How Blackline Safety's Great Space Connects the Best of Technology and Safety

Walking through the century-old doors of technology company Blackline Safety gives a distinct first impression. This Canadian-based company has a global vision, but an even bigger purpose – to save lives using tech-forward thinking and connectivity. Manufactured and programmed in-house at Blackline Safety’s location in Calgary, Alberta, Blackline Safety’s G7 wearable safety devices are designed from the ground up, and automatically detect exposure to environmental hazardous gases, falls, and even a motionless or man down event. A choice of three cartridges and a selection of sensors offer custom gas detection capabilities tailored to any industry. These person-worn monitoring devices can also request employee check-ins to confirm well-being. In case of emergency, a user can manually request help by pulling the SOS latch—even if vision is impaired. When an alert is triggered, the user’s name and exact location, and the type of alert are immediately reported to Blackline Safety’s monitoring personnel via 3G mobile or satellite networks. Emergency response management tools include two-way texting and voice communication options that allow monitoring personnel to assess the situation and deliver the right response, in the shortest amount of time.

Last year, Blackline Safety moved into the historic Dominion Bridge building. Real Estate expert Justin Mayerchak, with Colliers International, assisted Blackline Safety with finding this location. The juxtaposition is almost ironic: a cutting-edge tech company in a space that dates back to 1927. However, innovation runs deep in these walls. Founded in the late ‘1800s, the Dominion Bridge Company was an active steel manufacturer. In its prime, Dominion Bridge was a significant contributor to the development of innovative, modern-day infrastructure across Canada. Dominion Bridge was, itself, a tech-forward company in its day, with its products used in agriculture, mining, and the oil and gas industries. Photos of the original space adorn the walls of Blackline Safety’s facility, and the building’s rich history echoes as one walks through the halls.

Backline Safety’s manufacturing lab is a thing to behold. Automated machines move with shocking speed and precision, manufacturing specific chips. Blackline Safety’s programmers, designers, engineers and developers are the best in the business, and each customizable piece of equipment is put through rigorous testing by the Quality Assurance department before it leaves the location. Just a few feet away is Blackline Safety’s On-Site Response Centre. The people in this room work around the clock, monitoring the well-being of every person wearing a G7 device. These personnel work in a variety of settings: alone or in populated areas, in complex indoor facilities or the most remote reaches of our planet. Red dots on large screens indicate an impressive number of workers around the world using Blackline Safety’s wearable technology. Dashboards on large screens located just outside the Response Center proudly display even more impressive metrics on emergency calls, response times and interventions globally. Blackline Safety’s response protocol is BS8484 accredited and guarantees a Level 1 response in the UK.

It is Blackline Safety’s goal to “become the leading supplier of wirelessly connected gas detection and lone worker monitoring products in the world”. Just six years ago, Blackline Safety was a small company with sales of approximately $3 million. Over the last six years, Blackline has grown its sales to $16 million, and has established itself as a local Canadian company with global reach. Colliers believes in Blackline Safety’s vision and mission and is proud to have partnered with the company on this project.