Muir Group

Muir Group has turned to Peoplesafe to help protect their front-line lone working staff by issuing them each with the MySOS.

The MySOS, accredited to the police’s ‘Secured by Design’ certification provides the housing association’s lone workers reassurance knowing they can raise an SOS alarm at the press of a button should they face any potential risk to their wellbeing.

Established in 1968, Muir Group is a Chester-based not-for-profit housing association that manages over 5,000 properties countrywide with a range of tenancies, including supported and sheltered housing.

Although Muir Group had a mobile phone-based check-in system in place for their frontline employees, the level of protection it offered wasn’t deemed adequate. It required a more comprehensive, British Standard-approved form of lone worker protection to be implemented.

Ian Whitwell, Head of ICT for Muir Group, was tasked with sourcing a BS 8484 approved lone worker solution. BS 8484 is the British Standard for lone worker device services. Peoplesafe are fully audited and approved to BS 8484:2022, the latest version, allowing direct access to police control rooms and bypassing the 999 service. This guarantees a faster response in the event of an emergency. Most other solutions are only BS 8484 compliant. Thus, cannot guarantee the same level of police response.

After careful consideration and extensive field-based trials of various Lone Worker solutions, Muir Group chose Peoplesafe.

Ian says, “we tested a number of lone worker devices but Peoplesafe offered the best all-round solution for our needs. Right from the trial, we were impressed with the customer service team and our dedicated Account Manager.”

Each of Muir Group’s Community Housing Officers, Engagement Officers, and Maintenance staff are equipped with the MySOS. The device features GPS technology and two-way audio communications, enabling Alarm Controllers at Peoplesafe’s Alarm Receiving Centre to communicate with the user, whilst directing the appropriate response to their exact location. With other features such as voice memo, speed dial, and fall detection there’s no more complete, accredited device available in the marketplace today.

Ian continues, “we’ve had numerous alerts raised in the time we’ve had the devices, and each time the response and escalation procedure from Peoplesafe has been outstanding.”

“I can’t find fault with any aspect of Peoplesafe’s service… it’s all excellent!”

Find out more about our work with Housing Associations.