The best lone worker safety devices for your team

A person who works in a location where colleagues aren’t on hand to assist them or raise the alarm when they are injured, ill or in immediate danger faces elevated risk. As a responsible employer you know that it’s your moral and legal duty to take every possible precaution to protect the health and safety of your employees. Technology can help. Lone worker safety devices can mitigate workplace risks, whether it’s by improving communication, keeping tabs on employee locations, or sounding alarms. 

Before you look at lone worker safety devices, revisit or undertake a lone worker risk assessment. Once you’ve identified their workplace risks, you can decide which technologies are right for you. 

Features to look for in lone worker safety devices

The specific features a device should have will depend on the workplace environment, but the following capabilities apply to most lone work situations. 

GPS tracking 

Knowing where your workers are allows you to direct support to the right location if you’re alerted to an emergency. They can also help you to spot anomalies that might indicate that your workers are in trouble. 

Panic alarms

If a worker finds themselves in a dangerous situation, an easily-activatable panic alarm alerts home-base personnel to the fact that they’re in need of help. 

Fall detection / Man down alerts

If a person falls, is struck by an object, or becomes inactive, they may be in serious trouble. Technology can identify any of these red flags, alerting you to a potential workplace emergency.

Check-In timers

The most obvious way to check whether lone workers are still safe is to implement periodic check-ins. How frequent these should be depends on the nature of their work and its attendant risks. A check-in timer alerts workers that it’s time to indicate whether they’re safe, and they can do so at the touch of a button. 

Environmental sensors

Smart sensors can alert you to environmental conditions that could be placing your employees at risk. Depending on the technology you choose, they can measure VOCs, Carbon Monoxide, temperature, humidity, light levels, sound levels, and motion. They can even respond to spoken keywords that might indicate that a worker is being threatened. 

Direct communication

Being able to have two-way conversations can help to keep workers safer. Instead of just sounding an alarm, workers can give supervisors regular updates or inform them about any risky situations they encounter. If they face a situation they’re unsure of, they can ask for advice. And, if the worker is physically able to, they can use emergency channels to call for help and describe the nature of their predicament if they are injured or in distress. 

Live video sharing

When you can see things from a lone worker’s perspective, they aren’t really alone. Apart from spotting dangerous situations, you can ensure that lone workers are following the correct safety procedures. 

Choosing personal safety devices for lone workers

It isn’t necessary to load workers down with multiple devices. Often, a single device will have all the functionality your workers need. Two-way radios and push-to-talk smart devices can come with features that not only allow for communication, but also include the functions we listed above. For example, man-down functions, GPS tracking, panic alerts, and check in timers can all be included in a single device. 

When choosing communications devices for lone workers, consider your lone worker risk assessments and the conditions under which your employees work. Select reliable devices that will keep them connected and within easy reach of help. For example, satellite devices will work when no other networks are available, and PoC two-way radios and smart devices use cellular networks.

Choosing the right equipment requires specialist help to match your needs to the right technologies. From relatively low-risk occupations to industries with workers who must perform their tasks in hostile or isolated environments, our experience ensures that you’ll make the right choices. 

Case studies and solutions

The London Fire Brigade has a longstanding relationship with Radiocoms. We supply intrinsically safe two-way radios for its first responders, contributing to worker safety and mission critical communication. 

Sellafield Ltd, a multi-functional nuclear site, deploys systems from Radiocoms as part of its commitment to workplace health and safety following a competitive tender process. The service provided includes 24-hour support. 

During Covid-19, social distancing measures at Wincanton Plc, a company offering warehousing and logistics services, led to a requirement for enhanced communication to coordinate its activities and keep its workers safe. Radiocoms met this need, enabling the company to function safely and effectively during this difficult and demanding time. 

With retail businesses and their employees at risk of crime, Business Against Crime in Leeds deployed solutions from Radiocoms, helping workers and shoppers enjoy a safer retail environment in the Leeds CBD and outlying areas. 

You can view more case studies to see how Radiocoms has addressed the need for reliable worker safety devices across almost every industry imaginable. From oil and gas to aviation, we’re keeping employees across the UK safer at work. 

Need specialist help to choose the best lone worker safety devices for your team? With over 50 years of experience in providing workplace communications in the UK, Radiocoms offers cost-effective, collaborative solutions across industries. Talk to us about our lone worker safety devices today.

Read more about Lone Working.