Lone Worker Monitoring Services: Who Gets the SOS Call?

Lone worker alarms are an increasingly popular way for companies to protect their workers. These simple body-worn devices can also boost worker morale and reduce risks to organizations – so everyone benefits.

The key feature of almost all lone worker devices is that they let workers call for help with the press of a button. Being able to raise an alarm quickly and easily can make a world of difference for a worker who’s in trouble and alone.

But the next question is – who gets that SOS call? This is a decision that all organizations must make when they’re setting up a lone worker monitoring system.

What are the options to choose from? And what are the benefits of each? Read on to get the info you need as an organization to make the choice that’s best for you.

What is a lone worker device?

A lone worker device or “man down” alarm is a small piece of technology that may be worn as a pendant or on a belt clip at the waist. If a lone worker experiences an emergency like crime or an accident, they can press the device’s SOS button, and it will immediately make a call for assistance.

So, unlike a phone or even a panic button under a counter, a lone worker device is always within reach. And unlike a walkie-talkie, it can make a call for help even if the device wearer is unable to speak.

Which workers need a lone worker device?

Lone worker monitoring is crucial because lone workers face some serious dangers. Working alone means that nobody is nearby to assist in a crisis or even notice that something’s wrong. And lone worker jobs often also involve other risk factors like physical labor, extreme temperatures or conditions, or being in unknown environments like a client’s home.

Some lone worker occupations that are at significant risk of accidents, crimes, or both include:

• Medical workers, such as home nurses

• Delivery drivers and truck drivers

• Gas station workers or convenience store workers at night

• Taxi drivers

• Realtors

• Construction workers

• Farm workers

• Oil and gas extraction workers.

But ultimately, any lone worker will face extra risks simply because they are alone. And all employers have a general duty to protect their workers from risks. So, it’s smart for organizations with lone workers of any type to provide them with a way to get help fast in an emergency. In situations where lone workers have no way to call for help, hours or even days can pass until anyone else realizes something is wrong. That’s a situation no employer wants to face.

So, let’s say you’ve decided to get lone worker alarms for your employees who work alone. The next step is to make an important choice between two monitoring service options. We’ll explain these below.

Option 1 – 24/7 monitoring service

The key question for organizations is this – do you want to answer your workers’ SOS calls, or do you want to have an external response center do it?

There are many reasons why some organizations prefer to have their lone worker monitoring managed externally. For one, an organization may simply feel it doesn’t have the capacity to respond quickly and effectively to calls.

When calls are sent to a response center instead, you know that they’re being handled by experts who know what to do and how to manage a crisis. These experts might call emergency services themselves, or they might send on the call to designated company contacts. Either way, you can rest assured that the worker will be taken care of.

Timing is also a factor. There are costs and difficulties involved with responding to emergency calls late at night. It may be more efficient for organizations to send emergency calls to an external response center rather than maintaining an emergency line open through the night just in case of an alarm call.

With an external monitoring like the one used by SureSafe, you can rest easy, knowing that your workers’ emergencies will be properly handled no matter when they occur.

Option 2 – Self-managed monitoring

On the other hand, some prefer to manage their responses internally. This is a great option for organizations that already have a managing hub that’s open 24/7.

For example, coach services that provide late-night transportation to and from airports may already have several staff members on a night shift to assist with smaller operational issues. For companies like these, it can make sense simply to have the lone worker device call an internal help line that’s already staffed at all hours.

With a self-managed option, companies can also choose further contacts to serve as backup in case the first number doesn’t answer or goes to voicemail.

A key benefit of this monitoring method is that it reduces costs. So, if organizations are certain that someone internally is available to take calls and trained to respond correctly, it can be a great choice.

What other choice do you have to make about lone worker devices?

There are some other important decisions that employers need to make, and they’re mostly about what features are needed.

Fall detection

Automatic fall detection is a function that’s essential as a second layer of protection. Sometimes, an employee in danger isn’t even able to press their SOS button – they may fall unconscious before they even know something is wrong. In this case, automatic fall detection can kick in and get the worker help anyway.

Lone worker devices with fall detection have sensors that are always checking to see whether the device wearer has fallen. If the sensors believe they have registered a fall, the device will send out a distress call with no need for the wearer to do anything at all.

GPS tracking

Let’s say that your organization has provided a farm worker with a lone worker alarm, and the lone worker alarm has sent out an SOS because it sensed a fall. But your worker could be anywhere over a large farm property. How do they get help fast? GPS tracking is needed so that helpers can locate the worker in distress as soon as possible.

Simple devices that give workers and employers peace of mind

It’s easy to see why both workers and employers want lone worker alarms. These little devices can help ease the stress of working alone, leading to greater job satisfaction for workers. And they are a way for organizations to show that they’re responsible and protect workers from risks according to their duties.

At SureSafe, our experience with providing safety solutions has taught us that body-worn alarms and alert devices need a few simple things – they need to be easy to use, they need to be affordable, and they need to work. Our Lone Worker Solution is all three, and it includes all the features we’ve discussed, including automatic fall detection and GPS tracking, at no extra cost.

If that sounds great to you, why not reach out and chat with us? You can get in touch by using our contact form or calling us at 888 540 7193. You can also email [email protected], use our live chat, or request a call back.