Lone Worker Safety Devices

Lone worker safety devices enable employees who operate alone to alert colleagues if they encounter a threat. These devices can include a range of features including gas detection, fall detection, duress activation and 24/7 monitoring.

Some lone worker devices offer monitoring via an Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC). This allows workers to cancel false alarms and reduce the time it takes for emergency services to respond.

Safety Watches

Work alone and in remote locations can place employees at greater risk for accidents, assaults or medical emergencies. Lone worker safety devices can monitor the location and status of lone workers, alert others to their situation, provide two-way communication, and automatically notify supervisors and emergency response personnel.

Some lone worker devices offer advanced features such as fall detection, no motion alerts or man down alerts and an emergency latch that sends an alarm even if the employee can’t manually trigger it. Others, like the Identicom 977 include GPS with automatic check-in, auto two-way voice communication and a feature called Chaperone that adds an extra layer of security to non-alarm-related situations.

Some lone worker safety devices include satellite communicators that can be used outside of cell service coverage. These lone worker communication systems are often equipped with GPS location tracking, a panic button, periodic check-ins, two-way communication and a battery with an SOS or duress notification that can be triggered automatically by the device.

Personal Alarm Panic Buttons

Personal alarm panic buttons are a simple, discreet way for employees to quickly summon assistance. They work by triggering an alert that immediately contacts a monitoring centre, which can dispatch emergency personnel. These devices often also include a duress function that allows employees to signal an attack by triggering a loud sound, which can scare attackers away and allow them to contact emergency services.

Lone workers can encounter many situations that threaten their safety such as aggressive behaviour or medical emergencies in the workplace. Providing them with the right equipment is part of an employer’s duty of care and can help prevent accidents from happening or injuries from occurring.

Digital personal alarms that operate via Bluetooth and/or Wi-Fi are ideal for lone workers who move around throughout the working day, such as housekeepers or mobile cleaners. They can be worn as wristwatches or lanyards, and allow employees to send out an alert if they feel threatened or experience an accident. These systems can also notify emergency contacts or their workplace manager in the event of an incident and offer features like GPS tracking, check-in prompts and overtime alerts.

Two-Way Communicators

Some professions and sectors - including security, cleaning, engineering, warehousing and domestic work - require employees to be alone for large parts of their shifts. Providing these workers with two-way radios fitted with lone worker functionality is an effective way to safeguard them.

The lone worker function can be configured to trigger an alarm by a manual SOS button or integrated sensors. Sensors may recognise a fall, loss of verticality or a lack of movement and trigger an alert to a central location that will dispatch an emergency response.

Other lone worker features include man down technology, where the device will automatically send a warning to an assigned recipient after a set amount of time. Alternatively, it can be manually activated via an emergency latch on the unit. Lone Worker safety device Some radios, such as those from Hytera, can also show a user’s identity to devices with display - a useful feature for situations where the lone worker is under duress.

Satellite Communicators

A satellite communicator is an excellent lone worker safety device to consider for employees working in remote locations or in challenging conditions. These devices allow employees to check in with their employer regularly throughout the day and provide an emergency response if they are not heard from.

These devices typically offer GPS location tracking, discreet panic buttons and two-way communication as well as text message alerting, evacuation management, long battery life and a duress PIN feature. They also can be integrated with other lone worker devices and solutions to offer additional functionality.

Employees that operate alone can face a variety of threats including robbery, assault, medical emergencies, workplace accidents and natural disasters. As an employer, you have a duty of care to ensure your employees can summon help quickly when they need it. A lone worker safety device can be one of the tools you use to meet this obligation alongside a comprehensive lone working policy, personal protective equipment (PPE) and relevant training.