- Openreach has deployed a mobile safety app with SOS alerts, GPS tracking and two-way audio to improve emergency response for engineers.
- The app responds to rising incidents of verbal and physical abuse against telecoms staff, reflecting broader workforce safety challenges.
What happened: A new digital lifeline for field teams
Openreach, the UK broadband infrastructure arm of BT Group that maintains the physical network connecting homes and businesses across the country, has begun rolling out a mobile safety application developed in partnership with Peoplesafe. The launch, announced in early February 2026, comes after the company recorded around 700 incidents of verbal or physical abuse — including threats, assaults and intimidation — against its engineers and staff since April last year.
The app, installed on devices carried by field engineers and offered optionally to office staff, includes an SOS button, fall detection triggered by phone sensors, GPS location tracking for rapid response, two-way audio, and direct dispatch to police or emergency services. These features are designed to get help to staff quickly when they feel at risk during home visits, roadside work or solo assignments.
One engineer quoted in industry coverage described using the SOS function when faced with an aggressive member of the public, with police arriving within minutes to defuse the situation, underscoring the real operational value of the tool.
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Why it’s important
The introduction of a dedicated safety app signals how digital solutions can augment traditional health and safety measures in physically dispersed workforces such as telecoms engineers. With technicians often working alone, at height or beside live traffic, access to rapid emergency support isn’t just a convenience — it can be life-saving.
Financially, increased staff security can reduce costs associated with injury absence, legal liability and recruitment churn, although it does not address the root social drivers behind rising abuse. According to safety directors, apps like Peoplesafe provide an “added layer of protection” but must be combined with broader organisational training and community awareness.
Industry-wide, other network providers have also reported rising incidents of abuse toward field personnel, positioning safety technology as part of a wider strategy to safeguard essential workers across the connectivity sector.
