Two Aberdeen-based firms have joined forces to launch a new mobile screening app for businesses to monitor employees for any symptoms of coronavirus and respond swiftly to any concerns.
The Tracepass app has been developed by software firm Insiso in partnership with problem-solving company, STC Global, drawing on their respective expertise in the fields of digital technology and training and safety.
The firms have jointly invested an initial £50,000 creating the screening platform and bringing it to market, while pledging further investment in continued R&D.
Easily accessible on mobile devices, the app requires users to answer a series of multiple-choice questions – which can be customised by individual businesses – to determine whether they are displaying any of the common symptoms of the Covid-19 virus on a daily basis.
The data is then fed back to a central response team who will identify any trends, analyse and act quickly where needed to protect the workforce and contain the spread of infection.
While it is fully configurable to the requirements of any specific business or sector, Tracepass, will enable larger firms with a broader geographical spread – either nationally or internationally – to screen employees in a consistent and standard format.
The data collected is therefore reliable, and when collated for analysis at a central point, enables companies to react within minutes rather than days.
The system traces contacts who may have been exposed to the virus, notifying them using standard Exposure Notification APIs for both Apple and Android smartphones.
Once a screening has been failed, the administrator approves a trigger post acknowledging receipt and review of the failed screening.
Low level Bluetooth signals collate the close proximity of users within a 14-day period to carry out background contact tracing. All employees recorded within close proximity of the affected party are then notified of their potential exposure via a push notification.
Insiso’s managing director, Arrash Nekonam, said: “Currently people may feel anxious about getting back to work outwith the home. Our new Covid-19 employee screening and response app, Tracepass, is intended to reassure staff that employers are rigorously delivering on their duty of care and will not compromise on the health and safety of their team. Any concerns around the health of individuals are quickly identified and dealt with so as to protect the rest of the workforce at that particular location.”
Mark Rushton, managing director of STC Global, said: “At this time of unprecedented challenge and disruption, Tracepass supports businesses to continue operating and trading. Equipped with data that is both timely and accurate, managers can react swiftly in the event of an outbreak and put into practice their contingency plans, along with their support measures for staff.
“While it is not mandatory to use the UK Government’s Track and Trace app, we envisage Tracepass as becoming an essential tool for businesses adapting to the ‘new normal’, requiring employees to enter their responses each day before turning up for work.”