Discover the Benefits of Location Tracking for Lone Workers with Garmin Satellite Devices
Table of Contents
Stay in touch, no matter where you are
Communication is key for the safety of remote lone workers
A brief history in location tracking
Three important questions to ask
Tracking work devices and vehicles
Off the clock
Location tracking policy
Lone worker location tracking
Did you know that there are about 3,000 satellites orbiting above our heads, transmitting billions of signals, relaying important information? Some of that valuable data include the locations of workers who are out on the job and without a cellular connection. Satellite technology can save the lives of those working remotely, empowering employers to send help to the right location when seconds can make the difference between life or death in a work emergency.
There are thousands of workers whose “offices” are rural areas or remote environments where dependable communication and connection are major challenges that can compromise the safety of these people. That is why here at SafetyLine we are proud to announce that it's now an authorized seller of Garmin’s innovative inReach devices and service which complement our suite of proven worker-safety resources and tools.
“Helping provide such cutting-edge worker-location technology is very exciting for us,” says Gabriel Caldwell, CTO of Tsunami Solutions, the parent company of SafetyLine. “Their technology benefits so many areas of our lives like fitness, transportation and even recreation, which I’ve used their products for. I think it is an incredible opportunity to leverage this technology to protect remote workers as well.”
Stay in touch, no matter where you are
With SafetyLine as well as inReach satellite technology and an active subscription, you can stay in touch and connected no matter where you’re working in the world. Remote worker location tracking is significantly improved by allowing workers to send and receive messages, navigate routes through a global positioning system (GPS), track and share their journey and, if necessary, trigger an SOS to get help from a 24/7 global emergency response coordination center via the 100% global Iridium satellite network. This is in addition to the many benefits of SafetyLine, including safety-confirming check-ins, fall detection and a panic button - benefits that lone and remote workers have been reaping for more than 20 years.
Communication is key for the safety of remote lone workers
“In case of an emergency, will I be able to provide assistance to my worker?” It must be clearly stated and communicated to your team when and where they will be tracked, the purpose of being tracked and most importantly, the reasons and benefits of monitoring their location in case of an emergency. In this case, clear communication and transparency are essential, allowing everyone to be on the same page when it comes to the overall safety of remote lone workers.
A brief history in location tracking
Satellite location tracking goes as far back as the mid-1960s when the US Navy conducted satellite navigation experiments to track US submarines carrying nuclear missiles. Since then, the technology has gone beyond the confines of the military and is now widely used in automobiles, athletics, timekeeping and more recently, remote worker location tracking and protection. With more and more workers performing their different jobs in different – and sometimes remote – locations, such dependable location-tracking technology is needed more than ever so that in emergency situations, help can be sent as quickly as possible to the worker in distress.
Three important questions to ask
While the local laws and legislation on employee location tracking vary, there are fundamental questions every employer should ask before using it with their team. These include:
Am I tracking team members only during work hours?
What are the goals of tracking my staff?
Am I tracking any personal or company-owned vehicles?
Tracking work devices and vehicles
Some employers track company vehicles as well as devices like the work cell phone or tablet. But before you do, again, you need the permission of the staff and clear acknowledgement that they understand the reasons for location tracking. Some questions that employers should ask include:
Is the vehicle/device being used for work?
Does this vehicle/device benefit the employee while at work?
Does this vehicle/device benefit the company?
Is the vehicle/device being used on work premises?
Is the vehicle/device being used during work hours?
While the impact of the answers may vary in different organizations, if the answer to question #1 is “no,” then location tracking must be seriously reconsidered.
Off the clock
If you’re going to track your employees’ location when they’re not working, you require explicit consent. In some cases, employees provide consent if they feel like it is a safety issue, even when they go home. Surprisingly, many US states aren’t required to obtain consent when tracking their employees. Regardless of what your local laws state, consent and transparency are a must when establishing a respectful, and solid company safety culture.
Location tracking policy
It may be an intimidating issue with so many grey areas around location tracking, but one of the best, most responsible steps you can take is to develop a lone worker employee location tracking policy that outlines the purpose of determining employee location and what the benefits are. It also documents all of the vehicles, devices and equipment being used for tracking as well as when and where the employees will be located. Additionally, the plan must outline details such as:
The data that will be recorded and stored.
How this data will be utilized.
How this data will be secured.
When/if this data will be erased.
The staff members who have access to this data.
Need help developing a lone worker policy? Visit our blog A Lone Worker Policy Guide: Create a Safety Policy for Your Lone Workers in Your Organization to learn more and download our lone worker policy template.
Lone worker location tracking
Using SafetyLine will complement the technology of Garmin inReach satellite devices, increasing the safety of your remote workers, particularly those working without cellular reception. As stated earlier, there are number of questions you need to ask and a clear, well-researched plan must be in place to ensure that location tracking will benefit your team and company. To learn more about how you can benefit the safety of your remote lone workers using SafetyLine’s lone worker safety app please connect with us below: