App aids digital shift for Kiwi worksites

Blerter founder and CEO Richard Gill.

A push to get rid of the old-school whiteboard and paper-based approach to workplace safety has lead to a local tech company launching an app it hopes will revolutionise communication on the worksite.

Blerter founder and CEO Richard Gill said the company's app aims to equip people to better identify work flow processes such as hazards, behavioural observations and who is working on certain projects.

"During designing the app we didn't focus on compliance aspects. We thought, if there were no regulations and wanted a safe work place, what would you do?"

It took two and a half years to design and features multiple dashboard options to keep workers informed.

"It's very policeable and easy to use."

The app was designed for all workplaces, but has been focused on high risk industries such as the construction, utility, infrastructure and transport sectors.

It is also being used in schools, dairy farms and offices.

According to Work Safe New Zealand, since 2010 there have been 306 work-related fatalities.

The Blerter health and safety app featuring the hazards and employee dashboards.

On average, 60 people die every year on working sites throughout New Zealand, 250 people in Australia and more than 4,000 in the United States.

Gill said these figures are the motivation behind the app.

Christchurch-based Blakely Construction trialled the health and safety app for a week and has been using it on its work sites ever since.

General manager Rodney Grant says the app has mainly improved communication around the sites.

"It's convenient, we put up a 'Blert' and it brings awareness to a hazard on sites in real time."

"We have some new ideas that we would like to pitch and road map to modify the app to better suit us. Not to improve the app as such, more to add some extra features that will be of benefit."

Blerter hopes to raise capital for expansion in to the American market.

The app is now compatible with Apple TV.