How to choose the best lone working device
What are lone working devices?
Lone working devices help keep people safe when they work alone. They also help organisations meet their health and safety needs, and they can play a key role in protecting staff and businesses.
“Lone working devices” often refer to devices designed to help workers raise the alarm in an emergency, and to help businesses and first responders track a worker’s safety.
In this article, we will focus on purpose-built, “all-in-one” lone worker devices –but will also look at lone worker apps loaded onto smartphones, and “combination” lone worker devices that work in tandem with smartphones. We will also examine how lone worker devices can pair with monitoring services.
Lastly, we will explain who can and should use lone worker devices, and what benefits they can provide. We’ll even show you how much you can expect to pay, and how you can make the most of your lone worker investments.
What kind of lone working devices are available?
Lone worker devices mostly come in the following categories:
Standalone lone worker devices
“Standalone”, “SIM-enabled”, or “all-in-one” lone worker devices come with a dedicated SOS button, an inbuilt SIM card and a hands-free, two-way voice chat. For this example, we’ll use the Safepoint Lone Worker Device, pictured above.
Think of a lone worker device as a small, streamlined mobile phone crossed with a panic alarm. Workers carry or wear these devices when they’re working alone and, if they are injured or under threat, they can press the SOS button provided and an alert will be sent out.
As well as triggering an alarm manually, lone worker devices may also include intelligent, automatic alarm features. For example, the Safepoint Lone Worker Device offers:
Fall detection – also known as a “man-down” alarm, fall detection can tell if a worker has taken a serious fall or impact.
Tilt detection – when fall detection isn’t enough, tilt detection offers a much more sensitive angle-based alarm that could detect if someone fell asleep in their chair, for instance.
Geofence – a worker’s manager can create custom “geofence” zones on a map. If a user leaves a “safe” zone or enters a “danger” zone, their device will trigger an alarm.
Other benefits of a standalone lone working device
One of the main reasons that organisations like standalone lone worker devices is that they are truly “standalone”. Having a dedicated device may provide a myriad of benefits compared to, for instance, tying a lone worker solution to a worker’s existing phone. Some of the possible benefits of using a dedicated device include:
Better battery life – lone worker devices are purpose-made so can offer better battery life than mobile phones and other alert systems. For instance, Safepoint’s Lone Worker Device offers up to 5 days’ battery on a single charge.
Multi-network SIM – Some lone worker devices offer a multi-network SIM for the best possible cell-network coverage. While you can get multi-network SIMs on regular phones, they can be costly. Unlike other companies, Safepoint offers a multi-network SIM as standard.
Truly “standalone” – because standalone devices run on their own SIM card, they can operate completely separately from a worker’s phone and other devices. This helps with battery but also means that the worker can happily grab the device at the start of the day, and leave it at the end.
Wearable – Often, these devices can be comfortably worn via a clip or on a lanyard.
Instant, hands-free communication – finally, standalone devices like the Safepoint Device can start instant two-way communication. Responders can call the device and instantly start a conversation without a single button being pressed. This can be crucial in threat-to-life situations.
Lone worker apps on your existing mobile device
If you already pay for your workers to have a “work phone”, you may wonder if you can turn that existing device into a lone worker tool. The good news is that you absolutely can –so long as you use an accredited application like the Safepoint Lone Worker App.
As you’ll see, there are plenty of other benefits to using an app on your existing mobile device. For instance, a lone worker app may be more user-friendly with a wider range of monitoring features and can be easier to integrate into a worker’s daily routine.
Lone worker apps work in a variety of ways. For this article, we’ll mainly focus on the Safepoint Lone Worker App for iOS and Android Devices, but we’ll also talk more broadly about your options.
In their simplest form, lone worker apps use the existing functionality of smartphones to provide ways for workers to raise the alarm in an emergency. Where they shine, is in their smart features and automatic alarms. The Safepoint lone worker app, for example, provides the following:
Smart SOS alarm – while some apps simply offer a button that sends an alert, when Safepoint users trigger an alarm, they start a live tracking session that sends their live location, safety details and even relevant medical information. Safepoint has even provided SOS buttons that can sit on a phone’s home and lock screens for easier access.
Live task monitoring – with the “task” function, a worker can start a job (say, “visiting Mr. Peters”) with a set time and this will be instantly shared with the worker’s monitoring team. This means they can be safely monitored while they’re on the job. If the worker fails to “check-in” as safe by the time the task is over, a “time-out” alert will go off.
Customisable profiles – with a more advanced app like the Safepoint App a worker can customise their profile with everything from their name to medical details to identifying details. These details can be a huge help when responding to an emergency situation.
Privacy – while some workers may not like the idea of turning their phone into a lone working device (and thus being “tracked”), it’s important to note that lone worker apps can have different levels of privacy options. The Safepoint App, for instance, only allows live tracking during active “tasks” and alerts. This puts the worker in control of their privacy.
Wearable panic alarms (for use with an app)
Another type of lone worker device are “wearable panic alarms”. These small, simple devices can be worn on the wrist, on a lanyard or clipped onto clothes, and connect wirelessly with a lone worker app (in the same way Bluetooth headphones do).
These panic alarms provide an easy and discreet way to raise the alarm in emergency situations. Safepoint provides a Wearable Panic Alarm with the following features:
Easy to press SOS button – Once connected to the Safepoint App, the Wearable Panic Alarm makes it easy to request help without taking your phone out of your pocket.
Extra long battery life – the Safepoint Wearable Panic Alarm can last up to a month and takes standard, easily-replaced batteries.
Fall detection – Since not all phones have dependable fall detection, the Wearable Panic Alarm provides this vital extra feature.
Low-signal and non-GPS lone worker devices
So far, we’ve mainly shown how lone worker devices can keep workers safe through the cell network and GPS. In these “typical” cases, a worker’s location can be pinpointed via GPS, and then shared via the device’s regular cell network.
For those who work indoors or in low-signal areas, this isn’t always so easy. It might not be possible to get GPS or a relevant signal in many locations. For those working in multi-storey buildings (like a cleaner at a large office), the issues can be even greater, as it may not be clear what level they’re on. Some solutions to these issues may include:
Wifi-connections – Some solutions (such as the Safepoint Lone Worker Device and Lone Worker App) offer wifi-connectivity. This means that vital safety data can be shared even when you’re in a signal blackout zone. Perfect for those who work in warehouses, underground, or in remote buildings.
Location Beacons – Safepoint offer Location Beacons as “virtual landmarks” for those who work in large or multi-storey buildings, in locations with no GPS coverage, or for those who need to map out hazards. These unique solutions work with Safepoint’s Lone Worker Devices and provide a beacon that can be used to pinpoint a worker with high accuracy. In this way, responders can see the exact room, floor and building a worker is located in. They can also see if a worker has triggered an alert next to a specific hazard like a vehicle or large machinery.
Other types of lone worker device
In the section above, we’ve laid out the main types of lone worker devices. These will work for most people in most businesses. There are, however, more targeted solutions for people with specific needs. These include
Satellite lone worker devices – For those who work in highly remote areas, including offshore, satellite-based solutions may be necessary. This may come at a much higher cost than a cell-network-based solution and may offer a smaller range of features.
Ruggedised lone worker devices – solutions like Safepoint’s Lone Worker Devices are already fairly robust but, if you’re worried about damaging equipment, you should look out for a ruggedised solution. If you want an app-based lone worker solution, you can find Android phones that are water, dust and explosion-resistant. This can be helpful if you have specific needs like ATEX qualifications.
What to look out for in a lone working device
Needs of the worker
Your first port of call when looking for a lone worker device is to explore what would work best for your workers.
If ease of use in high-risk scenarios is most important, maybe a standalone lone worker device is best for them.
If monitoring your worker's safety throughout the day, and a check-in/check-out system is most important to you, a lone worker app on a smartphone may be best.
Issues around privacy, usage, battery, team management, and automatic features can all come into play. You can also find a handy compromise with a wearable device that connects to a lone worker app.
Flexibility
Both dedicated “standalone” lone worker devices and app-based solutions offer degrees of flexibility.
For instance, with the Safepoint Lone Worker App, you buy monthly licenses and can assign them to workers for a set amount of time. You can purchase ten licenses and move them around based on shift patterns, job roles, etc.
With the Safepoint Lone Worker Device, however, you can have all your devices lined up in your central office and have workers grab them as they head out.
In this way, the Devices may be more flexible from a “grab-and-go” perspective, but the app might be better if you have workers all over the country (or even overseas). It only requires them to have a smartphone!
Monitoring
So, what happens when an alert is triggered on one of these devices? When an alert is triggered it can be sent to one of two places:
A chosen internal guardian like a manager or team leader
A professional team of external responders at an Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC)
With Safepoint, alerts can be handled internally or remotely (depending on the device and the needs of your organisation). If you choose to have alerts handled remotely, they will be managed by Safepoint’s professional, fully accredited monitoring service run by Safepoint’s partners, ADT.
Safepoint is the only lone working company in the UK to work with the 150-year-old security company, and so provides an incredibly high standard.
Price
Largely, lone worker apps are cheaper than lone worker devices. They also often come with shorter-term commitments.
If you’re shopping around for lone worker devices, you might find it hard to find upfront pricing. To make it easier, Safepoint provides all their pricing on the store page.
You’ll find Safepoint’s Lone Worker Device surprisingly affordable –with the device, multi-network SIM, and 24/7 safety monitoring available from £14.99 a month.
If you represent a big company with lots of lone workers, it’s always worth asking for a custom quote!