Case Study: University of York achieves integrated campus safety and faster emergency response with CriticalArc SafeZone

University of York - Customer Case Study

The University of York, a Russell Group institution with a large, dispersed campus serving 18K students and 3.5K staff, needed a single, reliable way to unify safety and security across multiple sites, 24/7 labs and satellite buildings. To address this challenge it adopted CriticalArc’s SafeZone app (launched January 2014) to bring existing security and support services together on one simple platform.

CriticalArc rolled out SafeZone as mandatory for security staff and key high‑risk roles, added Bluetooth beacons for indoor positioning to within a few metres, enabled auto sign‑in for off‑campus visits and integrated the app into travel and accommodation workflows. The implementation produced measurable results: almost one third of term‑time first‑aid and emergency calls now come via SafeZone, user numbers grow year on year, insurance premiums and travel approval processes improved, and the system proved vital for communicating during international incidents.

University of York

Denis Fowler

Director of Health, Safety and Security