A sizeable percentage of workers in today's society spend all or a lot of their time alone. Sales people, service professionals, security guards, medical personnel, clerks, and numerous other workers are often by themselves, in unfamiliar areas, around people they don't know, and potentially in the dark. When fall and winter set in, dark can come as early as 4PM. This means that a typical worker with an 8 to 5 job is leaving well past dark, and workers on second and third shifts might come to work and leave again, all in the dark. How can employers help keep workers safe when they're out in the dark?
Be Smart About Setting Appointment Times
Appointments in unfamiliar or potentially dangerous areas should be made when it's light outside.
When possible, schedule appointments in unfamiliar places or with unknown people so that they end before sunset. This makes it easier for workers to find their way to the appointments and keeps them safer once they get there. Establish regular check-in intervals for workers to report back to the office. Consider equipping lone workers with alarms that will alert the main office if they are unable to respond for any reason.
Have Someone Responsible for Keeping Up With Where Workers are and What They're Doing
No matter what times of the day or night workers are alone or out in the field, there should be someone available at the home office to keep tabs on their whereabouts, their activities, and the situation there at any given time. This person should also be available to summon help if the worker gets in a predicament. There are different types of alarms available to help track and communicate with lone workers even when there is no cellular service available in the area or when cell phone batteries die, cell phones become damaged, or other unforeseen circumstances.
Be Aware of the Areas Where Workers Are
Are workers venturing into areas that are dangerous? Danger isn't always scary people. Sometimes it could be a treacherous roadway, an area known for wild animal sightings, boat docks and piers, or other places where injuries and accidents are likely to occur. Make sure your contact at the home office is aware of these situations.
Be Aware of Circumstances Where the Workers Are
Are there problems with traffic congestion that could run workers behind schedule? Is the weather bad in the area where a worker is headed alone? The home base monitor needs to be tuned into news sources so that they can monitor the situations in areas where lone workers are known to be. They should also be alerted of any police or firefighter activity in the area, which could mean danger, blocked roads, or other hazards.
Instruct Lone Workers Not to Use Mobile Devices or Other Distractions in Unfamiliar Areas or at Night
Cell phones can lose service, get dropped, become wet, or simply be invisible in the dark. Lone workers need better protective devices for working at night.
Another reason why cell phones are inadvisable as emergency alert systems is because phones and devices can be distracting, and distracted workers make easy prey for criminals. Law enforcement agents warn the public to be attentive when out and about, especially at dark when attackers are most likely to be looking for targets. Lone workers should never walk to or from their vehicles or in empty or unfamiliar areas while using or talking on cell phones, as these are exactly the distracted targets that criminals are seeking out.
Do you have lone worker safety measures in place and devices to keep them connected to the office? Request a quote for lone worker security alarms today.
