Major German retail brand installs Multitone alarm system for deaf employees in distribution centre

Breuninger GmbH & Co’s modern goods service centre in Sachsenheim, Germany, employs around 30 deaf or hard of hearing employees. For these workers, the standard audible fire alarm is insufficient to ensure their safety.

In order to offer the best possible protection to these workers should an evacuation be needed, Multitone Elektronik International GmbH provided Breuninger with Multitone’s radio paging system. Integrated with the site’s fire alarm system via the Multitone i-Message server, each deaf or hard of hearing employee receives an alarm message on the display of their portable receiver unit when the site’s fire alarm system is triggered. The device has an LED which lights up and also vibrates when the message arrives to ensure the user is aware of the alert. This ensures that wherever the employee is on site, even if they’re alone, they are aware of the fire alarm and able to evacuate safely without putting others at risk.

As a radio-based system, full coverage is achieved across the site, and it is highly reliable compared to the use of Wi-Fi or cellular networks – this is absolutely crucial, as the system’s purpose is to guarantee the safety of employees. The individual alarm units are IP67 rated, have a long battery life compared to smart devices, are simple to use and resistant to drops.

Mr Ralf Scubert, Head of Occupational Safety and Fire Protection at E. Breuninger GmbH & Co, commented that “With the deaf alarm from Multitone, we reliably protect our highly motivated employees even in the event of fire.”

“We are pleased about the good cooperation with E. Breuninger GmbH & Co.”, explained Frank Rotthoff, Managing Director of Multitone Elektronik International GmbH. “A quick fire alarm for hearing impaired or deaf employees can save lives and is therefore an indispensable part of the fire protection concept.”

Thanks to the versatility of Multitone’s i-Message platform, available as on-site i-Message or IM-Lite servers, or as a cloud service, customers installing this system gain access to a wide range of other communications, system integration and asset tracking solutions, which can enhance safety, improve workflows and drive efficiencies. Learn more about our solutions here.

Multitone’s radio alarm solution is available in the UK and worldwide. To find out more, get in touch with us at [email protected], call +44 (0)1256 320292, or visit https://www.multitone.com/contact/