As a continually growing, family-owned waste management and skip hire company Dunmow Group wanted to strengthen safety around vehicle and pedestrian interactions at their state-of-the-art recycling facility in Chelmsford.
After seeing the SiteZone Proximity Warning System in use at a site nearby, the team approached us to see how we could help reduce risk across their operation. After a successful trial and review of all the options available they chose to implement the system in 2024. Two years later, it's become part of everyday operations.
Today, the system forms part of Dunmow's daily routine. It’s tested during morning vehicle checks, and all new drivers are issued with personal tags before operating on site.
We spoke to Brad Gormer, who recently became Site Manager after eight years with Dunmow and more than 25 years in the waste and recycling industry. Brad said:
"Having worked as both an operator and a driver, I understand the risks of machine blind spots and how quickly situations can develop. I've experienced near misses myself, so I know the value of systems that provide early warning.
I'd recommend the SiteZone System to anyone in the industry because it helps reduce the risk of incidents. Like any new technology, it takes a little time for people to get used to it, but the goal is simple: making sure everyone goes home safe at the end of the day."
Alongside the standard proximity warning system, Dunmow also uses SmartBubble Radar, which automatically reduces the detection zone when vehicles are stationary, helping minimise no-risk alerts.
The partnership has continued beyond installation.
Michael Geach, SHEQ Manager at Dunmow, said
"Safety is a continual process. After a year of using the system, we held a refresher training day with SiteZone. They listen to customers and I recently contributed feedback for the dashboard. The new weekly reports make it easy to review busy tags and exclusion zone entries, and the service backs up the product. Our local engineer, Dave, is a credit to the SiteZone team."
With the system now embedded across site operations, Dunmow is continuing to refine how it’s used. The next step is introducing masked safe areas so employees working in designated barriered areas and other protected zones are not detected unnecessarily, helping focus alerts where they matter most.
Brad added,
"Going forward, I'll be using the data and reports to work closely with the team to understand why detections are occurring and identify any underlying trends. The insights help us continuously improve site practices and ensure we're doing everything possible to reduce risk and maintain a safe working environment."