Providing real-time situational awareness to high voltage workers, the multi-function GroundHound – Site Safety Warning System is an instrumentation sustem designed for the protection of workers on high-voltage work sites. The system consists of a Sensor Unit and a Handheld Unit communicating via the ZigBee wireless protocol.

The sensor unit, a self-contained ruggedized case that is safety yellow, is connected to the work site ground and lies 20 feet away from it. The sensor monitors and alarms four levels of ground potential rise hazard, utilizing emergency flashing lights and audible alarms which are loud enough to alert the crew over the sound of a typical work site’s running trucks and bobcats.

The handheld unit, a smart phone is clipped to the foreman’s belt and contains additional information for use in determining the level of hazard present. When an alarm is triggered at the sensor the smartphone vibrates and sends an audible alarm to the foreman. The foreman can then see specifically what condition the sensor is alarming. The sensor’s readings are reported to the phone where the foreman can see the peak voltage of a transient or the level of the ground-potential rise on the site without putting himself at greater risk by walking over dangerous ground to look at the readings on the sensor. The ability to see this information from a safe distance is crucial to worker safety.

All sensor data is recorded with alarm information including sensor readings such as the peak voltage of a transient. The alarms and measurement readings are date and time stamped so that the foreman can review the information against events that may have occurred on the work site discuss procedures with dispatch or use it to generate reports.

The system has been fully validated in the field with rigorous testing by Bonneville and Western Area Power Administration. Studiesare available on the website. And so crucial to a safety instrument, the GroundHound has passed all laboratory safety tests necessary for UL and CE Mark, making it the only GPR monitor available that has.

The GroundHound provides for the first time in high-voltage work, the ability to safely make truly informed decisions regarding procedures and the level of protection required at the job site. We call that “real-time situational awareness”

The sensor information is sent to the Foreman’s smartphone using the Zigbee wireless communication protocol. ZigBee has been determined by utilities worldwide to be the most reliable communication protocol for electrically noisy environments.

When the sensor alarms the smartphone also alarms both audibly & through vibration, alerting the foreman that sensor readings are available.

The sensor readings and alarms are logged dated and time stamped. Information is available to the foreman in real-time and can also be downloaded for reporting at a later time.

The safety yellow rugged sensor case is designed for the job site. Its weather-proof and designed to survive a truck driving over it.

Operated in temperatures in minus 30 degress and heat of 120 degrees plus.

The multi-function GroundHound – Site Safety Warning System has proven performance. Through extensive use in field & Safety Testing in Underwriters Laboratory performance you can rely on.