Lone Worker Hazards in Water and Wastewater Treatment
Table of Contents
Hazards faced by lone workers in water and wastewater treatment
The importance of a lone worker solution in water and wastewater treatment
Choosing the right lone worker solution
Automated lone worker solutions vs. call centers
How can an automated lone worker solution like SafetyLine help?
Working alone in the water and wastewater treatment industry comes with unique hazards, and employers are responsible for ensuring the health, safety, and well-being of their lone workers. However, solving the complicated issue of lone worker safety is sometimes easier said than done. This article will highlight the dangers lone workers face in this industry and how an automated lone worker solution can help.
Lone workers work alone, without close or direct supervision, for all or part of their workday. The term often describes individuals who work in environments that pose a higher risk to their safety due to factors such as isolation, physical hazards, or violence and can include occupations such as drivers, maintenance staff, and more.
A recent survey of 250 lone workers and their supervisors found that 19% had an accident and struggled to get help, and 44% felt unsafe at work. A significant issue for lone workers is remaining safe and connected when out of cellular range. Only 32% of survey respondents can track the location of a lone worker, and only 49% reported having the ability to send and receive messages without cell phone reception.
Hazards faced by lone workers in water and wastewater treatment
Lone workers in water and wastewater treatments face many hazards, including slips and falls, and drowning. Wet surfaces, like floors and walkways, can increase the risk of slips and falls and are common within the industry due to the abundance of water and chemicals. If a worker does slip and fall, the consequences can be severe, sometimes resulting in serious injuries, long-term disability, or even death.
Drowning is another significant hazard lone workers face in water and wastewater treatments. Working around water requires extra caution, and even experienced swimmers can drown in a matter of seconds. Lone workers may be at a higher risk of drowning as there may not be anyone nearby to provide immediate assistance in an emergency. In addition, treatment plants and facilities are sometimes located in remote or isolated areas, which adds a layer of risk during an incident because communication or emergency assistance is limited.
Additional hazards lone workers in water and wastewater treatment often face exposure to chemicals, gasses, pathogens, and other hazardous environments. In addition, treatment plants and facilities are sometimes located in remote or isolated areas, which adds a layer of risk during an incident because communication or emergency assistance is limited.
The importance of a lone worker solution in water and wastewater treatment
A lone worker solution is an excellent way for organizations to address the above hazards and ensure employee safety and regulatory compliance. Here are a few of the ways lone worker solutions can do that:
Safety
The best lone worker solution improves safety by providing reliable communication and real-time location monitoring. Dedicated emergency buttons on mobile devices, automatic alarms triggered by lack of movement, and two-way communication with emergency response teams provide workers with a means to quickly call for help in emergencies.
In emergencies, time is of the essence, and real-time monitoring of lone workers' locations means emergency responders spend less time searching for workers and can provide assistance sooner. As a result, emergency intervention is more effective, and employees are safer.
Compliance
Employers have a legal obligation to ensure the health and safety of their workers, including lone workers. By implementing a lone worker solution, organizations in the water and wastewater industry can demonstrate that they have taken reasonable steps to ensure the safety of their employees. This diligence can help organizations avoid potential legal issues and show their commitment to compliance.
A lone worker solution can provide a comprehensive system that offers tools to satisfy requirements related to regular check-ins, real-time location monitoring, communication, and emergency response. Lone worker solutions can also reduce the likelihood of incidents, helping companies stay off the radar of regulators, improve response times and minimize the impact of incidents.
Choosing the right lone worker solution
Lone worker solutions offer significant benefits for companies and their employees. However, before choosing one, it's essential to consider the following factors.
Safety features: Look for a solution that provides comprehensive safety features like fall detection, no-motion alerts, GPS tracking, and a panic button.
Ease of use: The solution should be easy for your staff, with intuitive interfaces and simple workflows to ensure workers can focus on their tasks and safety rather than struggling with technology.
Reliability: Emergency response tools must be available at all times. Therefore, look for a reliable and stable solution with minimal downtime or technical issues.
Integration: The solution should integrate with your existing systems and workflows to help streamline operations and ensure consistency with your safety policy and protocols.
Scalability: Looking for a solution that can grow and adapt to changing business needs and requirements ensures your investment is sustainable over the long term.
Support and training: Solutions with comprehensive support and training help you and your workers get up to speed quickly and ensure effective solution use.
Cost-effectiveness: Consider initial pricing and implementation and ongoing maintenance and support costs.
Considering the factors above, you can select a solution that meets your business's and workers' unique needs and ensures their safety while working alone. However, finding a lone work solution that checks all those boxes can be challenging.
Automated lone worker solutions vs. call centers
There are several advantages to using an automated lone worker solution over a call center. Firstly, software lone worker solutions provide an automated and efficient way for lone workers to check in and update their safety status. This reduces the burden on call center operators, who would otherwise have to handle many calls manually. The automated nature of software solutions also means that lone workers can quickly update their status and get back to work without waiting on hold or dealing with delays caused by busy call centers.
Safety software solution offers real-time monitoring features that allow supervisors or safety personnel to track lone workers' location and safety status. This allows for quicker response to emergencies, as supervisors can be alerted immediately if a worker fails to check in or their safety status changes.
It can be more cost-effective in the long run. While a call center may require a large team of operators to handle calls, software solutions can provide the same level of service with fewer personnel, as the system automates many functions that would otherwise require human intervention.
Call centers may be vulnerable to high call volumes, resulting in long wait times and delays in responding to emergencies. Additionally, call center operators may not have real-time visibility into lone workers' location and safety status, making it difficult to react quickly to emergencies.
How can an automated lone worker solution like SafetyLine help?
SafetyLine is the leading provider of lone worker safety monitoring and incident response in the USA and Canada. It is committed to keeping your employees connected and safe, no matter where or how they work.
Our smartphone app features fall detection, no-motion alerts, GPS tracking, and a panic button. In addition, when cell reception is limited, workers can connect to our service through Globalstar SPOT and Garmin inReach satellite devices.
Our interface makes it easy for monitors and administrators to manage worker accounts and track their status fully. For water and wastewater workers visiting a water treatment plant to traveling to the most remote areas, SafetyLine is always there to protect and help your people working alone.
SafetyLine takes the time to understand each customer's unique needs and customize a lone worker safety monitoring program that meets their specific requirements. Contact us today to learn how SafetyLine can keep your team safe, connected, and compliant.