When you have a team of employees that work alone, it’s essential to make sure their duty of care is protected. That means performing a hazard assessment and developing an emergency action plan. You also need a reliable lone worker device that offers safety features such as GPS tracking, man down alert and gas detection. Look for an integrated solution that provides all these features in one package. 1. GPS Tracking In addition to ensuring that your employees have clear procedures in place to follow when working alone, you also need to be able to monitor their activities. That’s why you should look for a solution that offers GPS tracking and provides wellness confirmations to alert you of any potential issues. Lone workers are at a higher risk of injury and danger than those in other types of work due to the fact that they don’t have anyone nearby to call for help or provide medical assistance if they get injured or ill. To address this, your lone worker device should feature a discreet panic button that can be used to send an emergency signal to the monitoring center and drastically shorten the time it takes for someone to react. Additionally, the device should also be equipped with an automatic emergency shutdown mode that will stop it from being turned off if the employee is not moving for a certain period of time. The Chiptech GO lone worker device offers this functionality among other features that are sure to keep your construction workers safe and connected even in remote locations outside of mobile coverage. 2. 2-Way Communication Lone workers are often exposed to dangerous situations that would be difficult, if not impossible, to manage if working with a team. Ensure your employees’ safety and ability to respond quickly by providing them with communication tools designed to enable two-way dialogue. Two-way communication maximizes team collaboration and idea-sharing, promotes innovation, and boosts trust in leadership. This is especially important when collaborating remotely. It also allows managers to check that messages are clearly understood and helps prevent miscommunication. Many lone worker devices have features that enable two-way communication with a monitoring center, including a local alarm and GPS location capability. However, an employee would have to manually execute three different actions on their smartphone ? open the app, launch it, and send an alert ? spending seconds that could potentially be crucial for their safety. For this reason, a lone worker device should allow them to trigger an emergency signal instantly. This will save valuable seconds that can be the difference between life and death in a serious situation. The solution is a lone worker device with a built-in SOS button. 3. No-Motion Alert Lone workers often work in remote locations that are difficult or impossible to reach via cellular networks. Fortunately, portable satellite devices have been developed to allow for communication, assistance, and tracking even in areas without cellular connectivity. A lone worker device with a no-movement alert feature is designed to detect any change in movement, such as from a fall, and will automatically request help. This feature is crucial for lone workers who are exposed to dangerous conditions and can be especially helpful for those with medical or mental health issues. To ensure the safety of your employees, a reliable lone worker device should have a check-in feature that requires them to report on their status and location at set intervals throughout their shift. Ideally, these reports will be sent to a monitoring center that will notify managers of any changes in status. In addition, consider opting for a solution that also allows for instant messaging so employees can easily contact you in real-time with questions or concerns. These features are especially important for construction workers who may be onsite in hazardous situations for extended periods of time. 4. Emergency Alerts <img width="415" src="https://i.pinimg.com/originals/2d/f2/81/2df281f0d12c8a20088ff6f303f26906.jpg"> Lone workers often work in remote areas without mobile phone coverage. They also may be exposed to dangerous situations that require a quick response. This is why it’s important for lone worker devices to have an emergency alert feature. These alarms should send a message to the monitoring center if an employee does not make a check-in within a specified timeframe or if they activate the panic button. A lone worker device should also have a man down alarm that detects when an employee does not move for a set period of time. This will trigger a local audible, visual and tactile alarm to alert the employee that they need help. This can be a lifesaving feature for construction workers who have a high risk of falling on site. Ultimately, it is best to find an integrated lone worker safety solution that includes features like GPS tracking, two-way communication, emergency alerts and periodic well-being checks in one device. This will save you money and hassle on buying multiple standalone devices. It will also ensure you meet your legal requirements for protecting lone workers. 5. Instant Messaging One-on-one supervision is often not possible for employees who work alone, so a system must be in place to track their location. This can be done through a lone worker device or a smartphone app with built-in tracking capabilities that can notify management when an employee needs assistance. A lone worker device should also provide an emergency alert that can be triggered by pressing the button or pulling an SOS latch. This can alert monitoring staff and dispatch emergency services to the location of the worker. Ultimately, the duty of care for lone workers lies with your company and its leadership. It is vital that you have in place a comprehensive work alone procedure, detailed training and communication with employees, and the right tools to support them. These tools can include a safety app like SHEQSY, lone worker devices and accessories, a robust monitoring solution, detailed and easy-to-follow lone worker procedures, and personal protective equipment. https://maps.app.goo.gl/MHxvtbUCTkeCeFN28 All of these tools together will ensure that your lone employees can go home safe every day. Click to try a free trial of SHEQSY, our lone worker safety monitoring software today!