troubleshoot a failure at the electric switchboard in a high-voltage cabinet. With XR capabilities, a 3D model of the switchboard, complete with expert notes, is accessible in advance. The worker can review it and be fully prepared for the task upon arrival.
All these technology building blocks enable the field worker to be more efficient, productive and safer, leading to customer satisfaction, corporate success, and a steady flow of the energy and utilities that our communities need to thrive.