Water

Improving Operational and Project Safety with OWL

In the highly regulated and safety-sensitive water sector, managing risk is a top priority. OWL can help you mitigate potential hazards and prevent accidents by offering real-time visibility and control over their workforce and equipment.

Safety Zones at Treatment Plants & Reservoirs

OWL can be used to create restricted safety zones around high-risk areas, such as water treatment facilities or open reservoirs. Alerts can notify operators when unauthorised personnel enter these zones, preventing accidents and ensuring compliance with health and safety protocols.

Monitoring Lone Workers

Many water company employees, especially those working in rural or isolated areas, are often alone. OWL allows real-time tracking of these remote mobile workers, ensuring their safety by enabling quick responses in case of emergencies or accidents. Automated alerts can signal when a worker fails to check in or exits a designated safe zone, prompting immediate action.

Vehicle and Equipment Tracking

OWL allows for precise tracking of maintenance vehicles and mobile equipment. In case of accidents, breakdowns, or theft, immediate responses can be made, reducing downtime and improving safety.

Enhancing Operational Efficiency in Maintenance and Capital Delivery

The AMP8 period places a strong emphasis on improving efficiency and reducing costs. OWL offers tangible benefits in this area by automating routine tasks, optimizing resource allocation, and improving oversight on large-scale capital delivery projects.

Key Applications

Efficient Asset Management

With OWL, water companies can map and monitor their vast network of infrastructure, from pipelines to pumping stations, in real-time. This enables proactive maintenance planning, reducing the likelihood of unexpected breakdowns that can disrupt service or pose environmental risks. In AMP8, where efficiency and proactive asset management are priorities, this technology is crucial for delivering on regulatory expectations.

Optimizing Workforce Deployment

By tracking the real-time location of field crews, companies can assign tasks more efficiently, directing the nearest available team to urgent maintenance jobs or emergencies. This reduces response times and enhances service continuity. OWL can also automate timesheets by logging entry and exit from worksites, improving productivity and reducing administrative burdens.

Project Oversight

For capital delivery projects, OWL can help ensure that work teams are working within their allocated areas and adhering to schedules. Alerts can be sent if crews move outside their designated zones, helping project managers maintain tighter control over large-scale projects and minimise project delays.

Compliance with Environmental and Regulatory Standards

The UK water sector is under increasing pressure to improve environmental performance and adhere to strict regulatory frameworks during the AMP8 period. OWL can support compliance efforts by offering better oversight of field activities, particularly in environmentally sensitive areas.

Key Applications

Environmental Protection Zones

Water companies often operate in areas of ecological importance. OWL can create protected zones where activities such as heavy machinery operation are restricted. If a vehicle or equipment enters a protected zone, managers are immediately notified, ensuring compliance with environmental regulations.

Tracking Environmental Surveys

OWL can assist in monitoring the progress of environmental surveys and inspections required for both capital and operational projects. This ensures that sensitive ecosystems are accounted for, and that mitigation measures are implemented effectively, in line with AMP8 targets for environmental resilience.

Supporting Digital Transformation and Innovation in AMP8

The AMP8 cycle encourages UK water companies to adopt cutting-edge technologies and integrate digital transformation strategies across their operations. OWL, when integrated with broader digital asset management systems, can act as a cornerstone for this transformation.

Key Applications

Data Integration for Predictive Maintenance

By combining geo-location data with IoT sensors, companies can gather real-time performance data from assets like pumps, valves, and pipelines. This data can then be used for predictive maintenance, allowing for interventions before equipment failure occurs, reducing downtime and repair costs.

Automated Reporting

Geo-fencing technology can automate compliance reporting by logging the movement of equipment and personnel in and out of sensitive zones. This can help ensure compliance with regulatory bodies such as Ofwat and The Environment Agency without the need for extensive manual documentation.

Improving Capital Delivery Planning

Large infrastructure projects often span multiple sites and involve complex logistics. Geo-location and geo-fencing can offer real-time data on workforce movement, equipment usage, and project progress, allowing water companies and contractors to keep capital delivery projects on track, reducing costs and ensuring timely completion.