Openreach Launches Safety App to Protect Engineers Amid Rising Abuse Cases
Openreach has launched a new worker safety app, targeting the growing issue of abuse faced by its engineers in the field, according to Total Telecom. Developed in partnership with Peoplesafe, the app includes critical safety features such as an SOS button, fall alarms, GPS tracking, and direct police communication—tools designed to provide 24/7 protection for employees.
Details of the Safety App Rollout
The Peoplesafe app will be installed on all devices used by Openreach engineers, though usage will be optional for office staff. Key features include a fall alarm that uses phone sensors to detect incidents, an SOS button for emergency alerts, and GPS capabilities to ensure rapid response from authorities. The app also includes commute monitoring, two-way audio communication, and critical event notifications.
Adam Elsworth, Safety Director at Openreach, emphasized the importance of the initiative: “Emergency services can be on their way within minutes, which is just incredible. While Peoplesafe will only be mandatory for our field teams, we hope all our people will use the app for peace of mind.”
Confronting Alarming Abuse Trends
The safety initiative comes as Openreach has reported over 700 incidents of verbal or physical abuse against its staff since April 2025. Disturbingly, cases have included physical altercations, racial abuse, and engineers being spat at, threatened with knives or dogs, and barricaded in vehicles or homes. The app aims to tackle this growing challenge, particularly by offering better safety for lone workers who spend long hours in the field. “The app allows us to address an area we have less control over: attacks by members of the public,” Elsworth added.
Industry Context and Implications
Worker safety is becoming an increasingly pressing issue across the telecom sector, as field engineers are often exposed to risks when dealing directly with the public. Openreach’s move reflects a broader industry trend of prioritizing employee well-being amid rising reports of workplace violence. Market watchers note that initiatives like Peoplesafe not only enhance safety but could also improve employee retention and morale—critical factors as the industry competes to maintain and expand its workforce for large-scale fiber deployments.
Additionally, this highlights the intersection of technology and workforce safety, where apps and IoT devices enable proactive measures to tackle unpredictable threats. Other telecom players may follow suit, implementing similar solutions to ensure the safety of their teams, particularly as stricter regulations and public scrutiny could soon demand it.
What’s Next?
As Openreach rolls out the safety app, the broader telecom industry will be watching closely to measure its impact. Will it reduce the number of reported attacks? Could this signal the start of more comprehensive digital safety solutions for telecom engineers globally?
The initiative also raises questions about whether safety apps will evolve further to include AI-driven predictive analytics, potentially identifying high-risk areas and enabling resources to be deployed ahead of incidents. For now, Openreach’s investment in Peoplesafe represents a significant step forward in protecting staff and addressing a growing industry-wide challenge.
For further details, read the original report on Total Telecom.
