The device will make a chirping noise when employees spend more than 30 seconds within two metres of each other.

An Irish company has launched a private contact tracing device that allows employers to track social distancing measures in the workplace.

Irish telecommunications company Hubbcat launched its new system Hubbcat AllSafe, a clip-on device that alerts employees if they are not social distancing, on Monday.

The device also keeps a record of close contacts for contact tracing purposes in case there is a confirmed case in the workplace.

The system works when an employee wears the small clip-on device attached to their lanyard or ID badge, it then uses Bluetooth to sense the presence of other clips in the vicinity and will vibrate or make a chirping noise if employees spend over 30 seconds within 2 meters of each other.

If an employee is feeling unwell or tests positive, they can report this through an online portal, and admin staff can then rapidly identify their close contacts.

The company said the system has "been extensively trialled and tested" and "operates on non-personally identifiable information and is not linked to their mobile phones" to ensure the employee's data is kept private.

Hubbcat’s Chief Commercial Officer Niall O’Toole said: ‘‘The fundamental purpose of AllSafe is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of employees in the workplace. The simplicity of the system is key, and it allows employers to easily and quickly isolate outbreaks and prevent them spreading.

"Not only does this keep employees safe, it can save an enormous amount of time and money for companies. I think employees will be reassured that AllSafe is private and secure, as it doesn’t need any personally identifiable information in order to function.’’

In recent weeks, the Wicklow-based company have been in talks with numerous large companies and organisations about installing AllSafe.