How what3words keeps staff safe

What is what3words?

what3words is an innovative geocode system for sharing global locations.

Rather than using GPS coordinates, which are cumbersome and easily confused, the system has assigned a unique 3-word address to each 3m square in the world!

The aim of what3words is to provide a more accurate, global solution to addressing the whole world – one that is far easier to remember than GPS.

How SafeLane uses what3words to keep its teams safe

Of the top 10 countries at risk from the threat of terrorism, SafeLane has operated in 6 and has ongoing operations in 4. 

It’s also operational in nations that present environmental challenges to field staff - such as unreliable communications coverage and poor infrastructure.

Protecting the safety of its staff while they are representing the company internationally is of paramount importance to SafeLane.  It has many internal processes to safeguard employees, one of which ensures a daily check in system.

Anyone who is travelling for work – whether in the UK or internationally – checks in with the head office team at least once daily.  This system ensures the whereabouts of all team members are known at all times.

Team members use what3words to check in, providing the head office team with an accurate location marker – even in countries where there is no formal addressing system.  

what3words is also utilised when SafeLane staff are attending conferences, meeting at airport gates or ports – and even just to keep track of where a car is parked in an airport carpark!

SafeLane also uses the what3word addresses of all its offices in correspondence to support international visitors.

How will SafeLane use what3words in the future?

At the recent annual management workshop, senior members of the SafeLane team discussed other benefits that can be gained thanks to what3words...

Other potential areas to expand into include:

• the tracking of international equipment
• factoring what3word processes into health, safety and evacuation plans
• logging locations for geophysical work
• admin support / meeting locations

A promise to SafeLane’s clients

SafeLane always ensures data confidentially and that its clients’ commercial sensitivities are protected.  This means it will use what3words to enhance operations where appropriate – but not to the detriment of safety, privacy or confidentiality.