NETWORK Rail has launched a design contest to create a real-time monitoring system that will help protect maintenance and construction personnel working trackside.
The public sector organisation said the activities conducted by these workers are ‘complex’ and require ‘significant’ attention, adding that it is one of the highest risk environments across the Network Rail estate – with near misses occurring when workers lose situational awareness of their surroundings and accidentally stray outside of safe areas.
In light of this, Network Rail has launched the Geofencing Track Worker Warning System Design Contest. A Network Rail spokesperson explained, “The objective is to create a real-time monitoring system that could identify if trackside workers accidentally move into unsafe zones on a work site, and to alert users when this occurs via a wearable device.”
Applicants have until September 15 to submit their solutions. Following this deadline, Network Rail will invite the winners to participate in a phase of negotiations – which, if successful, ‘may’ result in the award of a service contract to take part in the geofencing track worker warning system trial.
Applications can be submitted via Network Rail’s BravoNR website.
