Future Trends in Lone Worker Safety and Panic Button Technology

While a panic button is an essential safety tool for employees who work outside of sight and earshot of others, it’s not enough on its own. Companies should also consider a lone worker safety policy, which includes monitoring.

Market reports provide valuable insights into industry growth potential, but it’s important to understand the current market dynamics before making decisions.

1. Wearable Panic Buttons

Often called personal safety devices, emergency alert systems or SOS alarms, panic buttons help workers feel safe and secure while on the job. When used in conjunction with lone worker policies, these wearable safety devices can significantly improve the quality of work life for employees who regularly operate on their own.

For healthcare professionals like doctors and nurses in hospitals, a simple button can save lives when violence or an assault occurs. Likewise, security personnel who patrol large areas can use the device to instantly signal for backup.

The most successful panic buttons are small, discreet and comfortable to wear. Look for a design that is tucked away in a hidden spot on an employee’s body, such as a pendant, belt loop or key FOB. It should also mimic something that a person already wears, so it will not be easily forgotten or dismissed as a regular accessory. For example, the wearable panic button from SafetyLine is compatible with a company app subscription that empowers staff to instantly request help while also signaling their name and real-time location to ensure their well-being.

2. Embedded Panic Buttons

The 53 million employees who work from home or remotely are a growing segment of the workforce. They deserve the same protection as on-site workers. To keep lone workers safe, remote employers must consider fall detection devices, integrated panic buttons, and emergency alert response services.

Embedded panic buttons are small, wireless devices built into a worker’s clothing or lanyard. They can be activated with one touch to send an alert to the monitoring company that a worker needs help or is in danger. The device can also emit a sound to scare off an attacker or send a location signal.

Hospitals and schools are embracing panic safety devices after recent school shootings. Nurses and other medical staff can use them to call for help quickly, while the device’s GPS location technology allows security personnel to respond in a timely manner. In fact, the Texas Education Agency has proposed a new rule mandating a number of security upgrades in public schools, including panic safety alarms. The rule is called Alyssa’s Law, named in honor of a student killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

3. Remote Panic Buttons

Whether they’re in the middle of a car crash or dealing with a riot, workers need to be able to quickly call for help. A small panic button can buy them a few minutes of extra rescue time, especially when it’s designed to alarm in an unobtrusive manner.

In the healthcare industry, nurses and home care staff face a variety of threats from patients and visitors, including physical violence. They need a way to call for help without making themselves vulnerable to assaults or harassment.

A remote panic button can connect to a worker’s smartphone, providing a secure and discreet way for them to alert colleagues or emergency services. Some can even feature GPS to track a worker’s location, helping them respond to an incident faster. These devices are often powered by LPWAN technologies such as LTE cat M1, NBIoT, and LoRaWAN. This means they can be deployed in remote locations and have long battery life without requiring expensive infrastructure. A lone worker safety solution with a built-in panic button is an ideal choice for a range of industries and environments.

4. Bluetooth Beacons

Almost everyone is aware of Bluetooth beacon technology since Apple’s introduction of iBeacon in 2013. Beacons are small, wireless high-tech devices that broadcast an identifier up to 10 times per second. A device, usually a smartphone, within range then picks up the signal and reacts accordingly.

Beacon usage has expanded rapidly across a range of industries. For example, Macy’s stores use beacons to offer customers product reviews and prices on mannequins in their shops. Major League Baseball uses them to enable fans to check in and get extra content on their phones at stadiums.

Beacon technology is also used to monitor workplaces and assets, including for lone worker safety purposes. It can be used to understand room-level occupancy, for example in offices, and can track environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide and light levels. fall alert As a result, it’s possible to automatically record and display real-time alerts or information in dedicated apps on smartphones. To maximize the lifespan of a beacon, top hardware vendors design printed circuit boards and on-device software to consume the lowest energy.

5. Satellite Devices

In remote locations, workers face safety challenges that don’t always allow them to rely on cellular networks. Satellite devices provide a solution for these situations by providing a communications link between workers and their supervisors.

duress alarm The ability for a worker to check in discreetly and without interrupting the work they’re doing can greatly improve their lone working safety. For example, if an employee is working with a client or customer at their home, taking out their phone might disturb the conversation or potentially agitate them.

A system that allows a worker to send an emergency alert directly to 911 can help save lives and speed up response times. However, it’s important to understand that the type of backhaul technology used (for example, LPWAN versus Wi-Fi) can drive up costs and complexity when comparing different panic button systems. It’s also vital to consider the quality of monitoring that comes with a specific device. For example, a one-way panic button might simply trigger an audible alarm, which could scare away the person who needs assistance or make them angrier if they’re already agitated by the noise.