Supporting a critical document storage and records management business with social distancing in the workplace
Secure storage provider Archive-Vault was designated a critical business during the COVID-19 pandemic. It adopted Pathfindr’s Safe Distancing Assistant as part of a range of safety measures to ensure it could remain fully operational while protecting staff safety.
Archive-Vault, based in Norwich, provides a secure storage solution for its clients’ critical documents, with employees responsible for collecting and transporting large volumes of documents and managing inventory within its purpose-built warehouse. Providing essential services to the medical, financial, legal, and broader business sectors, Archive-Vault’s staff were given key worker status amid the pandemic. This meant the business needed to work quickly and efficiently to become COVID-secure, with no interruption to its service.
The Challenge
COVID-19 caused a global standstill, with many businesses closing down or moving to home working in a bid to minimise the risk of exposure and keep employees safe. As the UK government introduced strict social distancing measures, Archive-Vault’s site was required to stay open and had to overcome the operational challenges associated with keeping two metres apart, both at its premises and when staff needed to work off-site.
Due to the nature of its work, staff often visit third-party premises where its policy on distancing and safety must still be adhered to. When wider lockdown measures were introduced, an upcoming large project at a client’s premises presented a particular challenge as there was a significant need to maintain physical distancing.
With heightened commentary and media coverage of COVID-19’s impact around the world, the business also needed to introduce protocols that would reassure staff and make them feel comfortable about remaining in the workplace. Archive-Vault was on the lookout for a solution which would give its employees the tools to comply with official guidance while allowing them to go about their daily tasks with confidence.
How?
When thinking about how they could safely continue with their work during COVID-19, it was recommended that they talk to Pathfindr about our Safe Distancing Assistant devices.
We provided one device for each of the company’s six staff, configured to a safe distance of two metres, which would set off an audible alarm or vibration when users came too close to one another. The use of Ultra-wideband (UWB), low power technology (3.5GHz radio TX frequency) gives staff a full 360-degree field of detection and allows them to continue working together, even when off site, without putting themselves at risk. This detection field can also be easily reconfigured, so the business can continue complying with changing guidance – for example the UK’s ‘one metre plus’ rule – should they wish to.
The Safe Distancing Assistant complemented a raft of other measures that Archive-Vault introduced to safeguard both its staff and clients. This included a daily deep clean of the office, warehouses, vehicles, and equipment, along with regular cleaning throughout the day, as well as risk assessments, greater hygiene measures including PPE and sanitising facilities and document scanning options for those working from home.
Results
While it’s likely that social distancing will remain in place for some time, Pathfindr has given Archive-Vault the tools to continue with its critical operations. The business can also be confident that it is taking the necessary steps to keep employees and clients safe, by giving them the power to accurately monitor physical distancing themselves. According to the team, this confidence has also translated into their personal life, with many users saying the devices have helped them with keeping the right distance out of work too.
“Thanks to Pathfindr, our staff and customers feel reassured that we’re taking the most appropriate action in order to keep them safe. The Safe Distancing Assistants have provided a way for us to maintain important social distancing measures, while also allowing us to continue with our day to day tasks. Although we have kept our devices programmed to two metres, it is great that we have the power to amend this as and when the situation improves. The long battery life and quick charging capabilities are also major plus points for us, and the variation in the alert settings – from vibrate to audible alarm – really suits our business, perfect for both a busy warehouse environment and a quieter office space. For other businesses thinking about how they can restart their operations, while making employee safety a priority, I’d absolutely recommend getting in touch with the team at Pathfindr. It’s still a challenging time, but these devices have given us the confidence we need to keep going.”
Emily Pitcher, Office Manager, Archive-Vault
