I’ve identified a lone worker risk. So, now what?

A decade ago it was a challenge to convince organisations that lone worker safety was an issue.

Now, companies are alert to the potential risks lone workers may face. But with the number of solutions available and suppliers making contradictory claims about the merits of each, it’s hard for decision makers to get through the noise.

So – you’ve identified lone workers in your company. Now what?

1. Well, first of all, define very precisely the risk to those lone workers.

You may find that your lone workers face different levels of risk – in which case, you can identify where compromises could be made for an overall lone worker safety solution, or look for a specific system for each group.

Having an explicit list of the risks your lone workers face will help you to whittle down the list of potential suppliers very quickly.

2. Consult your lone workers early on about implementing a system

Getting buy-in right from the start helps to significantly speed up the time it takes to get your system in place. So consult your staff early on. Explain to your lone workers why a system is necessary, what you are trying to achieve from it and what the options are. And be honest. There is no use telling staff it is simply a safety system if you then use it to spy on them.

The feedback you get from your workers is invaluable. Only they know the challenges they face carrying out their jobs. For example, there is no point implementing a GPS system if your workers spend all their time doing home visits (where there will be no signal). Similarly other workers will feel that leaving voice messages every time they change location is unrealistic, given the number of appointments they have to make in a day.

3. Speak to others in your industry

There are a number of suppliers in the lone worker safety system industry. Some are better than others and there are new ones springing up all the time. So speak to others in your sector and learn from their experience. Do their lone workers use the system? If not, why not? What is the level of support from the supplier like? Is the admin interface easy to use (i.e. is it easy to swap workers on and off the system?). What was the training like?

4. Get a free trial

Most suppliers offer a free trial of their system. Take them up on their offer and actually test it with a sample group of your lone workers to get their feedback.

You want your lone workers to use the system. So involve them early on in the decision making process and get one that they will actually like!

Lookout Call is a specialist in lone worker safety systems. Our clients include charities, local government agencies and NHS Trusts. If you would like to get a free trial of Lookout Call please visit our website www.lookoutcall.co.uk.

Related item: Lone Working – The Facts