Archive for May, 2012

Technics Group MD interviewed by the BBC

Monday, May 21st, 2012

Last Friday Graham Mills was interviewed by Lara Lewington the presenter of BBC Click programme about how the company uses Stay Safe App to help its lone working surveyors. Graham went to the Click studio at Television Centre in London where Lara asked him questions about where the idea for the Stay Safe App came from, how it works and how our surveyors feel about using it. The interview will be broadcast later this month.

Under the Health & Safety at Work Act all employers have a duty of care towards their lone working employees. Graham created the App, in association with technology company One Result, to help fulfil the company requirement to ensure that the surveyors are safe. The App works by setting a timer before you start a journey or site visit which starts a countdown, you then have to check in to confirm that you are ok before the timer runs out. Messages are sent to the users chosen contacts from the App either by email, in the case of the free Lite version, or by email and SMS in the case of the Premium version. In the event that the user does not check in an alert is sent to the contacts with a map reference showing the users last known location. The App is backed up by a cloud based secure server and is unique to the marketplace.

The uses of the Stay Safe App go far beyond surveyors, interest has been expressed by estate agents, social workers, students and there is the additional benefit that it can also be used personally by people during their own time for activities when they are alone such as walking, mountain biking, nights out etc.

The feedback from our surveyors has been great as they see it as an investment in their safety and wellbeing.

To find out more about Stay Safe App go to http://www.staysafeapp.com/

To find out more about the BBC Click programme go to http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/click_online/

Lara Lewington http://www.laralewington.com/index.htm

One Result http://oneresult.co.uk/

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Technics Try Pod Surveys

Tuesday, May 15th, 2012

Technics Group has been instructed to produce survey data of multiple pod sites within the London Square Mile.  Renew by Media Metrica is network of high specification communication pods which conveniently doubles as a recycling point.   The survey data is being used to create planning ‘Site Packs’ as Renew seeks to expand their network to 200 on street screens targeting 3 million passing pedestrians. Working to tight deadlines the surveys are required so that the pod locations can be planned and installed before the Olympics.

 

Technics Group partners emapsite provided the Ordnance Survey backdrop mapping over which the pod surveys are being laid.

Brian James Renew’s Chief Operating Officer said:

“We were impressed by Technics Group flexibility, as they worked with us under tight timelines to develop a streamlined process for on street surveys.  We wouldn’t hesitate to work with them again.”

For more information about the pods please visit http://renewsolution.com/

emapsite can be found at www.emapsite.com

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TSA meet Damian Collins MP

Wednesday, May 9th, 2012

Representing The Survey Association last week Rory Stanbridge and I met Damian Collins MP to discuss flooding and how surveyors can help. Damian is the MP for Folkestone & Hythe and his constituency has suffered from flood maps not being updated following sea defences being constructed. The mapping left properties apparently in the flood zone when in fact they had been protected which gives rise to difficulties getting property insurance. The issue prompted Damian to write to the Times. Having seen the letter TSA arranged to meet Damian to explain how surveyors can provide data to update flood maps and how specifically we can work at individual property levels to demonstrate whether a property falls inside or outside of the flood zone. We also explained about the meetings and discussions we have recently had with the Environment Agency to see how TSA members survey data could be used by the EA to update their maps. Damian was very receptive and asked us to follow up with a letter to him outlining questions that he can raise.

For more information about Damian Collins MP go to http://www.damiancollins.com/

 

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