Safety should always be a top priority no matter where you work, and business owners should take steps to ensure every employee is protected. There are many dangers in the work environment today. If you’re a lone worker, then you need an extra measure of security for your personal well-being.
What Is A Lone Worker?
A lone worker is an employee who primarily works away from others in a remote or separate location. Lone workers have little contact with co-workers and are at risk for a variety of issues. Some examples of lone workers are:
- Service workers who visit residences and commercial entities such as delivery drivers, social service representatives, field repair technicians, mail carriers and home health care workers.
- Employees who work at night or the early morning like industrial employees, bakers, security officers and on-call repair technicians.
- Employees who run a small business by themselves, work in a coffee kiosk or in a guard station with no other staff.
- Any employee who works in remote locations like forestry administrators or land surveyor.
The Hazards Of Being A Lone Worker
It may not seem unsafe to work alone, but you should consider what could happen to you in the event of an emergency. Some of the issues that lone workers encounter are:
- Sudden illnesses or health emergencies.
- Slip and fall accidents.
- Environmental hazards.
- People who want to cause you harm.
- Natural disasters or weather-related events.
- Stranded due to vehicle failures or facility lockouts.
What Are Your Employers Responsibilities?
While you should be aware of your surroundings at all times, it’s up to your employer to provide adequate measures to keep you safe. The company you work for should always provide safety training for the tools, vehicles and risks associated with your job. The employer is responsible for providing a safe environment to its fullest extent.
How A Lone Worker Alarm Can Help
There are a variety of lone worker alarms that can be purchased as handheld devices, employee cards or installed as an app on your smartphone. All of these lone worker devices have been developed to alert your supervisor of any emergency or potential for risk. The lone worker alarm works with GPS to send your location and the nature of the emergency immediately.
Features Of Lone Worker Alarms
There are a variety of styles when it comes to lone worker alarms with options for sending alerts specific to the situation. Many lone worker alarms act as a discrete panic button to notify your employer of a potentially violent person. The man down alarm systems is used regularly by lone workers in industrial settings where the potential for slip and fall accidents is big. Lone workers can wear a man down alarm on their wrist to detect a fall.
Industrial employees face the greatest risk as lone workers. Stay safe by using a lone worker alarm for your health and protection.
More information on workplace safety solutions can be found on the COBS website.
COBS AB
Norra Långebergsgatan 4
SE-421 32 Västra Frölunda
SWEDEN