Lone Worker Safety in 2024

*This is a collaborative post on lone worker safety

With more and more of us working remotely, employee safety has never been more important. 

A post-COVID shift to remote and hybrid working arrangements means that 2024 promises to continue the trend of workers performing their duties at a distance from their colleagues.

As such, keeping lone workers safe and giving them the means to reach out for help should an emergency arise is a must. 

Thankfully, there are a range of safety devices on the market that allow workers to be safe and reach out for help in the event of an accident or emergency.

Risky business

There is currently no legal requirement for UK employers to equip their lone workers with specific safety devices, but the law stipulates that employers have a duty of care to their employees.

However, conscientious employers often go the extra mile and ensure that lone workers are kitted out with the latest safety technology that allows them to call for help.

There is no excuse for employers not providing the right kit, especially now that lone worker apps can be easily downloaded and installed on smart devices, including phones and watches.

Lone worker apps

These apps can be used on devices that run on both the major mobile platforms, Apple and Android.

They use the 2G, 3G, or 4G network or a site’s WiFi network to keep the lone worker in touch with colleagues and the emergency services.

Typically, a lone worker safety app allows the user to make SOS calls over the network but it can also be used to send help messages via SMS text messages if the worker is unable to speak.

These mobile apps often provide lone workers with an SOS button conveniently located on the front screen of the app, so that the worker only needs to touch the screen to issue a call for help.

At the same time, lone worker apps often feature true man-down detection, which will automatically trigger an alarm if the device suspects the worker is out of action and can’t sound the alarm himself.

Environments

If a lone worker app is to be used, the work site must be covered by a strong and reliable wifi or mobile network signal that can reach all corners of the work site on which the worker operates.

This will reassure workers that the app is there for them should disaster strike.

Of course, lone worker apps are useful for anyone who works in a role that involves working alone, but they are especially handy for night workers and employees of large factories, hospitals and building sites.

Conclusion

At the beginning of 2023, around 7-9 million workers were expected to carry out some of their duties alone.

Over the next twelve months that figure is likely to grow.

The best way of keeping these workers safe is to equip them with a device kitted out with a lone worker alarm, especially one that can be run as an app on a smart device.