Implementing SafetyLine With Your Existing Lone Worker Safety Protocols
Table of Contents
Introduction
Understanding the risks of working alone
Existing lone worker safety protocols
Introducing the SafetyLine Lone Worker app
Implementing SafetyLine to Your Organization
Case studies and success stories
Addressing challenges and concerns
Frequently Asked Questions
Introduction
Do you ever work alone? More specifically, are you ever required to perform tasks in circumstances where you cannot easily communicate with a coworker during work hours? The chances are likely that you can answer "yes" and that that's due to several factors, mainly advances in increasingly compact technologies and devices that have allowed us to perform our jobs away from traditional work environments. Thanks to technological advances, people can work almost anywhere, in different environments, while staying connected even if working conditions can be physically isolating and vulnerable.
There are roughly 53 million lone workers across North America and Europe. Working in all kinds of environments, locations, and circumstances, lone workers are usually monitored by some check-in system that requires the employee to "check in" with their employer before, throughout, and following their shift via phone call, text message, or radio communication – failure to check in would trigger a lone worker safety protocol to be then followed by the designated employees.
However, These manual check-ins are problematic because they are at risk of human error, and employees will sometimes need to remember to check-in. Likewise, an employer will only notice if a lone worker checks in to confirm they are okay. This risk is exceptionally high in larger organizations where managers may need to keep track of teams larger than 30+ people – it can be challenging and prone to mistakes using traditional methods such as spreadsheets to keep track.
The SafetyLine Lone Worker app automates the check-in process, eliminating the risk of this dangerous error and making sure that lone workers check in on time and employers can effectively handle emergencies if they happen.
Understanding the risks of working alone
The hazards of working alone are complex and require a dynamic approach. Lone worker safety hazards are standard occupational hazards, but with significantly increased risk because there is nobody to help you – a minor injury could be severe without the help of a coworker. However, occupational hazards that pose a danger to lone workers are:
Slips, trips, and falls
Violence and assault
Burns and electrocution
Health issues (stroke, illness)
Heavy equipment and machinery
Electrocution and burns
Additionally, there is a mental health danger and psychological impact on lone workers who, at times, perform their duties in isolation for long hours, away from other people. Like the physical hazards they face, employers must address the emotional adversity their people might face while at work – equally, if not more important than the ones they can touch.
Existing lone worker safety protocols
Ensuring the safety of lone workers is a paramount concern for organizations across various industries. These individuals often face unique challenges due to their isolation, making standard safety protocols beneficial and essential for their protection. This section delves into the core safety measures and protocols typically implemented to safeguard lone workers.
From comprehensive risk assessments that pinpoint specific dangers to the deployment of advanced communication tools to maintain constant contact, these protocols form the foundation of a robust lone worker safety strategy. By examining each component, we can understand how these measures collectively contribute to creating a safer working environment for those who carry out their duties in solitude.
Risk assessments
Steps companies must take to identify and evaluate risks specific to lone workers. When performed, hazard assessments will identify and document different occupational dangers that must be addressed and mitigated immediately. SafetyLine's range of proactive features can remedy several lone worker safety hazards based on these assessments.
Communication tools and strategies
Regular check-ins, scheduled calls, or text/voice messages that confirm the worker's safety with their employer. Using SafetyLine's app can help automate these safety check-ins, ensuring they are not missed by the employer/safety monitor or the lone worker.
Lone worker work policies and procedures
Work schedule to ensure safety for lone workers during vulnerable hours, including clear guidelines on what to do in various types of emergencies; this information is included in lone worker policies and protocols. Using SafetyLine can help coordinate these schedules and provide guidelines and policies for lone worker safety.
Introducing the SafetyLine Lone Worker app
The SafetyLine app offers lone workers and employers a comprehensive suite of safety solutions that address several significant lone worker hazards. SafetyLine is primarily based on monitoring the lone worker through the non-invasive channel of pre-planned, automated check-ins. SafetyLine also offers a discreet, in-app panic button if the lone worker feels threatened or in danger and uses the motion features in your smartphone to detect dangerous impact, requesting immediate help you fall. SafetyLine also offers text and voice messaging features with satellite and GPS integration and connectivity, improving communication with lone workers no matter where they work.
Implementing SafetyLine to Your Organization
When implementing SafetyLine with your lone worker policy, there are several strategies the employer can take to make the process as seamless and as effective as possible.
The first is to involve staff in every step – from choosing the SafetyLine app to looking at opportunities where the app could complement existing protocols according to your policy; staff have insight into these areas.
The second is to plan in-person training sessions. These opportunities to educate staff about the app and lone worker safety are rare chances to connect. The third is to talk to SafetyLine staff about the best ways to integrate the app into your existing protocols and operations – these knowledgeable people are always happy to help.
Maximizing protection with SafetyLine
Adaptable and applicable to almost every industry, SafetyLine can address the safety needs specific to workers in every industry. Whether it's healthcare, agriculture, or nonprofits, SafetyLine provides real-time lone worker monitoring and emergency response to employees working in vulnerable work environments.
Case studies and success stories
Over the years, thousands of lone workers have received that real-time protection from SafetyLine, including those at Windsor Salt. "I came from a place that had a pretty good working alone policy and wanted to do the same here," said Robert Engle, EHS Supervisor at Windsor Salt. "Having SafetyLine tell you when your next check-in was a night-and-day difference in how easier to use compared to the old system."
Carl Thomas, Regional Workplace Manager at NL Health Services in Newfoundland, Labrador, said SafetyLine benefited from their existing check-in protocols. "When using the previous check-in or check-out process, human error was possible," he said. "For example, if an employee didn't check in during the specific timeframe, and the monitor or supervisor was busy - or didn't know the employee was working alone at the time - then no one was checking in on them to ensure they were safe."
Addressing challenges and concerns
One of the biggest concerns around communications and monitoring technology is the management and security of private data. SafetyLine has completed a SOC 2 Type 2 certification, meeting stringent security, availability, and confidentiality standards – this ensures your information is safe and a priority.
Despite such concerns, people continue to work alone, only with technology to monitor them. A solution such as SafetyLine integration can transform your lone worker safety program, streamlining protocols and saving time for other, more critical tasks. SafetyLine will bring a needed boost to your safety protocols, and your lone workers will thank you.
Frequently Asked Questions
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SafetyLine stands out as a highly user-friendly and compliant solution, boasting over 20 years of experience as a leading provider of lone worker solutions. As an established presence in the North American market, SafetyLine has secured significant contracts with reputable entities such as the Province of British Columbia (CSA), Manitoba (Standing Offer), and Bell Mobility. Additionally, SafetyLine has achieved SOC 2 Type 2 certification, underscoring its commitment to robust security standards and making it a reliable choice for organizations looking to ensure the safety and efficiency of their lone workers through automation and advanced technology.
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SafetyLine enhances legal compliance by providing documentation and sophisticated alert systems that improve workplace safety standards. This support helps organizations adhere strictly to safety regulations, ensuring a safer working environment and minimizing the risk of non-compliance.
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SafetyLine integrates closely with satellite devices such as Garmin inReach and Globalstar SPOT devices, but we also support a variety of other satellite devices such as ZOLEO and more. SafetyLine is also an authorized Garmin and Globalstar reseller.
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SafetyLine offers extensive customization options to meet the unique requirements of various industries and specific organizational needs, including challenges faced by lone workers. This adaptability allows SafetyLine to effectively safeguard lone workers across a diverse range of occupational environments and scenarios.
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SafetyLine's customer success team will create a customized plan to onboard a new client, based on their specific needs, challenges, timelines, and expectations. The training and onboarding program can be delivered using a combination of virtual and in-person methods, ensuring comprehensive and effective training for the client's staff. SafetyLine will provide a customer success manager who will be assigned to this project when needed.
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SafetyLine places a high priority on data privacy for its users. It has successfully completed the System and Organization Controls (SOC) 2 Type II examination, which evaluates and reports on the robustness of a company's internal controls related to the protection of customer data and sensitive information. This certification is recognized as the gold standard for data security among digital companies in the U.S., ensuring that SafetyLine adheres to the highest levels of data protection.