London University Create Air Quality Measuring App for Workers

Mar 29, 2019 • Newshealth and safetyfield service managementSoftware and Apps

An app created by King's College London monitoring outdoor workers' exposure to air pollution has been launched.

As part of the British Safety Council's Time to Breathe campaign, King's College London has developed an app aimed at outdoor workers in London that can measure their exposure to air pollution.

Called Canairy, the app works by cross-referencing a worker's GPS location with the college's London Air Quality Network pollution map, calculating exposure on an hourly basis. Workers are alerted when exposure exceeds World Health Organisation limits on the concentration of nitrogen dioxide, particulates and ozone.

King's College research suggests 9,400 in London die prematurely due to poor air quality. Andrew Grieve, Senior Air Quality Analyst at the university, said non-desk workers such as field engineers are at risk from developing complications from air pollution. "As a group, outdoor workers are particularly vulnerable to long-term exposure to ambient air pollution. Within a workplace, the risk of people's exposure to polluted air can be controlled using well-established methods, but this is more difficult for outdoor workers, many of whom work near or on busy roads."

The Canairy app is available on Apple and Android platforms.