Notes

How a Man Down Alarm System Can Protect Lone Workers
Lone workers who carry out work in hazardous environments or will be alone for prolonged periods need the right equipment to protect them. Man down alarm systems are a great option.

These devices can detect a serious fall and trigger an emergency alert to the user’s team or monitors. This is the most important function that a lone worker device can offer.
Detection

Slips, trips and falls continue to be a significant cause of workplace injury and, for lone workers, the consequences can be far reaching. With 53% of non-fatal injuries caused by this factor, a man down alarm can help to protect employees.

It can be impossible for a lone worker to get to a telephone in time to call for help when an accident happens. With the help of a man down alarm, workers can be alerted to their status and assistance sent immediately.

Man down detectors work by using sensors to identify whether an individual has stopped moving, or if they have fallen. This information can then be transmitted to co-workers and incident response teams so that action can be taken.

Depending on the system chosen this could be done in a number of ways. For example, some devices will send a digital alert directly to a specified contact (for example, the person’s manager or a colleague). Others will use an Alarm Receiving Centre. These are purpose built centres staffed by security professionals who will receive an alert and then, where necessary, work with the emergency services to organise a response.

Alternatively, some devices will have an easily accessible SOS button which can be activated with a single press and configured to trigger on a long press of 1-5 seconds (configurable). A user feedback sound can also be presented (audible or vibration) so that if an alert is not required it can be deactivated.
Alerting

Whether through inbuilt sensors, an accelerometer or the press of a panic button, once an alarm is triggered it can send a digital alert to the person designated by the worker (usually their supervisor). It may also be sent to an Alarm Receiving Centre (or ‘ARC’), these are purpose built centres that receive and process emergency call-outs from security professionals.

Falls, from any height, can cause serious injury or be fatal, and a man down alarm system helps to ensure that workers have access to immediate medical assistance. These systems are particularly important for lone workers who work alone in high risk environments, as they do not have colleagues nearby that can check on them or respond to a call for help.

The SafeTCard Identicom device is a mobile phone based Man Down alarm system, and it has 15 different features all integrated into one unit – making it easy for lone workers to use. For example the device has a feature that can be configured to set a period of between 3 minutes and 1 hour where if no movement is detected an alarm will be sent to your designated Emergency Contacts via a live monitoring centre. However, the worker can cancel this event by pressing the Cancel button on the pop-up window that appears on their mobile phone application.
Notification

Lone workers are often faced with a variety of environmental and social risks that can result in them being incapacitated. Man down alarms can provide an extra layer of security to make sure that help is sent quickly if the worst happens.

For example, if someone is working alone in a warehouse or construction site and they fall off of a ladder and break their arm, it can be incredibly difficult to contact the correct people for help. lone worker alarm NZ But with a man down device, the alarm will be activated to send out an alert with all of their live location information – allowing rescuers to locate them quickly and dispatch medical assistance.

Similarly, many lone workers have to travel between locations and can be exposed to social risk from aggressive or violent people. If they are unable to call for help from their team or are not seen by anyone, they can be left incapacitated and unable to communicate.

Lone worker alarms that offer man down features can allow a pre set period of time from three minutes to an hour for them to check in with their monitoring centre to ensure that they are safe. This will let them know that they are alright and not to worry, avoiding any false alarms. Those with Bodytrak’s man down alarm system can also press the panic button on their device to immediately receive help if needed.

Response

The device can then send a Man Down alarm to the lone worker’s emergency contacts and, if enrolled with a manned 24/7 response service, to the dedicated emergency centre. This will ensure that the lone worker gets help quickly and minimises their vulnerability.

Falls from height continue to be the number one cause of workplace fatalities and many lone workers are in potentially dangerous environments or locations such as client homes, construction zones and road incidents. It can take a long time for colleagues to become aware of an incident or realise that someone has fallen and is injured, which can make the difference between life and death.

With a Man Down alert, the device will recognise that the user has fallen and trigger an alarm to notify colleagues. In the event that the fall is not a serious injury, the user can cancel the alarm and the device will return to its normal state.

The device will monitor for movement and a lack of it for a period of time (3 minutes to an hour). If there is no movement, the Man Down alarm will be activated. Alternatively, the device can be triggered by a panic button or an accidental bump or knock against the device. If a panic button is pushed, the device will immediately dial all of your pre-set emergency contacts.

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