ensure the safety of
mobile and lone workers

Do you have staff that work alone, offsite, or late at night? The proliferation of Mobile and lone workers has dramatically increased as a direct result of the pandemic and changing business models across virtually every industry. Visiting nurses and social workers are typical field workers that travel widely and never know what to expect when entering unfamiliar neighborhoods and residences. But even nurses at busy hospitals can be isolated when they finish a late shift and walk alone to their cars in the dark. Cleaning, janitorial, and maintenance staff often work outside of normal business hours to avoid interrupting operations, but this can mean they are isolated in large buildings while working and while arriving and leaving a facility. Building inspectors, surveyors, and meter readers all typically work alone and outside of protected security perimeters, as do service technicians in many trades. And due to the pandemic, more and more personnel are working remotely – from traditionally office-bound corporate workers to restaurant employees who are now focused on deliveries – the labor force as we once knew it has changed dramatically in just the last few months alone.

Any of these situations can put your staff at risk. Mobile and lone workers can be vulnerable across a wide range of potential situations, including:

• Their vehicles could break down, stranding them in unsafe situations or weather
• They could be attacked by thieves, intending to take personal property or looking for company assets, such as laptop computers, that could hold valuable intellectual property, customer lists, or network access
• They could be harassed by unstable or disturbed persons
• They could be targeted by sexual predators
• They could suffer from a medical emergency or be involved in an accident
• In some areas, they could even be attacked or injured by animals

Employer Responsibilities

Some risks may be completely unforeseeable, but every employer is responsible for taking due care to protect their employees.  Mobile and lone workers are clearly at greater risk of becoming the victim of an attack than someone within a protected facility, so the threshold for due care may well be higher for these workers. If an employee becomes a victim of an attack, and you as the employer have not taken reasonable steps to protect that employee, you could be exposed to significant litigation, fines, and compensation claims.

Protecting Mobile and Lone Workers

Taking proactive steps to protect your employees with a Mobile and Lone Worker Protection System is smart business. Key elements of these systems include:

1. Application software that can run on a smartphone
2. Alternatives that can be used in place of a smartphone, including special mobile devices and desk phones
3. Supervisory network servers that monitor the devices
4. Company management, who receive initial alarms and triggers
5. Certified alarm centers that respond if management cannot, and can transfer incident details to dispatch emergency services

How it Works

When a Mobile and Lone Worker Protection System is deployed, the application software communicates periodically with the supervisory network servers to verify the worker’s safety and location. The parameters of the system can be adjusted to match the need, including automated safety checks, “check-in’s” at planned appointments, etc. The software also provides an instant Panic Alarm trigger that can be used at any time with the press of a button.

When a panic alarm is triggered, or when any other specified event occurs – such as an employee not responding to an automated safety check – the system alerts management for follow up. If management does not respond, then the incident is escalated to the alarm center for further action.

At the same time, any panic alarm trigger will also activate background audio monitoring so that central station monitoring staff will have the most possible information about the unfolding incident.

In this way, mobile and lone employees are not alone – they have an entire system in place to monitor their position and safety, and to initiate action if the employee is threatened, injured, or attacked.

Valuber Security Helps Protect Mobile and Lone Workers

Valuber Security can help you evaluate, plan, and implement a Mobile and Lone Worker Protection System for your remote or isolated workers. This system can stand alone, or it can be integrated with other security systems for complete, tailored safety and security system that best supports your business objectives.