BS 8484 is the British Industry Standard for providers of lone working safety services. The BS 8484 standard was established in 2009 by the British Standards Institute (BSI), the UK’s national standard body in charge of developing British, European, and international standards.
The history of BS 8484
2009 – The first release, BS 8484:2009, was initiated when the demand for lone worker protection increased in the mid-2000s.
2011 – The second release, BS 8484: 2011, was revised with minor revisions.
2016 – The third release, BS 8484:2016, was revised with major revisions to keep up with the pace of new technology introduced in the lone working industry.
What are the benefits of BS 8484?
- Representation of quality
Organisations that are BS 8484 approved are recognised as being high quality.
- Level 1 Police response
The standard allows organisations to fast-track serious incidents to the Police to generate the highest level of response (level 1). This is done using a Unique Response Number (URN) which requests a direct response from the police, bypassing the 999 services.
- Enhanced safety
Devices and apps for lone workers that are accredited to BS 8484 are tested to ensure they are functional. Therefore, device users can rest assured that they are using a high-quality and robust device.
- Training and customer support
The standard has a section that focuses on training and customer support, so end-users are entirely comfortable using their product during an emergency.
Alarm Receiving Centres (ARCs)
Section 7 of the standard gives details on how lone worker safety providers should manage their ARCs. It simply suggests that ARCs should meet standards such as using trained operators, recording false alarms, directing appropriate responses, ensuring 24/7/365 operation, etc.
ARCs that are not BS8484 certified will still be able to provide lone worker services. However, it should be seen as a mark of quality that you may want to look out for when on the market for a lone worker solution.
