The Benefits of Using Lone Worker Panic Buttons

Many states and cities have staff safety laws that require lone workers to carry devices like panic buttons. These devices are designed to help protect employees from threats, whether physical or psychological.

When an employee presses a lone worker panic button, the device sends a duress alarm to a monitoring center or other designated person(s). Oftentimes these devices also include features like GPS tracking and two-way communication.

1. Increased Confidence

Working alone can be liberating for many workers, but it can also pose a safety threat. Lone worker panic buttons help to mitigate this risk by providing a discreet way for employees to call for help in dangerous situations. Unlike audible alarms that can alert a perpetrator that they are being monitored, these devices allow staff to quietly signal for assistance without escalating the situation.

Lone Worker Panic Buttons are often paired with a mobile app or device that provides an employee with the ability to check-in and alert emergency services when necessary. These devices are designed to be easy to use and are a great solution for employees who must carry out tasks independently from their colleagues.

When an employee presses the panic button, they can instantly connect to a 24-hour monitoring center and provide them with their location so that police can be dispatched immediately. They can also notify their employer if they have a medical emergency or need to evacuate in case of a fire.

Many states and cities have passed staff safety laws that require businesses to implement a lone worker panic button program. This helps to ensure that employees are protected, especially in dangerous environments or industries where they may be at a higher risk of violence and threats.

A lone worker panic button allows your employees to feel confident that they can quickly and discreetly contact authorities in the event of an incident, reducing their stress levels and allowing them to continue their job. The added reassurance that help is just a button press away can increase productivity and improve employee morale, particularly in high-risk environments. This sense of control and safety can have a positive impact on their wellbeing and help to reduce turnover.

2. Reduced Stress

Panic buttons are a great way to provide employees with the peace of mind that they will be able to quickly and easily call for help if a situation arises. This can make a huge difference when working in environments that can be risky or potentially dangerous for lone workers.

The ability to contact help quickly and without the need to unlock their phone, open an app or talk into a headset is a big advantage of many worker safety apps that have a panic button. This is especially helpful for lone workers who may be in areas that can’t be accessed with a mobile network or where the signal may be lost for long periods of time.

Many lone worker solutions also have a built in GPS tracker that can instantly send an alert with the employee’s location to pre-set contacts or emergency response teams. This can be particularly useful for lone workers who work in public places such as banks, jewellery stores or counters where they may encounter aggressive or hostile customers.

lone worker alarm device Alternatively, some lone worker panic button devices and apps are specifically designed to allow lone workers to discreetly send an alert that will notify others of their location even in locations where GPS signals cannot reach, such as inside buildings or rooms. This can be particularly beneficial for lone workers who work in the hospitality industry and can help to mitigate the risks of trip, slip and fall incidents which are often the result of a lack of attention or the stress of working alone in unfamiliar environments. Some lone worker devices can also be set to automatically trigger an alert if it detects that the user has fallen or become unconscious, further increasing the peace of mind of those who need to work alone.

3. Increased Productivity

The ability to quickly and easily contact help in the event of an emergency is essential for employees who work alone. Lone worker panic buttons and emergency response systems are a great way to provide this peace of mind for staff members who may be working in potentially dangerous situations. They also help employers comply with their duty of care obligations under health and safety laws.

Providing lone workers with access to a lone worker panic button can be a valuable tool for healthcare and social work workers, child welfare and childcare workers, hotel employees, cleaners, maintenance staff and other lone workers. It can also have a positive effect on workplace culture, showing that employee safety is a priority. This can also help reduce incidents of bullying and aggression in the workplace by encouraging people to feel comfortable approaching management or other employees for assistance.

While fixed panic buttons are commonly seen in places like jewellery stores and betting shops, a personal panic button downloaded straight to a mobile device offers a simple and easy-to-use option for those who need it. These devices generally work over Bluetooth or wi-fi and connect to a monitoring hub that lone workers can contact via SMS, phone call, in-app notification or email, depending on the system. Some even offer man-down and fall detection to send a panic alert to the emergency services when an alarm is triggered.

Another lone worker panic button alternative is a hands-free emergency response app that can be accessed with one long press of the button, or by an automated timer. Once the panic button is pressed or the timer expires, AlertMedia’s 24-hour monitoring center receives a signal that an employee is in danger and will dispatch law enforcement to their exact location using GPS coordinates.

4. Increased Job Satisfaction

Working alone can be a liberating experience for some, but it can also be dangerous. Lone workers don’t have coworkers to call for help, and their location can remain unknown unless they check in on a regular basis. This creates a huge risk, and it’s one that can be mitigated by providing employees with access to a lone worker panic button.

When a lone worker pushes the panic button on a device paired with the SafetyLine app, they’re immediately alerted to their status and location. This can be done from a mobile phone or other mobile device, and it sends the user’s GPS location to their alarm receiving center (ARC) partner. This allows them to instantly talk with and locate the user, closely monitor their situation, and respond as per the escalation procedure they’ve established.

In addition to the lone worker check-in feature, SafetyLine also offers other features that can be useful in situations where a lone worker is at risk of harm. For example, if an employee encounters an unwelcome visitor, they can discreetly press the panic button and receive a call back. This will prevent them from being unable to signal for help, which can be the difference between life and death in high-stress situations.

As you can see, using a lone work panic button is beneficial for employers as well as their employees. In fact, it’s even required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards, especially for those who work in potentially dangerous or isolated situations. If you’re interested in learning more about implementing a lone worker panic button solution at your business, our team would be happy to discuss your unique needs.

5. Increased Safety

Lone Worker Panic Buttons are a great way to help protect those that are at risk from violence, robbery, or physical harm. This is especially true in hospitality and healthcare industries where employees are at a higher risk of experiencing threatening or inappropriate behavior from guests, patients, customers or others. Many cities and states are considering or have already passed laws requiring hotels, hospitals, and other businesses to provide their workers with these devices.

These panic buttons are also commonly found in shops dealing with large amounts of money, such as jewellery stores, banks and betting shops. When a worker feels threatened by a robber or violent customer, they can press the button to signal their location to the operator, who can then follow the escalation procedures set out in their employer’s emergency response plan.

Whether this means calling police or other emergency services to the area, or sending another member of staff to attend to the employee in person, it is important for employers to have clear escalation procedures in place that are easy for all employees to understand and follow. This is why the best lone worker safety solutions are designed to be simple and user-friendly, such as our SafetyLine software, which uses the phone’s GPS to instantly send alerts to our ARC, where operators can talk to the lone worker and decide how to respond according to the escalation procedure set out in their workplace.





While a mobile app can be useful, it doesn’t always give the level of detail required to ensure a fast response, particularly when it comes to incapacitated alarms (which can be triggered by motion sensors, tilt detection or lack of movement). A dedicated lone worker device with a button that is easily accessible and works on a desktop or smartphone is more reliable in this case, and will help to make sure that the right people get involved in an emergency as quickly as possible.