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Man down alarms are an essential safety feature for lone workers. When used properly they can improve response times and potentially save lives. Man down alarms, also known as movement detectors or down detectors are a safety feature offered on some lone worker devices such as the Tait TP9300 and TP9400 portables. They help protect at-risk workers by detecting a fall or lack of movement. Working at height can be extremely dangerous, especially for those who aren’t properly trained or focused on their work. This is particularly true for lone workers, such as builders or window cleaners, who are likely to be alone on sites or in buildings and have no one to call for help when they are injured or unconscious. A Man Down alarm is designed to reduce these risks and give workers the peace of mind that they can call for help if they fall or become incapacitated while performing their duties. Using an accelerometer in the portable radio, Man Down detects movement and sends a digital alert to a designated contact or an incident response team. This allows for faster responses and can potentially save lives.
Any industry where a fall or lack of activity could lead to injury and inability to call for help should consider implementing a Man Down solution. These include construction (either in a building or on site), manufacturing, transportation and storage, and public-facing roles such as nursing or retail. Lone working can occur in a wide range of roles, from security guards to hotel receptionists to petrol station attendants, who may be out of sight and hearing of others for much of the day. They are also at risk from attack or robbery. These risks are more serious than for other employees, as they don’t have anyone to help them or raise an alarm if they are injured or in danger. Before permitting any individual to work alone, the responsible party must assess the risks involved and determine whether they can be eliminated or controlled to an acceptable level. This should be done in consultation with the person who will be working alone. The individual should also be provided with a written Working Alone Safety Plan. The plan should include a description of the work, the hazards and how they will be managed and emergency response procedures. https://loneworkeralarms.com.au/man-down-alarm/ It should also ensure that the individual knows where applicable safety or emergency equipment is located, (e.g. duress alarms; fire alarm pull stations, eye wash station, fire extinguishers etc) and that they follow the appropriate working procedures. Lone workers in any industry can be particularly vulnerable, even in roles where they are not performing hazardous tasks. This is because a worker without a co-worker nearby could be left incapacitated by a fall, natural disaster or act of violence and not be able to call for help. Slips, trips and falls are the main cause of workplace accidents ? they can lead to serious injuries or even death. They can happen in the office, out in the field or on a construction site. Workers can become trapped or injured by collapsing walls, tripping on wiring or getting stuck in machinery. While these incidents can occur anywhere in your business they tend to happen more often where a worker is alone. This can be because they are working remotely or have no coworkers in the vicinity to offer assistance. Man down alarms can be used to help keep lone workers safe by triggering an alert in the event that they remain immobile for four minutes or more. These alerts can be sent to a trusted colleague or, depending on the system you use, an ARC (Alarm Receiving Centre). The ARC will then send the relevant response team to the location of the incident. Using GPS features like Man Down in conjunction with location services can improve this response time further by helping the emergency team to pinpoint the exact location of the affected worker. Alarm systems were designed to protect lives and property, when used properly they can be a real asset. However when they are used incorrectly or not maintained correctly they can be a liability and cost citizens millions of dollars each year with false alarms. The good news is there are simple steps to help prevent false alarms from occurring in the first place. False alarms can be dangerous, shutting down operations that may be vital and interrupting productive work, they can also cause panic and desensitise staff to the need for alarm systems, meaning that when a real alarm occurs it will not be heard or responded to. In addition to being potentially life-saving, Man down alarms are also useful for lone workers who are working in potentially dangerous environments and who want peace of mind that they can call for help quickly if necessary. This is particularly important for those working in Construction, Public-facing roles (e.g. retail or security), in Community roles and lorry drivers who are often travelling alone. A Man down alarm allows a worker to set an alert for between 3 minutes - 1 hour, once the time is up an alarm will sound. https://loneworkeralarms.com.au/ This can be cancelled by the user if they are safe, but if they do not cancel the alarm will contact a central monitoring station and notify them that they require assistance. |
