SAN MATEO, Calif., Dec. 10, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AtHoc, Inc. today announced that USS-POSCO Industries (UPI), a flat rolled steel producer located in Pittsburg, Calif., has deployed the AtHoc Interactive Warning System (AtHoc IWS) next generation emergency mass notification system as an integral tool in its commitment to employee health and safety and a critical component in the company's successful "zero injuries" safety program.
UPI uses the AtHoc IP-based notification and crisis communication system in its steel manufacturing plant to enable site-wide and targeted alerts for area hazards during the fire season, earthquakes and severe weather. Facilities management delivers instructions for evacuation, shelter-in-place, post-crisis procedures, preventive exercises and awareness tests to all personnel.
The system also allows collaborative communication with neighboring companies in Contra Costa County, Calif., enabling awareness and warnings for declared emergencies from nearby plants. Connected, real-time alerting among multiple facilities brings the protection of the entire workforce to unprecedented levels, adding a smart communication layer across the industrial corridor community.
Interaction via redundant devices: desktop alerts on all computer screens, email and texts on company-issued mobile phones provide 100 percent personnel accountability as well as incident details collected from the workforce by safety management. The exact location of a crisis can be isolated for rapid response and resolution, allowing operations to quickly return to normal. Post-crisis procedure is a fundamental aspect of the company's safety regimen and part of what makes the organization an excellent example of modern industrial safety standard practice.
"The AtHoc system not only helps us protect our valued workforce but also gives our safety and first responder teams the ability to mount an efficient and coordinated response to any incident," said Freddy Ripoli, UPI's group manager of safety and health. "We use AtHoc on a regular basis for safety drills to ensure that everyone is well-versed in the proper procedure for evacuation, shelter-in-place, assembly and personnel accountability."
"AtHoc strongly supports the UPI safety team's mission of zero workplace injuries," said Sanjay Saini, AtHoc vice president of global operations and customer success. "In industrial settings, where hazards pose daily threats, injuries can be prevented with fast, trusted communication that reaches all personnel. We are honored to be a partner with UPI in its mission of creating the highest standards in environmental management, health and safety."
AtHoc offers next generation crisis management capabilities aimed specifically at the needs of oil and gas, chemical and heavy manufacturing facilities. Easy to deploy and easy to use, the AtHoc IWS solution uses the IP network to bring interactive communications capabilities to industrial organizations. Warning messages can be sent to all personnel with the push of a button using any combination of sirens, radios, computer desktop popup alerts, instant messages, digital signs, texts, emails, VoIP phones, mobile or smartphones and more. Rich media content--photos, videos and maps--can be shared among personnel, emergency teams and first responders.
About AtHoc
AtHoc is the recognized leader, innovator, and trusted partner in
network-centric interactive crisis communication systems. AtHoc's
products are used for physical security, employee protection,
personnel accountability, staff recall and regulatory compliance
for military, homeland security, government, healthcare, industrial
and commercial organizations.
Millions of end-users worldwide rely on AtHoc's unified notification systems for their emergency alerting and critical communication needs in organizations such as Microsoft, Eastman Chemical, USS-POSCO Industries, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Baylor Health, Scott & White Health System, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC), UCLA, U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
AtHoc was recently awarded Government Security News' (GSN) 2012 Homeland Security Award for Best Mass Notification System and has also been recognized by Gartner, Inc. as a leader in its Magic Quadrant for Emergency Mass Notification Services and by IHS Inc. as The Fastest Growing Mass Notification Software Supplier. For more information about AtHoc, please visit www.athoc.com.
About USS-POSCO Industries
USS-POSCO Industries is recognized as a leader in the North
American steel industry. Widely known for its high quality steel,
the company ships flat rolled steel products to 150 customers
throughout the 13 western states. UPI is also a company that places
a high priority on safety awareness and practices, environmental
management and community relations. To learn more about USS-POSCO
Industries, please visit www.ussposco.com.