You may have heard of lone worker devices and wondered how they work and how they protect employees, so, this week we will explain how our First2HelpYou lone worker devices keep staff safe.
The Dangers Of Lone Working
According to a national crime survey, up to “150 lone workers are either physically or verbally attacked every day.”
With more and more companies using lone workers and lone working, it is vitally important that they do all that they can to protect their workers and reduce the risk of any dangerous situations.
So, let’s have a look at the different type of lone worker devices available and how they can help to keep staff safe.
The Standard Mobile Phone Solution
This is the simplest and cheapest of the lone worker device solution, this works with landlines and existing mobiles.
Most lone worker devices use a variation on the traffic light system, using red and amber alerts and additional functionality.
This standard solution red alert is activated by pressing down on a particular button on a phone.
That sends an alert to the alarm receiving centre who can then listen to what is happening and take the necessary action required.
There is an amber alert which means that a lone worker can leave a message about where they are and what they are about to do.
The other useful option is that a timer can be set. For example, if a social worker is making a house visit in a particularly rough area, they can set the timer to be activated 10 minutes after the appointment is due to end.
One big advantage to this is that the lone worker doesn’t have to get out their phone in order to send an alert.
This standard mobile solution also includes 2-way audio to allow for the alarm monitoring centre to communicate with the lone worker.
This may seem quite basic, especially in comparison with the other lone work devices, but just these simple measures could reduce the risk of injury and potentially save lives.
The Lone Worker App
The next rung on the lone worker device ladder is the lone worker app. The app has extra functions when compared to the standard mobile solution and has the added convenience of being on the workers mobile phone instead of having to carry another portable device.
Along with the 2-way radio and red/amber alerts, the app also using GPS technology to find out where a lone worker is and ‘man down’ system.
If the app detects a heavy contact with something, such as a fall, it activates a red alert.
This would particularly useful if a lone worker was physically attacked or tripped up on a hazard and is incapacitated, the app does the work for them by sending an alert without them having to find their phone.
The Lone Worker Kit Device
In the past, some lone worker devices have been quite clunky, to say the least. The First2HelpYou Lone Worker Kit Device is small and adaptable for any type of lone working situation.
They can be attached to key rings, belts and even hidden within an ID badge.
One of the most useful benefits of the kit device is that unlike the standard or mobile solutions, these devices won’t drain a mobile phones battery.
In fact, the batteries in the lone worker kit device can last as long as 30 hours with normal usage.
Lone workers may suddenly find themselves in a dangerous situation and if they were to try to use their phone then this could make the situation worse.
The kit devices, being so small, are much easier to activate without drawing attention to the lone worker.
Indeed, the device being incorporated into an ID badge makes it even easier to activate without compounding a dangerous incident.
Lone workers can often go from a routine appointment to a potentially life-threatening experience within seconds.
So, being able to provide a device that can help lone workers to keep safe is vitally important.
How To Keep Staff Safe With The Lone Worker Connect Portal
It shouldn’t always be the lone worker’s responsibility alone to try to keep safe. Some of this must be shared with their managers and colleagues.
The First2HelpYou Lone Worker Connect Portal makes this a lot easier.
It allows managers or colleagues to be able to track their lone workers live, listen on to amber alert voice messages and track the history of previous alerts.
Being able to track previous alerts could point out to a manger that a particular building or location is repeatedly putting their staff in danger and take the necessary precautionary measures.
Get In Touch
If you would to find out more information about how lone worker devices keep staff safe or are interested in the other lone worker solutions that we provide, including a free trial of our products, then please do get in touch.
Our team of experts are always more than happy to help. You can call us on 0333 7729401, email sales@first2helpyou.co.uk or use our online contact form.
