When employees are working alone, they need a way to get help fast Lone worker monitoring systems are designed to help them do just that, with real-time tracking and emergency response services They are also an effective way to comply with industry and regional regulations for lone worker safety In addition to being a lifeline for the lone worker, they also offer peace of mind for employers and colleagues They allow managers to be certain that their workers are safe and that any incidents will be swiftly dealt with https//mapsappgoogl/En6gNf6B5GrQJVs18 They can reduce the likelihood of accidents and costly worker compensation claims They can also save money in the long run by reducing the cost of lone worker insurance premiums The first part of any lone worker system is the smartphone app that the employee downloads or has installed on their phone The best systems will use a discreet wearable or satellite device to transmit a person’s location data back to a central monitoring centre, and will also have features like emergency call buttons, customizable escalation paths and 24/7 response centers A lone worker monitoring system should be easy for the employee to use It should have a clear button that they can press to signal for help, and a notification that will notify their colleague or manager that they’ve done so They should be able to check in by themselves, or with their supervisor, and their GPS position should remain available in background mode so they can have the app minimised without having to keep it open throughout their shift Depending on the type of work they do, lone workers may face particular risks For example, they might need to work at heights or in confined spaces These situations can be difficult for a person to manage themselves, especially when they are injured or in shock Similarly, slips, trips and falls are common workplace injuries that can lead to serious and even fatal consequences For this reason, a lone worker monitoring system should have fall detection devices that can alert someone immediately when a fall occurs Some lone worker monitoring systems will send an alarm to the worker’s supervisor or colleague as soon as they push the emergency call button Others will use a time-based check in system that automatically asks the worker for a confirmation every hour They will then be asked again at the end of their shift if they are OK This is a more reliable method than the old buddy system, and removes the reliance on a supervisor or assigned 'buddy' remembering to do this check in It is important to be upfront with employees when they are using a lone worker monitoring system and make sure they understand that their data will be accessed remotely Ideally, the system should be configured to only monitor employees during working hours and not at other times, which will address most privacy concerns https//mapsappgoogl/dZRikbGKHWb2ushQ9 It is also important to provide the infrastructure for them to connect their devices to the central monitoring centre, so they don’t need to worry about connectivity issues while they are away from the office or in a remote working environment