Connected safety technology leader boosts investment in product testing, reliability for global market
Blackline Safety Corp. (TSX: BLN), a global leader in connected safety technology, has announced a major expansion of its quality assurance (QA) program. As part of the expansion, the company has increased its QA team, upgraded its inspection equipment, and boosted in-lab testing of its entire product line.
Headquartered in Canada with offices in the UK, France, U.S., and UAE, Blackline manufactures an award-winning line of connected safety wearables and area gas monitors, currently used by more than 2,200 organizations and protecting over 165,000 workers worldwide. Providing live monitoring, automatic incident alerts, and location-based insights, the technology helps teams respond faster, prevent incidents, and make informed decisions through real-time safety data.
“When most people think of safety technology, they think about the moment it matters – a gas leak detected, an SOS alert triggered, or a worker protected – but our team is focused on everything that leads up to that moment because protection starts on the bench, in the lab, and on the line,” said Blair Svoboda, Director, Quality Assurance at Blackline Safety.
The expansion of Blackline’s QA program – which is conducted entirely in-house at the company’s manufacturing facility – builds on its historical investment of CDN $2 million in Surface Mount Technology (SMT) and advanced inspection tools to provide greater oversight and control throughout the entire production process. Automated state-of-the-art equipment tests product reliability (dock insertions, button presses, etc.) and ensures the devices are able to withstand water immersion, extreme temperatures, and dust penetration, which could potentially damage internal components.
“All of our quality assurance testing is done in true-to-life simulated environments just steps from the manufacturing floor to enable us to react in real time as needed – a process that just can’t be achieved when manufacturing is done elsewhere,” Svoboda said. He explained that Blackline’s global team of 35 quality assurance specialists – which has grown by more than 250% – runs a 68-point quality test on every single safety device before it ships, from testing radios, sensors and alarms, to conducting connectivity checks across cellular and satellite networks.
“Every test and check in our QA process comes down to one simple question: will this device keep someone safe when it counts?” Svoboda emphasized. “At Blackline, quality assurance isn’t about ticking boxes – it’s about protecting professionals like the lone worker in a remote oilfield, the firefighter charging into danger, or the technician maintaining a power grid in a storm.”
About Blackline Safety: Blackline Safety is a technology leader driving innovation in the industrial workforce through IoT (Internet of Things). With connected safety devices and predictive analytics, Blackline enables companies to drive towards zero safety incidents and improved operational performance. Blackline provides wearable devices, personal and area gas monitoring, cloud-connected software and data analytics to meet demanding safety challenges and enhance overall productivity for organizations with customers in more than 75 countries. Armed with cellular and satellite connectivity, Blackline provides a lifeline to tens of thousands of people, having reported over 286 billion data-points and initiated over eight million emergency alerts. For more information, visit BlacklineSafety.com and connect with us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn and Instagram.
