Man Down Safety Alarms For Lone Workers

Lone workers operating at height, such as emergency responders and even painters/decorators who use ladders are at high risk of injury from falling. A lone worker personal fall alarm will help them to avoid serious harm.

Man Down Safety is available as a feature on many professional two-way radios and push to talk devices. It works on a timer which can be cancelled by the user if it’s not appropriate.

Detection of Impact or Fall

For workers who are often at risk of falling, a Man Down alarm can provide vital help. If you have a workforce that includes fire fighters, emergency workers or painters/decorators who regularly work from above ground level and are not always within sight of their colleagues, then a Man Down system will ensure that they do not go unnoticed if they do fall. Even if they are unconscious, the device will continue to transmit signals and alert someone of their situation so that they can be sent immediate medical assistance.

Accidents that leave lone workers incapacitated can occur in many ways, from being knocked unconscious by a fall to being trapped under heavy machinery. The risk of this type of event is increased for lone workers who work in industries such as Construction, Transport and Storage or Manufacturing where the death rate is 4 times higher than it is in the overall workplace (1).

A key benefit of Man Down Safety is that the feature can be turned on automatically when the radio or smart device is powered up or required to be enabled by a user via a designated function key (long or short press). It is important to make sure users are aware of the features and understand how to enable and disable them in order to avoid false alarms which can waste valuable response time and cause annoyance for the user.

Detection of Inactivity

Slips and trips remain the leading cause of workplace injuries, so it is important to keep an eye on employee movement. Lone workers can be particularly vulnerable in these circumstances, as they may not have anyone nearby to call for help if they are injured. Lone worker safety features like the Man Down feature on the Tait TP9300 and TP9400 portables work through an accelerometer to detect a lack of movement or an unusual tilt. This alerts dispatch to respond in a timely manner, improving response time and potentially saving lives.

It is also common for lone workers to be involved in accidents that leave them incapacitated and unable to sound the alarm themselves. This can include falling from height, being electrocuted, becoming pinned or trapped, or even an act of violence. These situations are not only life threatening but they can be difficult to call for assistance as workers are unable to speak or move.

Man Down safety systems can detect this situation based on an algorithm that uses impact and non-movement detection to establish whether a device is being used normally or if there has been an incident. When a device is activated and no movement is detected after a set timeframe (between 3 minutes – 1 hour) the device will enter a pre-alert phase, vibrate and beep to try to gain the user’s attention. This will give the lone worker an opportunity to check in and say that they are ok before triggering an alarm based on their Man Down settings.

Detection of Unconsciousness

When a person falls unconscious, it can take a significant amount of time for them to be found and helped. This is why it’s important for organisations to have systems in place that can detect this and alert others to help. One of the most popular ways of doing this is by using a Man Down device or lone worker alarm system.

These devices work by using sensors to automatically detect when a person is not moving. They will then send an emergency signal to the user’s emergency contacts, a central monitoring station or, if users use Safepoint's lone worker device and service, their 24/7 emergency response team. The message will contain the user's name, live location and medical information.

For lone workers who have limited movement due to injury, being in an awkward position or not wanting to alarm the workplace, this can be a huge advantage as it removes the need for them to press the panic button. This can be the difference between a minor injury developing into something more serious, or even a life-threatening situation. By using a Man Down device, organisations can ensure that their employees have the best chance of being found quickly and getting the help they need. This is especially important for industries with high rates of fatal injuries, such as Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing or Waste and Recycling.

Automatic Response





Lone workers can find themselves in a number of potentially dangerous situations when working alone. For example, many accidents in manufacturing and the service sectors are caused by slips, trips and falls. These can be more serious for a lone worker as they have nobody else to call for help.

With the right safety monitoring system in place, a lone worker’s radio or smart device can alert others that they need immediate assistance. These systems include Man Down features which detect impact and fall, alongside non-movement detection. This is a more comprehensive approach than other systems such as buddy systems or call checks, which only identify no movement, and can be vital for those who work in high risk environments where an injury could have severe consequences.

All users of a lone worker device should be fully trained in how to use their device’s Man Down functionality, as it’s easy to accidentally trigger the tilt timer unnecessarily. This can result in a False Alarm being sent out which can lead to unnecessary callouts and user frustration. In addition, those using a Safepoint device can choose to be automatically alerted to their incident, whether by their trusted contacts or by contacting Safepoint’s 24/7 emergency response centre. Depending on the user’s preference, they can also cancel the alert in a matter of seconds.