New Application Automates Workplace Social Distancing, Contact Tracing

Workplaces can easily manage social distancing and conduct contact tracing thanks to the new HID Location Services for Workplace Safety physical distancing application.

Meeting local regulations to prevent workplace exposure to COVID-19 is vital for businesses to resume productivity and restore employee confidence. 

This application can be set up in hours with no integration required with existing systems.

The Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) HID BEEKS Aware fobs alert employees when they are closer than 2 meters (6.5 feet) from each other for a specified period. 

The contact tracing application uses the same fob or a BEEKS badge/badge holder that is easily added to existing ID cards, providing a full digital trail of a person’s whereabouts and historical interactions while on the premises. This makes it possible to rapidly respond to cases and activate isolation procedures as needed.

“Digitally managing social distancing is critical to encouraging the necessary behavioral shifts that will create a safer and more secure environment where employees feel comfortable returning to work,” said Mark Robinton, VP of IoT Services, Identification Technologies with HID Global.

The application features several options to enable organizations to customize its use to meet their unique workplace requirements. 

Employers define distancing policies and alert parameters; zones can be created with geo-fences around high-traffic areas to minimize large congregations of people.

The HID BEEKS Aware BLE fobs are issued to employees, visitors and contractors to carry while on the premises. 

Using peer-to-peer capabilities, the fob will flash and sound a brief audible alert when employees are within 2 meters (6.5 feet) for more than 2 minutes, or as configured by an administrator.

With a click of a button, detailed reporting enables contact tracing using historical data on movement and interactions to trigger safety protocols.

The solution is set up quickly with HID BEEKS devices, secure HID Bluzone Cloud Software, and HID BluFi/ other gateways, using existing enterprise networks or Bluetooth over Wi-Fi network connectivity and cloud services. No additional infrastructure, hardware or network wiring is needed.

The physical distancing application is currently being piloted and adopted by major healthcare institutions and enterprise organizations worldwide, including at HID’s North American headquarters and manufacturing facility in Austin, Texas.