Lone working is a trend that has increased a lot during the pandemic with many companies having to invest in technologies that not only keep them compliant but also keep their workers safe.
Whilst many in office jobs are now working from home other more hands-on roles are often being conducted in increased isolation to allow for better social distancing measures to be followed. This is one of the reasons why the lone worker alarm has seen increased adoption in 2020 and into 2021. Furthermore, the same precautions regarding fire alarms and extinguishers (click for more information on those) have to be kept in order to keep those isolated employees safe.
Depending on where you live, it may or may not be mandatory for employers to provide their workers with lone worker alarms. However, it is the legal responsibility of every employer to make sure that their workers are as safe as possible, especially in physically hazardous working environments like industrial plants or quarries. To enquire further about the matter, you might want to contact a law firm such as Goin Law Group or others near you. If the employer fails to meet these basic safety standards like providing a lone worker alarm, you might be entitled to certain workers’ compensation. Although a lot of the world has slowed down, health and safety can not.
What is a lone worker alarm?
A lone worker alarm attempts to offer extra protection and assurances to lone workers who may be at risk of physical attack or general risks as part of their duty. Lone worker alarms come in many forms and can be used to send out a distress signal which requests help from a control centre. Here we will take a look at 3 interesting facts about lone worker alarms and why many are using them in 2021.
- Lone worker alarms give peace of mind to workers
Giving peace of mind to workers is important if you want them to properly focus on the task at hand. Lone worker alarms help you do just this by giving workers a way to signal for help if they do get in trouble. This can make a world of difference to the ease at which they can focus on the job at hand.
- You can tailor lone worker alarms to different situations
Not all lone worker alarms are created equal, and different ones will be better for different situations. Some lone worker alarms offer better suitability for guarding against physical attack whilst other ‘man-down alarms will send a signal when the wearer has collapsed. If you are going to use a lone worker alarm make sure you have the right one for your needs.
- Lone worker alarms can track the rescue operation
Lone workers are not only good for sending a signal as the incident occurs they can also be used to track the incident status. Some will show when a search and rescue operation has begun and can also track the location of the worker who has activated the lone worker alarm.
Which lone worker alarms right for your workforce?
Determining whether you need a lone worker alarm or not and to some extent, depends on the role you are in. If you are working from home the presence of other household members may be sufficient to offer adequate assurances, whilst telecoms engineers may benefit from the peace of mind that can be gathered when using a lone worker alarm.
Make sure you check with your health and safety department if you are at all unsure on whether or not you need to use lone worker alarms in your business.