Zensar and M Group Services work together to make on-site activities safer

London, United Kingdom, August 2, 2023: Zensar Technologies, a leading experience engineering and technology solutions company, in partnership with Morrison Water Services, a part of M Group Services, announced the rollout of an innovative new Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology that improves efficiency and safety on their client’s sites.

Safe Dig AI, powered by Zensar and Morrison Water Services, uses AI and Robotic Process Automation (RPA) to compile packs of utility plans quickly and accurately. The solution then serves up the packs for planners and field teams via a user-friendly, intuitive, and feature-rich app. Safe Dig AI ensures that people across its client’s business are informed about the environment they are working in. This means they can operate safely, reducing the risk of hitting vital cabling and other assets hidden below ground.

Manish Tandon, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Zensar said, “We are delighted that our long-standing relationship with M Group Services has been taken in a new direction by harnessing emerging digital tools to solve old problems in a new way. We are already seeing some signs of the technical and experiential change this will drive across M Group companies and their partners but also the shift in the business model behind how these services are provisioned.”

Andy Carter, Business Services Director, M Group Services Water Division, said, “This is another string to the bow of our decade-long partnership with Zensar which has provided us with an exciting opportunity to improve the works undertaken in the utilities industry at large by applying AI to solve an existing problem in a human-centered way. Safe Dig AI is helping employees in the field carry out more accurate works with less reliance on back-office staff, physical maps, and third parties.”

Chaitanya Rajebahadur, Executive Vice President and Head, Europe, Zensar, said, “As a region we’re immensely proud to be spearheading this project which brings in elements of both AI and human-experience led thinking, to solve a challenge for one of our longest-standing partners. We look forward to seeing how this journey evolves in the coming months and years.”

The software utilizes the latest RPA automation techniques to create safe dig packs showing the underlying assets present at a specific location. This includes gas and water pipes, electric and telecom cabling, and other utilities, and creates a view of them all in one place through digital maps which employees can use. The AI then reads the maps to offer insight and highlights potential high-risk assets in the vicinity of the proposed works. Over time, the AI software will learn to provide even greater insight, further improving on-site safety. Safe Dig AI creates safe dig packs quickly and efficiently, eliminating the need for paper copies of maps and information, contributing to the reduction of its client’s carbon footprint.

Morrison Water Services initially tested the Safe Dig AI solution in Wales on behalf of Dwr Cymru Welsh Water (DWCC), and the response from the DCWW field team was highly positive. The solution provided instant access to information and enhanced visibility, leading to reduced site downtime. Zensar is currently assisting Morrison Water Services in implementing Safe Dig AI for teams serving Thames Water. Additionally, they will facilitate the widespread adoption of this cost-effective and easily expandable innovation across various contracts involved in street works throughout the United Kingdom.

The Safe Dig AI app features include:

• easily downloaded to Apple or Android tablets
• high quality, full-colour maps
• ability to zoom in and out to check details
• side-by-side parallel view to compare asset locations
• auto-popup warning alerts on screen
• a read-receipt feature showing when information was first accessed and the duration of viewing.