Notes

Lone Worker Devices
Lone worker devices provide safety to employees working alone in a range of lone working roles such as security guards, construction workers and field technicians.

Standalone devices are lightweight devices equipped with a SIM card, two-way communication capabilities and an easy SOS button. These can be clipped onto clothing or lanyards for convenient GPS location updates.
Worn Devices

A lone worker device is a piece of technology designed to keep employees who work alone safe on the jobsite. Similar to personal safety devices, but tailored specifically for solo employees. Devices may include handheld technology or apps on smartphones.

Worker who spend long periods alone are at an elevated risk, relative to those surrounded by coworkers who can provide support if something goes wrong. Lone worker devices are available to protect these employees against falls, equipment malfunctions and acts of violence.

These devices can be worn on a worker's belt or pocket and feature panic buttons or GPS tracking to immediately alert monitoring centers of an incident. Other features can enable workers to send text messages with their location information or activate computer pop-ups depending on the type of lone worker device purchased. They are suitable for work across industries and environments - from home health care nurses to electrical technicians.

Employers can help minimize risks for lone workers by developing and enforcing written policies regarding safety for them and guidelines they must abide by. Furthermore, employers should conduct a detailed examination of where their lone workers operate to identify any potential risks as well as provide resources, support and communication tools necessary for swift response in an emergency situation.

As well as having a panic button, an excellent lone worker device should also include fall detection technology. Slips, trips and falls are one of the leading causes of workplace accidents and can quickly turn fatal if someone loses consciousness. No-motion alerts also allow operators to detect when there has been no movement for an extended period, signalling that someone might not be conscious or aware of their surroundings.

An important feature of lone worker devices is an online management platform that enables companies to easily access and view a range of information about them. This platform can be used to manage device licenses or manage device count; monitor usage statistics; create custom teams for emergency responses and set alarm reports; as well as create unique responses or alarm notifications.
Cellular Devices

With more employees doing their work remotely, using a device capable of notifying a monitoring center about an emergency is becoming an essential requirement. While some companies use dedicated lone worker devices, others choose to leverage technology already embedded into employee smartphones as part of an automated safety solution.

To do this, lone worker apps offer an effective solution: download them onto existing smartphones or wearable pendants containing one; this provides a phone-free way of activating an SOS alert while also sending automatic check-ins and requesting assistance based on motion sensors.

More advanced cellular devices boast increased functionality, such as connecting to satellites or GPS for accurate location tracking and two-way communication features. Although more expensive than standard smartphones, they can provide remote workers with a much more robust solution.

In times of emergency, these cell phones can quickly connect with an Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) via GPS, cellular signals and Bluetooth indoors; and 3-constellation GNSS satellite tracking outdoors for rapid response times. Many even feature panic buttons or audible alarms to notify an ARC immediately in an event of crisis.

Other lone worker devices like the Totalmobile SOS Fob are designed to seamlessly fit into daily workflows. This lightweight yet discreet device serves double duty as an ID badge holder and can be securely clipped onto lanyards or belts using holsters, providing healthcare workers, social workers and front-of-house staff with mobile safety solutions.

Some lone worker devices are intrinsically safe, meaning that they limit electrical and thermal energy outputs to prevent ignition in hazardous environments such as oil and gas wells, where flammable or combustible gases exist. Such devices must meet ATEX guidelines in the UK/Europe as well as CSA, FM or MSHA standards in other regions; when combined with smartphones these lone worker devices enable proactive safety checks or reactive Worker Down features that activate an SOS alert via an ARC alert system.
Satellite Devices

Lone workers can often find themselves working alone in remote locations, out of reach from colleagues. This could include forest management, fishing and construction sites - making a device to check-in or send an SOS in an emergency all the more essential.

These satellite devices (Garmin inReach SE+ and Explorer) offer basic two-way communication, GPS location tracking, and 24/7 safety monitoring center features. They can be used alone or integrated with a lone worker app on a smartphone for more advanced features such as an instant alert panic button that notifies up to 10 contacts via SMS while providing their GPS coordinates.


Separate to these cellular-based devices, standalone satellite alarms are becoming increasingly popular. These one-touch alarms can easily be activated manually or automatically upon sensing duress incidents; their location sharing feature typically only shares user info during active alerts so as to keep tracking off-limits unless users opt-in to this feature.

As they use wireless technology instead of cell phones for communication, standalone devices may provide more expensive yet more cost-effective solutions when combined with an lone worker app on an employee's existing smartphone device. Most standalone devices come equipped with their own SIM card; some may support multiple networks to ensure optimal coverage.

Implementing a lone worker system should be an integral component of your workplace health and safety policy, to help ensure employees are properly protected while meeting compliance standards outlined by regulations. Furthermore, doing so demonstrates your dedication to their safety while raising morale while decreasing liability exposure.

No matter the industry or workplace, failing to follow health and safety regulations can have serious repercussions. Not only could fines and reputational harm arise; serious breaches may even result in injury or even death for employees as well as expose you to prosecution proceedings. Using lone worker devices is one way to mitigate risks, protect employees, and demonstrate that you take your obligations seriously.
panic alarm Monitoring

Lone worker devices provide employees who work in high-risk environments or dangerous job roles with a means to quickly seek assistance in case of medical emergencies, acts of violence or when they can't contact anyone for help. Typically small and portable units that can be attached to safety gear or ID badges with features like two-way communication, gas detection and GPS tracking among many others.

Before selecting a monitoring device, employers should evaluate each worker's job role to ascertain its threats. Home health care workers might be at greater risk in unfamiliar neighborhoods while electrical and laboratory workers could face high voltage or hazardous chemicals exposure. Slips, trips and falls remain one of the leading causes of nonfatal workplace accidents.

Employers should choose devices that are easy to use and integrate well with existing technology and solutions, like SHEQSY's smartphone app that connects discreet Bluetooth wearables and handheld satellite devices for a customizable lone worker solution.

As part of an effective lone worker solution, it's also crucial that it allows for multiple methods of communication - text messaging, voice calls and computer pop-ups are all essential. When an emergency SOS button on a lone worker device is pressed it immediately sends SMS and GPS location data alerting up to 10 contacts immediately via SMS and GPS location data - depending on its configuration it could also send an SOS signal automatically if no one responds within 20 seconds.

Employees that need to communicate frequently or urgently during a shift can also benefit from using mobile phones as check-in devices for their supervisor or dispatcher, particularly transport and delivery drivers who must remain connected while out on the road. Many devices compatible with existing cellular plans enable employees to easily access these check-in services, making their implementation into new lone worker safety programs quicker without additional training needed for employees.

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