Do you have lone workers? Are you overwhelmed by all the options available for lone worker monitoring systems? Choosing the right supplier who is reputed for their great level of service can be as important as the system itself.
Atlas Safety Solutions is here for you with the answers to all your questions. Starting with how to determine your needs.
What are Lone Worker Monitoring Systems?
Lone worker monitoring systems are important when you have employees working alone. Remote employees are often at risk for accidents and don’t have a teammate or supervisor to call for help. Monitoring systems help ensure their safety.
The market for lone worker monitoring systems in Europe and North America is expected to reach more than 260 million by 2022.
Did you know that the National Safety Council of North America has reported that a worker gets hurt on the job every seven seconds? This means worker safety is extremely important, especially for lone workers.
What Are Your Needs?
When deciding on which product or company to use for your monitoring needs, you should think about:
- Who do you need to protect?
- Where will they be working?
- What are the situations they may face?
- When Are Your Workers Working Alone?
Who Do You Need to Protect?
Lone workers are defined as anyone who works separately from other employees and supervisors. This can be a temporary assignment or permanent. This includes those who work alone on work premises, home workers, remotely based staff, or those working outside of the regular hours of business.
What Are the Situations They May Face?
It is vital to examine the roles of your employees when considering a lone worker monitoring system. Certain roles have more severe risks than others.
Some examples include:
- Receptionists, retail workers and community nurses who work directly with the public. They may require a compact device that they can activate without it being detected.
- Window cleaners or construction workers who work on scaffolding may need a fall alarm. This device activates when a period of inactivate after a sudden impact is detected.
- Construction or utility workers that are physical may need a handsfree type device that they can wear that will not prevent them from working.
- Stay on schedule for meetings offsite with an alarm that can alert others if your meeting unexpectedly runs overtime.
Where Will They Be Working?
The possibilities are quite diverse when you think about this. Some employees may be based:
- One location that so extensive employees often don’t even see each other. This may require several devices or even an application for mobile phones for those who will attend meetings and would rather not have to carry different devices.
- Lone workers may be in remote places where cell phone signal is scant if at all present.
- Compartment blocks or large buildings where location monitoring is key. A device that has voice recording capabilities to give floor and location is a necessity.
- Places where the environment is hazardous, that have the presence of combustible fluids, heat, water, and chemical need a sturdy type of device able to withstand unexpected conditions.
Who Will be Monitoring Your Lone Workers?
Safety monitoring devices have their limitations. While they can determine certain threats and allow your work a way to signal their distress, there needs to be a competent person on the other end who can respond and take action if needed. Otherwise, the system fails.
At your company, who will that be? If you’re not sure, a system that includes 24/7 monitoring could be the answer. These types of systems let you set your own plan of action, so when your worker is in distress a trained monitoring professional has made sure the right things are done.
When Are Your Workers Working Alone?
A worker can be working alone at any time of day. If your business runs around the clock a 24/7 monitoring system is essential. Alarms for missed check-ins are also ideal.
An accident can happen at any time, it would be preferable to have an Alarm Receiving Center with trained controllers would be the better way to set it up.
Training Your Lone Workers
One of the biggest mistakes workers make with a lone worker monitoring system, is not using them. Dan Smith of Grace Lone Worker recommends worker training. “Successfully implementing a lone worker program begins with educating the user that a lone worker device is no different than any of their existing [personal protective equipment],” he said.
Benefits of Lone Worker Monitoring Systems
If used properly monitoring systems are the best way for companies to manage the safety of their workers. Lone workers have increased over recent years and have put workers at risk.
What Are the Top Workplace Hazards?
Here is a brief list of the top 7 workplace hazards to help your business have an understanding.
- Physical hazards – these can include extended direct exposure to sunlight, radiation, extreme temperatures, as well as intense stress on the body from manual labor.
- Height Hazards – Scaffolding and ladder incidents are among the most frequent accidents in the US. Height risks impact many types of businesses, including roofing, window installation, and construction companies.
- Work organizations and housekeeping threats – from obstructions that block fire-escapes to clutter these top the list of housekeeping threats in the workplace. Workplace organization threats can include workplace violence, excessive demands, and the intensity of the work.
- Chemical Threats
- Microbiological Threats
- Electrical Threats
- Ergonomic Threats – repetitive tasks definitely take their toll, no matter if they are physical or sedentary computer tasks the risks are there.
Atlas Safety Solutions is a Great Choice For Your Lone Worker Monitoring System
At Atlas, we pride ourselves in providing a diverse range of industrial services. In addition, they provide unparalleled service, knowledge, and consultation to meet all the customers’ needs.
Partnering with Grace Lone Worker to provide the best in lone worker monitoring systems to the clients. To find out what Atlas Safety Solutions can do, make the call.
