Vida Bioenergy picks Blackline Safety for Wormslade plant

VIDA Bioenergy has selected Blackline Safety to protect workers at its bioenergy plant in Wormslade, UK. The site has issued Blackline's G8 portable gas detectors to employees.

The decision gives the facility a single device for gas detection, lone worker protection and communications. The plant produces biomethane, biogenic CO2 and organic fertiliser from organic material.

VIDA Bioenergy said the choice was driven by operational risks at the plant, including exposure to gases, hazardous or contaminated water, explosion risks linked to hot work or combustible gas, confined space entry and lone working.

The business was launched in 2025 under the ownership of VTTI and is building biomethane operations and projects in the UK and the Netherlands. One of the UK plant's sister sites was already using Blackline's technology.

At Wormslade, workers are using the G8 portable detector to monitor multiple gases while also receiving lone worker functions including fall detection, no-motion alerts, missed check-ins and SOS alerts. The devices also include push-to-talk communication and text messaging for mass notifications.

Blackline said the system can be bump tested and calibrated on site without ethernet or Wi-Fi connections, while pump cartridges can be swapped remotely for confined space work.

Site risks

For bioenergy operators, worker safety can involve a mix of chemical, environmental and isolation risks. Plants that handle organic feedstocks and gas production streams can expose staff to hazardous atmospheres and confined areas, while maintenance tasks can introduce ignition hazards.

At Wormslade, VIDA Bioenergy is also using reporting functions linked to Blackline Analytics. The company said this helps its team identify trends in exposure or inefficiency and address issues before its annual environmental operating permit review.

Blackline's support model includes 24/7 live monitoring through its Safety Operations Centre or alarm-receiving centre partners. It said alerts are received in fewer than two seconds and answered by agents in fewer than 60 seconds.

Site perspective

Dr Gary Cartwright, Plant Manager at VIDA Bioenergy, said worker welfare was central to the decision. "Our goal is to not only ensure that our employees enjoy their work, but that they go home safe, and Blackline's features and very comprehensive package made it a perfect solution for us."

Cartwright said he had discretion over the supplier choice despite the technology already being used at another site. "I had free choice to go anywhere I liked, but Blackline's offering was just so good, so robust and, in my view, the best on the market."

He added that the equipment had improved workforce confidence at the plant. "It gives the team confidence that work is as safe as it could possibly be."

Broader market

Blackline, based in Calgary, sells connected safety devices and monitoring systems to industrial customers in more than 75 countries. The company says it has reported more than 336 billion data points and initiated more than eight million emergency alerts.

The deal also reflects a broader trend in industrial safety procurement, with employers seeking to reduce the number of separate devices carried by staff in hazardous roles. Combining gas detection, worker monitoring, location services and voice communication in one unit can reduce equipment burden while giving supervisors a clearer view of incidents as they develop.

Cody Slater, Chief Executive Officer at Blackline Safety, said speed of response remains critical in emergencies. "When a worker is in trouble, every second counts. Knowing there's a problem is only the first step. G8 ensures you know exactly what's happening, where that worker is, and how to reach them immediately. In an emergency, that ability to act in real time can make the difference between rescue and recovery."