# OK Alone Blog — Policy, Legislation, Risk and Safety Culture Lone-worker legislation by jurisdiction; policy, procedure and risk assessment; wellbeing, safety culture, engagement and general lone-working topics. > **Source:** OK Alone public blog, extracted from the retired `Ok Alone Blog.md` scrape. Marketing and thought-leadership content, not product specification — where a claim here conflicts with the Help Center files or `product-reference.md`, those win. Spellings are left as published (much of this was written for North American readers). Statistics quoted in older posts may be out of date — check the post date before reusing a figure, and never quote a price from here. **53 posts.** Contents: **Legislation and Regulation** - [What is a Lone Worker Policy and other Questions](#what-is-a-lone-worker-policy-and-other-questions) — December 15, 2023 - [Lone Worker Legislation & Policy in Canada](#lone-worker-legislation-policy-in-canada) — December 14, 2023 - [Understanding Canadian Work Alone Monitoring Legislation](#understanding-canadian-work-alone-monitoring-legislation) — December 11, 2023 - [Employers Fined and Sentenced to Prison for Employee Deaths at Work](#employers-fined-and-sentenced-to-prison-for-employee-deaths-at-work) — December 11, 2023 - [Health and Safety Guidelines for Workers Exposed to Biowaste](#health-and-safety-guidelines-for-workers-exposed-to-biowaste) — December 6, 2023 - [Why your Technicians need an HVAC Safety App](#why-your-technicians-need-an-hvac-safety-app) — May 15, 2023 - [Benefits of a Environmental, Health & Safety Management System](#benefits-of-a-environmental-health-safety-management-system) — March 9, 2023 - [High risk situations for Lone Workers](#high-risk-situations-for-lone-workers) — March 8, 2023 - [Get grouping Taking group actions with Ok Alone](#get-grouping-taking-group-actions-with-ok-alone) — March 8, 2023 - [How Lone Working affects Grooms, Stable Hands and Farriers in the U.K](#how-lone-working-affects-grooms-stable-hands-and-farriers-in-the-u-k) — February 28, 2023 - [No Local Lone Working Laws? You've still got a problem](#no-local-lone-working-laws-you-ve-still-got-a-problem) — February 28, 2023 - [UK Driving Laws affecting Lone Workers and requiring Handsfree](#uk-driving-laws-affecting-lone-workers-and-requiring-handsfree) — February 28, 2023 **Policy, Procedure and Risk Assessment** - [The Ok Alone Guide to Escalation Procedures for Lone Workers](#the-ok-alone-guide-to-escalation-procedures-for-lone-workers) — December 15, 2023 - [](#) — December 13, 2023 - [How to Create a Formal Hazard Assessment](#how-to-create-a-formal-hazard-assessment) — December 6, 2023 - [Lone Worker Protection Uncover Hidden Hazards in the Workplace](#lone-worker-protection-uncover-hidden-hazards-in-the-workplace) — December 6, 2023 - [Sub-Contractors and your Health and Safety Program](#sub-contractors-and-your-health-and-safety-program) — December 6, 2023 - [Lone Worker Policy](#lone-worker-policy) — October 17, 2023 - [What is the meaning of Lone Worker?](#what-is-the-meaning-of-lone-worker) — March 10, 2023 - [Lone worker alarms and escalation procedures Ok Alone Worker](#lone-worker-alarms-and-escalation-procedures-ok-alone-worker) — March 8, 2023 - [Using Focus Groups to Gather Risk Information for a Lone Worker Policy](#using-focus-groups-to-gather-risk-information-for-a-lone-worker-policy) — March 8, 2023 - [I Think I Checked-In Maybe not. Know your Status with Ok Alone](#i-think-i-checked-in-maybe-not-know-your-status-with-ok-alone) — March 8, 2023 - [What does lone worker risk really mean?](#what-does-lone-worker-risk-really-mean) — March 8, 2023 - [What makes a great escalation procedure?](#what-makes-a-great-escalation-procedure) — March 8, 2023 - [Ok Alone has Partnered with what3words to Help Protect Lone Workers](#ok-alone-has-partnered-with-what3words-to-help-protect-lone-workers) — February 28, 2023 **Wellbeing, Safety Culture and Engagement** - [How to Manage Lone Worker Safety](#how-to-manage-lone-worker-safety) — December 6, 2023 - [Health and Safety working aloneHow does health and safety fit with working alone?](#health-and-safety-working-alonehow-does-health-and-safety-fit-with-working-alone) — March 8, 2023 - [HR Strategies to Promote Lone Worker Safety Ok Alone Worker](#hr-strategies-to-promote-lone-worker-safety-ok-alone-worker) — March 8, 2023 - [Are you looking out for the mental health of your lone workers?](#are-you-looking-out-for-the-mental-health-of-your-lone-workers) — March 8, 2023 - [5 tips for Managing Workplace Stress Lone worker Safety System](#5-tips-for-managing-workplace-stress-lone-worker-safety-system) — March 8, 2023 - [Lone Worker Safety Award Rankings for Companies and Lone Workers](#lone-worker-safety-award-rankings-for-companies-and-lone-workers) — February 28, 2023 - [The Benefits of Gamification for Increasing Employee Engagement](#the-benefits-of-gamification-for-increasing-employee-engagement) — February 28, 2023 - [Is Lone Working Dangerous and other Questions](#is-lone-working-dangerous-and-other-questions) — February 28, 2023 - [Are your Lone Workers Stressed?](#are-your-lone-workers-stressed) — February 28, 2023 - [How Lone Worker Safety Awards can help your Company](#how-lone-worker-safety-awards-can-help-your-company) — February 28, 2023 - [Ok Alone introduces the Lone Worker Safety Awards](#ok-alone-introduces-the-lone-worker-safety-awards) — February 28, 2023 - [Lone Working + Gamification = A Perfect Match](#lone-working-gamification-a-perfect-match) — February 28, 2023 - [Why has your company introduced a lone worker system?](#why-has-your-company-introduced-a-lone-worker-system) — February 28, 2023 - [The importance of lone worker training and engagement of staff](#the-importance-of-lone-worker-training-and-engagement-of-staff) — February 28, 2023 - [The Positive Impact of Gamification on Engagement at Work](#the-positive-impact-of-gamification-on-engagement-at-work) — February 28, 2023 - [How Personality Type Affects Motivation When Using GamificationPersonality Type and Motivation When Using Gamification in the Workplace](#how-personality-type-affects-motivation-when-using-gamificationpersonality-type-and-motivation-when-using-gamification-in-the-workplace) — February 28, 2023 **General Lone Working** - [Discover how to find Hidden Hazards at Work and Keep your Team Safe](#discover-how-to-find-hidden-hazards-at-work-and-keep-your-team-safe) — March 8, 2023 - [Why Experiential Training is a Key Part of your Lone Worker Solution](#why-experiential-training-is-a-key-part-of-your-lone-worker-solution) — March 8, 2023 - [February Newsletter from Ok Alone](#february-newsletter-from-ok-alone) — March 8, 2023 - [Municipal Workers Need an Affordable, Effective Lone Worker System](#municipal-workers-need-an-affordable-effective-lone-worker-system) — March 8, 2023 - [To Track or not to Track, that is the Lone Worker Question](#to-track-or-not-to-track-that-is-the-lone-worker-question) — February 28, 2023 - [Working from Home Tips from the Ok Alone Team](#working-from-home-tips-from-the-ok-alone-team) — February 28, 2023 - [How to keep your HVAC Lone Workers Safe](#how-to-keep-your-hvac-lone-workers-safe) — February 28, 2023 - [Personal Alarm: for When You're Working Alone](#personal-alarm-for-when-you-re-working-alone) — February 28, 2023 - [Will I have to Self-isolate or self-quarantine?](#will-i-have-to-self-isolate-or-self-quarantine) — February 28, 2023 - [Returning to work after Covid-19 for Lone Workers](#returning-to-work-after-covid-19-for-lone-workers) — February 28, 2023 - [SolutionsPersonal Alarms for Lone Workers](#solutionspersonal-alarms-for-lone-workers) — February 28, 2023 - [AppSocial Distancing for Lone Workers](#appsocial-distancing-for-lone-workers) — February 28, 2023 --- # Legislation and Regulation ## What is a Lone Worker Policy and other Questions *December 15, 2023 · Stacey Manclark* Ok Alone is one of the highest-rated lone worker solutions around and because of this, we get asked lots of questions from and about lone workers. A lot of people also search on Google about lone working. People ask who lone workers are, what are the risks of lone working, how do they stay safe and much, much more. 1. What are the rules for working alone? Employees are legally allowed to work alone. There is nothing specific in general legislation that prohibits a person from working alone. However, employers need to assess situations on a case by case basis. Some situations such as pregnancy or existing disability/medical conditions may stop a person safely working alone or affect a persons ability to complete tasks alone or in isolation. Each job presents specific risks, and its up to the employer to assess these risks and take steps to avoid or control them when necessary. Risk assessments are incredibly important to nail down, as they have a direct effect on the health and safety of lone workers. 2. What is a lone worker policy? The lone working policy is a document that has been written by a company and must be followed by all employees. Policies need to be tailored to each task and to each location and adhere to any local lone working legislation in the area. Some regions are quite progressive in this matter and have specific work-alone legislation in place, while others may follow a more general duty of care clause. 3. What does the lone working policy cover? Whichever laws apply to a workplace, they need to be considered in the policy to ensure compliance and that the highest safety standards are being met. Its best to include specific details on the necessary legislation, such as the names of the acts being adhered to, so employees can reference them if need be. All employees have a duty to comply with the lone worker policy, and also to accept the element of personal responsibility for their own safety. Where necessary companys policies should include responsibilities with more specific details related to the task(s) in question. 4. Why have a lone working policy? Employers are likely required, by law or according to health and safety regulations, to implement a lone worker safety policy. Even if accidents or incidents occur outside of business premises, when they transpire during the execution of an employees duties or, in some cases, during transit to a job site, the company is accountable. In many cases, a remote worker is at higher risk of injury and its up to the employer to assess and reduce those risks. Keeping lone workers safe with a lone worker solution The best way to keep lone workers safe and protected is to use a lone worker solution. The most convenient solutions use hardware, like smartphones, that lone workers already possess. The best solutions allow workers to check in with their companies on a regular basis to show they are all right. They also use automated notifications to remind workers if they forget to check in. A great lone worker solution has the following features: It sends notifications to your phone in case you forget to check inIt has GPS monitoring to alert others of your location in an emergencyIt works through your phone, so no additional device is requiredIt takes minutes to set up and there are no set up fees or long-term contracts Ok Alone offers all these features and many more, such as high risk check in, voice activation and man/worker down detection. ### More Questions What is a Lone Worker Policy and other QuestionsIs Lone Working Dangerous and other QuestionsStacey ManclarkAs an expert in lone worker content management, I possess an extensive knowledge base and experience in the area of lone working and safety monitoring. My expertise in this field encompasses a wide range of areas, including risk assessment, training, communication, and technology. I have a deep understanding of the unique risks associated with lone workers and have researched and written many projects and articles to educate people in how to mitigate these risks. www.okaloneworker.com/author/staceymanclark/ Desktop/Web App for Lone WorkersWhat is Lone Working and other Relevant Questions Recent Posts about Ok AloneFebruary Newsletter from Ok Alone How Lone Worker Safety Awards can help your Company 5 key elements to your fleet safety program Lone Worker Trends for 2023 Lone Worker Monitoring System Send an SMS to all Lone Workers Thuraya X-5 Touch Satellite Phone Monitor driver safety away from the vehicle --- ## Lone Worker Legislation & Policy in Canada *December 14, 2023 · Stacey Manclark* Here are the lone working and work alone acts and regulations found in Canada. We cover all the lone worker policy and legislation we have found for Canada, including the guidance from The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS). The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) (the national agency covering worker protection in Canada) definition of a lone worker states; A person is alone at work when they are on their own; when they cannot be seen or heard by another person. Although there are no federal laws relating specifically to lone worker monitoring, there is one aspect of federal legislation that employers need to be aware of: Bill C-45. Put in place in 2004, this Bill amended the Canadian Criminal Code by establishing new legal duties for workplace health and safety, by imposing serious penalties for violations that result in injuries or death. Regulations are complicated by the fact that there are fourteen jurisdictions one federal, ten provincial and three territorial. Some of the provinces in Canada have enacted legislation regarding employers responsibility towards Lone Workers by having their governments create health and safety legislation. The legislations outline the general rights and responsibilities of the employer, the supervisor and the worker. Ontario, Nova Scotia and Yukon have no lone worker specific regulations. Therefore, it is important employers are aware of local conditions when creating their own lone working policies. The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety have a very helpful web page regarding lone workers; https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/alone/workingalone.html Legislation for Lone Working in British ColumbiaInformation about British Columbia lone worker legislation and regulations Read More Legislation for Lone Working in AlbertaInformation about Alberta lone worker legislation and regulations Read More Legislation for Lone Working in QuebecInformation about Quebec lone worker legislation and regulations Read More Legislation for Lone Working in SaskatchewanInformation about Saskatchewan lone worker legislation and regulations Read More Legislation for Lone Working in ManitobaInformation about Manitoba lone worker legislation and regulations ### Read More Legislation for Lone Working in Ontario and Nova ScotiaInformation about Ontario and Nova Scotia lone worker legislation and regulations Read More Legislation for Lone Working in YukonInformation about Yukon lone worker legislation and regulations ### Read More Northwest Territories and Nunavut Safety ActInformation about The Northwest Territories and Nunavut lone worker legislation ### Read More Legislation for Lone Working in Newfoundland and LabradorInformation about Newfoundland and Labrador lone worker legislation and regulations Read More Legislation for Lone Working in New BrunswickInformation about New Brunswick lone worker legislation and regulations ### Read More Legislation for Lone Working on Prince Edward IslandInformation about Prince Edward Island lone worker legislation and regulations Read More www.okaloneworker.com/author/staceymanclark/ Why Canadas Agricultural Lone Workers need ProtectingLegislation & Policy for Lone Workers in Yukon --- ## Understanding Canadian Work Alone Monitoring Legislation *December 11, 2023 · Stacey Manclark* In Canada, lone worker legislation isn't consistent from coast to coast. Not all provinces have enacted legislation regarding an employers responsibility toward their lone workers, and the ones that did put measures in place have slightly different regulations. To add to the confusion, work alone monitoring regulations also exist on a federal level ” but only in the more general duty of care sense. Confused? You're not alone. Many employers are unaware of their lone worker legal responsibilities, so to help you navigate the complex rules and regulations, here's a basic breakdown: Provincial legislation The following provinces have specific provisions regulating lone workers. Their individual regulations vary, but in general, each of these jurisdictions requires employers to a) conduct a hazard assessment and b) take measures to either eliminate the hazards or minimize the risks associated with them. British Columbia Alberta Saskatchewan (see section 35) Manitoba Quebec (see section 322) Newfoundland / Labrador (see section 15) New Brunswick PEI Northwest Territories/Nunavut The jurisdictions that don't have specific laws pertaining to working alone (Ontario, Nova Scotia, Yukon) do specify a legal minimum number of workers for some hazardous working situations. For example, when people are working on live electrical conductors, using a self-contained breathing apparatus, operating a chainsaw, or where an employee might become trapped by material. Beyond that, there is only a general duty clause within their respective Health and Safety Acts that requires employers to ensure the health and safety of their workers. Federal legislation In Canada, there are no federal laws relating specifically to lone worker monitoring. But, there is one aspect of federal legislation that employers need to be aware of: Bill C-45. Put in place in 2004, this Bill amended the Canadian Criminal Code by establishing new legal duties for workplace health and safety, and also by imposing serious penalties for violations that result in injuries or death. These provisions are Canada-wide and affect organizations (and individuals) of all sizes and scopes, from governments and corporations to private companies and charities. What happens if you don't comply with lone worker regulations? The financial and legal repercussions of not having lone worker monitoring systems in place can be enormous. In addition to the moral repercussions of having placed their employees in harms way, employers could face increased WCB premiums, hefty fines, legal action, or even criminal charges. How does Ok Alones work alone monitoring service meet lone worker regulations? OK Alones simple (yet extensive) monitoring and reporting systems meet even the most stringent lone worker regulations:Templates and guides that ensure your safety procedures are written down and followed. Detailed alerts with important contact information and step-by-step instructions for what to do. Flexible check-in procedures ranging from 10 minutes to 24 hours. Unique escalation procedures for each member of your team. Optional 24/7/365 live monitoring to ensure your staff members are always protected. Want to experience how Ok Alones work alone safety monitoring system can protect your workers and your business? Sign up for a free 7-day trial. Wondering how much a professional work alone monitoring system costs? Get your personalised quote here www.okaloneworker.com/author/staceymanclark/ Get grouping Taking group actions with Ok AloneWorking from home. Working alone Lone Worker Legislation Lone Working with Google Home from Ok Alone --- ## Employers Fined and Sentenced to Prison for Employee Deaths at Work *December 11, 2023 · Stacey Manclark* Thousands and thousands of people die every year while at work. The number of preventable deaths fluctuate in each country every year, some of the totals for 2020 are as follows: Canada 925 (2019 figures are most recent data available), United States 4,764 , United Kingdom 142 , Australia 194 and New Zealand 67 . What are an Employers Responsibilities? As an employer there is a duty of care towards all employees and a responsibility to ensure staff have adequate training and equipment to minimise risks at work. Company directors must provide a safe working environment, including any necessary protective equipment, and a safe workplace. If an employee suffers an injury at work, the employer must take reasonable steps to investigate what happened and take any necessary action to prevent similar injuries happening again. If an employee is killed in an incident at work, it is the employers responsibility to allow an investigation to occur and if they are found guilty of negligence, to accept the consequences. The consequences vary in different countries. However, one thing that is changing on a wider scale worldwide is owners, directors, managers and supervisors are being found culpable of these deaths and punished accordingly. What is Employer Culpability? Below are cases from across the world where employers have been found guilty of an employees death and either fined, imprisoned or both. ### Employer Culpability in Canada 2016 The company Banff Constructors was fined $500,000 after their employee, Eric Ndayishimiye, was killed while working during construction of the Jim Pattison Childrens Hospital. The company was ordered to pay two $250,000 fines for a pair of infractions under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. 2017 Saskatchewan company B L S Asphalt Inc. was fined a total of $350,000 after a worker at their facility died as a result of becoming entangled while clearing the chute of the conveyor system. The company was found guilty of two violations under The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 1996. 2019 R.M. Belanger Limited, a Chelmsford construction company, was fined $175,000 following a guilty plea after a worker was killed when a bridge that was being jacked into place collapsed. On February 26, 2021, the company was convicted again under the same violation of the OHSA and fined $210,000 when a worker was struck and killed by a wooden telephone pole while it was being loaded with a forklift onto a trailer. 2019 2168587 Ontario Ltd., operating as Upper Crust, was fined a total of $700,000 after two of its workers died in separate incidents in 2018 and 2019. The employer was fined $325,000 for the first incident that took place, when a temporary help agency employee was working as a general production worker on the bread assembly line at the companys Canarctic Drive location. Upper Crust was fined a further $375,000 for an incident that took place in 2019 at its Marmora Street location, also in Ontario. 2021 British Columbia company Peters Bros. Construction Ltd. was fined $77,630.87 following a fatal injury to a worker at the job site. A subcontractors worker was rigging concrete sewer components for an excavator to unload from a flatbed tractor-trailer. During a lift, the load shifted, and part of the load fell, killing the worker. ### Employer Culpability in United States 2017 Bryan Johnson was found guilty of felony manslaughter and negligent homicide following a trench collapse at his companys Granby worksite that fatally injured worker Rosario Martinez. Johnson was sentenced by a judge to 10 months in prison, ordered to pay Martinezs family up to $25,000, make contributions to local charities, undergo safety training, allow OSHA inspectors on site, and serve three years probation. 2019 Dana Container Inc. were sentenced to pay a fine of $325,000 and to serve a two-year term of probation for wilfully committing an OSHA violation that resulted in the death of a 29 -year-old man. ### Employer Culpability in United Kingdom 2008 The construction company Birse Metro Ltd. was ordered to pay 210,000 in fines and costs after an employee died from injuries he sustained in an explosion. Ioan Boboc died as a result of inflicting damage to an 11,000-volt live cable. His employer had not informed workers that there were live cables in the area being excavated or put adequate measures in place to prevent the workers from coming into contact with the power cable. 2008 Mr K Joyce fell to his death whilst working on site in a cherry picker. The incident was an accumulation of a number of failures. Mr Taylor, the Director of the contracting firm NEMOC, was fined 30,000 plus 50,000 costs by virtue of Section 37 of the Health And Safety At Work Act 1974. Mr Turnbull, trading as A&H Site Line Boring and Machining, pleaded guilty of breaches to the same act. His breaches however were so severe that he was found guilty of the criminal offence of gross negligence manslaughter and sentenced to 3 years in prison. 2018 Mr Terrence McCloud fell through an opening on the first floor where a staircase was to be built. Mr McCloud later died as a result of his injuries. Nickell and Richmond Limited was prosecuted following a case brought by HSENI, and fined 40,000. The Bangor based company pleaded guilty at Belfast Crown Court to a total of four health and safety offences which resulted in the death of a worker. 2018 Two companies were fined nearly 900,000 over the death of security worker Ronnie Alexander. Due to heavy snow in the area two generators failed leaving Mr Alexander without heat, light, electricity or any back-up supply of power. Mr Alexanders cause of death was confirmed as hypothermia. Northstone (NI) Ltd was fined 768,000 reduced from 1.2m due to an early plea at Ayr Sheriff Court. Corporate Services Management was ordered to pay 100,800, which was reduced from 180,000. 2020 TLW (UK) Ltd.s director Han Rao was found guilty of the manslaughter of Marian Iancu by gross negligence and breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act, after Mr Iancu was crushed on site. Mr Rao was sentenced to four years in prison. ### Employer Culpability in Ireland 2021 Colin Wendel Developments Ltd was fined 40,000 following a guilty plea to a charge under the Safety, Health & Welfare at Work Act 2005. The Managing Director of the company, Colin Wendel, also pleaded guilty to a similar charge and was fined 5,000. Mr Wendel was ordered to pay 20,000 compensation to the widow of Andrezej Buraczewski, employed by OCC Building Services, who died when he fell from a roof level scaffold to the ground. ### Employer Culpability in Australia 2017 Gran Designs was fined $175,000 after pleading guilty to five charges of failing to provide a safe workplace and a number of safety breaches after a 19-year-old man was crushed and killed by a concrete panel. 2021 One worker was killed and another left seriously injured after falling off a roof they were installing. The director of MT Sheds was sentenced to two years and two months in prison. He has to serve the first eight months immediately the remaining sentence is suspended for 12 months. His company was fined $605,000 for safety breaches and the director has also been instructed to pay a personal fine of $2,350 for operating a crane without a licence. ### Employer Culpability in New Zealand 2015 Dredging NZ was fined $79,500 and ordered to pay $42,000 in reparations following the death of Peter Bateman at the West Park Marina in Auckland in November 2013. The barge was being skippered by Brent Darrach who was fined $10,000 and ordered to pay reparations of $18,000 after pleading guilty to a charge of failing to take all practicable measures to make sure no one else was harmed due to his actions while at work. 2016 G J Sole Ltd pleaded guilty to one charge under the Health and Safety in Employment Act of failing to ensure workers were not exposed to hazards arising from logging cartage work. G J Sole Ltd was fined $39,375 in addition to the reparations of $97,655.45 to the widow of the forestry dump truck driver who was killed. 2017 Callister Electrical and Refrigeration, was ordered to pay nearly $140,000 $95,000 in reparations and a $43,000 fine, after an electrician died while repairing a refrigeration unit at Henergy egg farm. The company pleaded guilty to failing to take practicable steps to ensure the safety of their employee. 2018 Steffan Stewart was killed after becoming caught in fish processing machinery while working at sea. Sanford was fined $375,000 and ordered to pay $121,860 reparations to family and $35,000 costs by the Timaru District Court. 2019 CentrePort Limited was sentenced and fined $506,048 at the Wellington District Court following an incident at the companys container assessment and repair facility. A worker died as a result of a fall from a ladder he was using to access the roof and undertake repairs on a 2.9 metre high container. ### Employer Culpability in Singapore 2019 Senior Field Supervisor for EnerMech, Muhammed Noredzuan Othman, was charged with committing a negligent act after Pipe fitter and welder Chin Chee Cheng died from suffering injuries to his head and waist at work. Mr Othman was sentenced to four months in prison. The company that engaged Mr Chin for the repair works, Generco Engineering, had also previously been charged under the Workplace Safety and Health Act and fined $180,000. ### The Changing Legislations and how that affects Companies Many countries, provinces and states are introducing Acts and laws that hold companies accountable for employee deaths. Corporate manslaughter, criminal negligence manslaughter, gross negligence manslaughter, corporate homicide are all charges that can now be brought against employers when an employee dies at work. Companies need to make sure they are following guidance set out by governments and duty of care responsibilities to keep their workers safe. Cutting costs could end up costing a lot more in the long run someones life, a massive fine and ultimately your freedom. 1 https://awcbc.org/en/statistics/ 2 https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cfoi.pdf 3 https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/fatals.htm 4 https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/media-centre/news/work-related-fatalities-2020-report-released 5 https://data.worksafe.govt.nz/graph/detail/fatalities?startDate=2020-01&endDate=2020-12 6 https://globalnews.ca/news/8092317/banff-constructors-death-employee-fine/ 7 https://www.thesafetymag.com/ca/topics/convictions/saskatchewan-employer-charged-over-workers-death/259824Saskatchewan employer charged over workers death 8 https://news.ontario.ca/en/court/1000511/workers-death-from-collapsing-bridge-results-in-175000-fine-for-chelmsford-construction-company 9 https://www.thesafetymag.com/ca/topics/convictions/two-workers-die-employer-fined-700000/257201 10 https://www.thesafetymag.com/ca/topics/injuries-and-fatalities/worker-sustains-fatal-injuries-in-load-lifting-mishap/258446 11 https://denver.cbslocal.com/2021/07/17/bryan-johnson-rosario-martinez-contractone-construction-granby-worksite-trench-collapse-prison-time-owner/ 12 https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdpa/pr/new-jersey-company-fined-325000-and-sentenced-two-year-term-corporate-probation 13 https://www.vanderpumpandsykes.co.uk/site/library/legalnews/construction_company_fined_over_workers_death.html 14 https://www.hst.uk.com/news/hse-news-company-owner-prisoned-after-worker-falls-to-his-death/ 15 https://www.shponline.co.uk/in-court/building-contractor-fined-following-the-death-of-worker-on-house-building-site/ 16 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-59324806 17 https://www.cieh.org/ehn/health-and-safety/2020/february/employer-prisoned-after-worker-crushed-to-death/ 18 -https://www.hsa.ie/eng/news_events_media/news/press_releases_2021/building_company_fined_%E2%82%AC40_000_following_death_of_worker_who_fell_from_scaffold.html 19 https://www.hrmonline.com.au/topics/health-wellbeing-and-safety/employer-prisoned-workplace-death-mt-sheds/ 20 https://www.hrmonline.com.au/topics/health-wellbeing-and-safety/employer-prisoned-workplace-death-mt-sheds/ 21 https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/better-business/70449665/dredging-nz-fined-over-auckland-worker-death 22 https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK1606/S00142/taranaki-employer-fined-for-worker-s-death.htm?from-mobile=bottom-link-01 23 https://times-age.co.nz/local-news/company-fined-workers-death/ 24 https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/452129/sanford-fined-500k-over-employee-s-death-ceo-apologises 25 https://www.hcamag.com/nz/specialisation/workplace-health-and-safety/employer-sentenced-and-fined-following-worker-death/170420 26 https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/supervisor-prisoned-for-4-months-after-failing-to-conduct-test-leading-to www.okaloneworker.com/author/staceymanclark/ Security Guard Lone Worker Policy and Hazard AssessmentWhy your Technicians need an HVAC Safety App Recent Posts about Ok AloneHow International Driving Laws affect Lone Workers Dos and Donts for Lone Workers Why You Need a Lone Worker App for Check Ins Lone Working in the Cannabis Industry Personality Type and Motivation When Using Gamification in the Workplace A Day in a Life with Ok Alone Is your Team Prepared? Lone Worker Safety System --- ## Health and Safety Guidelines for Workers Exposed to Biowaste *December 6, 2023 · Ok Alone* The handling of biowaste by lone workers is an area we hear more about each month. Health and Safety Guidelines across Canada, USA, UK Australia and New Zealand all cover the unique risks assosiciated with biowaste. In this blog, the team at SafetyON have kindly shared their thoughts on the subject. ””””””””- There are several departments, including residential medical facilities, wherein the workers are constantly exposed to the hazards of biowaste and are at risk of contracting severe infections and diseases. The Occupational Health and Safety Act in Ontario stipulates the health and safety regulations to be duly practised by all workers handling biowaste as a part of their job. All workers must be adequately trained by their supervisors in understanding the potential hazards and becoming familiar with the regulations for handling biowastes such as discarded syringes, condoms, cotton swabs, bandages or any other objects contaminated with blood or other body fluids. All biowaste must be regarded as infectious and handled with utmost caution and as per the regulations. Workers must ensure to prevent all chances of body contact with contaminated biowaste, and carry the waste bags and infected objects away from their body to reduce the chances of getting injured by sharp objects. Workers are required to wear puncture resistant latex gloves and safety boots while handling biowaste. All containers carrying biowaste must be duly marked and labelled with the biohazard symbol. Infected sharp objects such as needles must always be disposed off in puncture-resistant containers such as leak-proof buckets, and sealed with a lid. Sources: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/930067#BK23 https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/cleaning_staff.html ”””””””” This article is focused on Biowaste Health and Safety Guidelines in relation to residential medical facilities, but many lone workers in contact with biowaster work outside that area. Universities, chemical labs, and even self-contained agricultural facilities can be included in this list. As always, the first step is to assess the risk profile of your lone workers..Ok Alone has created a very hand hazard assessment guide which is Free to download. It takes you step-by-step through the risk assessment process and relates it back to the frequency of your check-ins, high risk check-ins and help alerts. Get your FREE guide here. ””””””””” This main content of the blog was written by SafetyON Environmental Inc. in Concord Ontario. SafetyON has over 20 years experience working with companies to identify their gaps in legislative compliance. Find out more at www. SafetyON.ca www.okaloneworker.com High risk situations for Lone WorkersSub-Contractors and your Health and Safety Program Recent Posts about Ok AloneHow your Workers can become Safety Champions Thuraya SatSleeve+ Satellite Phone Cloud-based Dashboard for Lone Worker Monitoring Five Ways to Evaluate your Lone Worker App Favourite Feature High Risk Check-ins How to Create a Formal Hazard Assessment GPS Monitoring for your Lone Workers with the Ok Alone App --- ## Why your Technicians need an HVAC Safety App *May 15, 2023 · Stacey Manclark* Being an HVAC technician can often mean you are in small, dark and potentially dangerous locations. More often than not, you are also alone while in these places. Who is looking out for these workers and how do you ensure an HVAC workers safety? The Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) industry are companies mainly engaged in the installation, repair and continued maintenance of heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration systems. The industry operates on three levels; residential HVAC, commercial HVAC, and industrial HVAC. ### HVAC Jobs and Legal Requirements The HVAC industry is well represented across the world, however the U.S. Energy Information Administration states that more than 90% of households in the US have air conditioning equipment, compared to just 8% of the 2.8 billion people living in the hottest parts of the world. These figures are surprisingly high as the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows there are currently 380,400 people employed as Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers across 118,012 registered companies within the United States. The Occupational Safety and Health Act was brought into existence in 1971. As a result of this, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was created to ensure safe and healthy work conditions across America through setting and enforcing workplace standards. There are specific standards that apply to the HVAC sector such as those applying to ventilation (29 CFR 1926 Subpart D 1926.57) , fall protection (29 CFR 1926 Subpart M 1926.501 and 1926.502) , personal protective equipment (29 CFR 1910 Subpart I 1910.132) and permits required for working in confined spaces (29 CFR 1910 Subpart J 1910.146 . All of these standards need to be implemented by employers to ensure HVAC OSHA requirements are met and technicians are working in the safest environments possible. Dangers of Being an HVAC Technician ### Dangers Faced by HVAC Technicians As shown in the above table, HVAC technicians are frequently exposed to myriad dangers. Electrocution is a common cause of injury and sadly death in the HVAC community with workers being exposed to live wires and high voltages. Falls and equipment injuries also claim lives while technicians are in dangerous locations. One more danger to HVAC technicians in the United States could be the massive imbalance between the number of units needing to be installed and maintained compared to the number of trained technicians able to do the job. This could easily lead to workers cutting corners or not doing proper risk assessments due to the volume of work they have to complete. HVAC is considered one of the safer sectors of the skilled trades with a much lower fatality rate than construction or roofing. In the 2020 statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics the United States show HVAC as an industry with a fatality rate of 5.1 per 100,000 full time workers. This is significantly lower than other trades, especially when compared to Construction trades 43.3 and Roofers 47.0. The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) has published data on fatal occupational injuries for the United States since 1992. Below are the fatality figures for HVAC, Construction and Roofing between 2003 and 2018. Each total is shown underneath the year specified and the total number of occupational fatalities for the country as a whole. Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, All Worker Profile, 2003-2018 ### Top Features of an HVAC Safety App HVAC technicians need to have a safety solution to keep them in contact with others while they are working, especially if they are alone. A great HVAC safety monitoring App has features designed to make it easy for workers to get help if they are in trouble. The top three features that all HVAC safety apps should have are; Man (Worker) down, High-risk check in and a Help button. The Man down (Worker down) feature should have the capability to alert a fellow worker, supervisor or call centre personnel if there has been no movement from a worker within a set length of time. This could help indicate if the technician has been involved in an accident. This feature should alert management that there has been an incident and therefore the injured party will not have to wait for the next shift to start or for someone to notice they are missing, before being found Being able to change the time between check ins if going into a situation deemed high risk is important. The high risk check in feature benefits lone workers in the HVAC industry especially. The ability to set the time period for their check in from between one minute to one hour (in 10-minute increments) allows a technician to adjust the feature to be beneficial to the specific activity they are doing. For a higher risk activity, such as interaction with cables in a confined space, it should be set to a shorter time. Once the task has been completed without incident, the check in time should revert to the normal frequency previously set for the worker. An HVAC safety app runs on a workers smart phone and allows lone workers to check in at regular intervals or request help if they need it. The Help Button should send an alert to a supervisor, security personnel or a representative of the employer, informing them that a worker needs assistance immediately. The help button should have options to trigger it; being pushed manually or triggered using voice commands. Workers should also have the option of sending a written or voice message directly to the person monitoring their situation. The employee monitoring App should have GPS capabilities that can locate a technician if they activate the help alert. Conclusion In order to protect technicians there needs to be a focus on HVAC health and safety. Workers need to carry out risk assessments and follow company safety policies and employers need to implement and ensure OSHA HVAC requirements are being followed. Workers being sent into dangerous locations and situations need a way of summoning immediate help, something that lets management know there is an emergency even if they themselves can't. 1 https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/united-states-hvac-services-market 2 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/heating-air-conditioning-and-refrigeration-mechanics-and-installers.htm 3 https://www.ibisworld.com/industry-statistics/number-of-businesses/heating-air-conditioning-contractors-united-states/ 4 https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/1926.57 5 https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/1926.501 6 https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/1926.502 7 https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.132 8 https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.146 9 cfoi_rates_2020hb, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, December 2021. 10 Miscellaneous CFOI data tables, All worker profile, 2003-2018, https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfoi1.htm#2020 www.okaloneworker.com/author/staceymanclark/ Employers Fined and Sentenced to Prison for Employee Deaths at WorkHow to keep your HVAC Lone Workers Safe Recent Posts about Ok AloneAre You Getting Your Municipality Value For Money? Legislation & Policy for Lone Workers in Manitoba Lone Worker Protection Uncover Hidden Hazards in the Workplace How does health and safety fit with working alone? Desktop On Screen Panic Button for Lone Workers Lone Worker Policy Safety Zone from Ok Alone --- ## Benefits of a Environmental, Health & Safety Management System *March 9, 2023 · Ok Alone* Compliance with provincial and federal Occupational Health & Safety legislation plays an important role in the success of any business and contributes in worker productivity and morale. Here are a few reasons why a Legislative Compliance Safety Management System is good for the organization:Legislative compliance offers peace of mind while meeting regulatory compliance in a stress-free environment By using tools to manage compliance requirements and risk assessment, the system allows the company to meet the benchmarks on time and in an easy manner Empower the organization to allocate resources while ensuring that OH&S compliance is metOther reasons to get a Legislative Compliance Safety Management System installed in your business:Reduces the time and resources that are involved in meeting the compliance requirements Generates awareness regarding regulatory requirements within an organization Allows the users to view, assign and track compliance necessities Keeps the authorities informed regarding progress and completion status Maintains a complete audit history of all activities With all these benefits, now it has become possible for the organizations to manage the compliance system on easy and instant clicks. So, if you want to get an advantage of the compliance management system, you can approach the safety and health management consultants to establish it in your organization. ””” This blog was written by Bailey Technical Services in Calgary which Ok Alone is pleased to share with permission. Bailey Technical Services provides occupational health and safety consulting services to the oil & gas, construction, municipal and aviation sectors. The company specializes in EH&S Management System development, Incident Investigation, Auditing, and Root Cause Analysis. Want to learn more about Canadian lone worker safety legislation. See our blog https://www.okaloneworker.com/2018/01/canadian-work-alone-legislation/ www.okaloneworker.com Working from home. Working aloneHigh risk situations for Lone Workers Recent Posts about Ok AloneIllinois and Chicago Lone Worker Legislation What is a Lone Worker Policy and other Questions Panic Buttons for Lone Workers from Ok Alone 5 key elements to your fleet safety program Lone Working in the Cannabis Industry Introducing the Learning Center Lone Worker Safety Education Lone Worker Legislation & Policy for New Zealand Thuraya SatSleeve+ Satellite Phone Lone Working in Schools --- ## High risk situations for Lone Workers *March 8, 2023 · Ok Alone* I would like to share my views on lone worker duress communication, particularly when the clientele served is in high-risk situations. What I have found through my years as a crisis management consultant, leading various organization in minimizing risk and maximizing safety, needs to be shared. Individuals who are at the most risk are the ones that are least likely to call law enforcement until all measures have been exhausted. Typically, workers might stay too long in a situation where extracting themselves or summoning assistance might be preferable. Public Health Ontario stated that staying too long in a crisis situation increases the risk of injury. That statement is directed at the workers being placed at risk by their client. If that statement is true then by having proactive options, like calling a team mate or having an exit script could mitigate an ensuing crisis at the early stages of the conflict. When do people press the magic button and how long does it take for people to arrive were the original questions asked when implementing duress alarm platforms. Now added to these primordial ones are the following: How emotionally flexible, agile and respectful will the responder be towards my client? There are many stories resembling the one Toronto experience when James Furcillo shot and killed Sammy Yatin on an deserted streetcar. How many stories involving staff needing assistance and losing their clients to solicited or unsolicited law enforcement assistance? Can't really blame police with the training and the mandate they have! I find that pressing the button should be made to solicit back up in a situation that has not yet reached the explosive level. That engaging the duress button becomes a proactive strategy that will be supported by chosen individuals who have the skills, knowledge and attributes necessary to de-escalate the situation, and the necessary know how to call 911 if necessary. Direct call to the police as a response to a duress call needs to be present and functional under counters where cash or expensive merchandise might be forcefully taken. Then again, staff should still be trained on not putting themselves in danger by resisting when being robbed. In conclusion, human service providers should rethink the complete duress procedures to verify if the strategy they promote really works for the best interest of both client and employee. Having the opportunity to call a peer in an opportune moment is better practice than calling law enforcement for compliance and acceptable behaviour! ””””””””””- This blog was written by Steve Hall, a workplace violence safety consultant based in Oakville, Ontario, which Ok Alone is please to share with permission. Steve specializes in Workplace Violence Prevention. He consults with organizations on all levels: environmental safety awareness (CPTED); Technological infrastructure; Operational safety strategies, preparation and deployment; Organizational post-incident review and learning opportunities; Non Violent Crisis intervention and Community Worker Safe Practice training; and most importantly the awareness and dexterity to avoid improvisation and rather respond with confidence and empathy when faced with complex and potentially volatile situations. You may contact steve at [email protected] or online at www.stevehall.caOk Alone has numerous ways for you and your team to prepare and get help in high risk situations. Its so popular, its made to our best features list https://www.okaloneworker.com/lone-worker-app/features/ www.okaloneworker.com Benefits of a Environmental, Health & Safety Management SystemHealth and Safety Guidelines for Workers Exposed to Biowaste Recent Posts about Ok AloneThe Importance of Lone Worker Monitoring: Ensuring Safety and Compliance in the Modern Workplace 5 key elements to your fleet safety program Future of Health and Safety Conference 2016 Lone Worker Protection Systems Lone Worker App & Safety Monitoring available in French Social Distancing for Lone Workers Protect your Lone Workers with a ZOLEO Satellite Device and Ok Alone What is Lone Working and other Relevant Questions --- ## Get grouping Taking group actions with Ok Alone *March 8, 2023 · Ok Alone* Customer feature of the month: Managing workers in groups The Feature Request button has been busy lately with people wanting to manage their workers in groups. We thought this was a good idea too. As a result, we recently introduced a worker grouping feature. Now you can change multiple workers check in frequency, their SMS or call alerts, or add and remove them from a monitor. Log into your Ok Alone account and go to the Workers >> Group link to see more. HOT TIP: Going on vacation and need to assign everyone to another monitor? Now its only a few clicks and you're done. Improve lone worker management with groupsOk AloneThe Ok Alone team writes informative articles about lone working. Through our articles, we aim to educate readers on the benefits and best practices of using our lone worker app, and how Ok Alone can help mitigate risks and enhance communication between workers and monitors. Learn about other areas including legislation, risk management, and legal compliance plus lone worker features such as man down, high-risk check ins and location monitoring. www.okaloneworker.com Lone worker health and safety : Who is at risk?Understanding Canadian Work Alone Monitoring Legislation Recent Posts about Ok AloneUK Driving Laws affecting Lone Workers and requiring Handsfree What is a Lone Worker Policy and other Questions Iridium Extreme PTT (Push-To-Talk) Lone Worker App for Android from Ok Alone Lone Worker Protection Canadian Privacy Laws Setting up an Escalation Procedure with Ok Alone Legislation & Policy for Lone Workers in Alberta --- ## How Lone Working affects Grooms, Stable Hands and Farriers in the U.K *February 28, 2023 · Stacey Manclark* The estimated horse population, including both private and professional ownership, in the United Kingdom is just below one million horses (988,000) . There are around 2,800 registered farriers and around 77,000 Animal care service occupations which include Grooms and Stable Hands . Looking at horse related accident statistics, we find that in 2014 there were a little over 100 instances of personal injury accident cases involving horses. There are lots of different types of horse related accidents, and injuries are frequently sustained not only by horse riders, but many injuries occur whilst on the ground, by those who are employed to care for horses. Injuries commonly occur from kicks and bites. As a horses teeth and feet are its only means of defence, grooms, stable hands and farriers can often find themselves the recipient of a nasty bite or kick when a horse feels threatened. Also working in close proximity to horses, often inside stables, means there is more chance of crush injuries occurring. A horse weighs about half a ton and if they are not properly controlled in stables or other confined spaces where people are moving about there is the risk of being accidentally crushed by a horse against a wall, gate or fence. Those who work with horses are owed a duty of care by their employer. Grooms, stable hands and farriers are frequently on their own working with horses in rather close quarters and dangerous circumstances. Staff should be using a lone worker system that enables them to be monitored correctly. The system should ensure all workers are safe and able to check in or request help if needed. This is crucial to staff well-being, but also necessary to comply with lone working regulations in The U.K. Ok Alone offers a solution to this problem. The lone worker safety app allows workers to check in at regular intervals and request help if they need it. The system has GPS that can locate a worker if they are out on a ride and something happens. Using Ok Alone is not going to stop a horse from kicking, but it will mean that someone else will be alerted and can then act to get help. 1 Equestrian Statistics, The British Horse Society, 2013 2 Office of National Statistics Labour Force Survey May 2018 3 https://www.legalexpert.co.uk/how-to-claim/horse-accident-or-riding-injury-claims/#horse9 www.okaloneworker.com/author/staceymanclark/ How Lone Working affects Grooms, Stable Hands and Farriers in North AmericaProtecting Lone Working Security Guards in the US Recent Posts about Ok AloneLone Working with Amazon Alexa & Echo Devices from Ok Alone The Most Common Workplace Safety Policy Violations Canadian Legislation The Joint Health and Safety Committee Why Canadas Agricultural Lone Workers need Protecting Working from Home Tips from the Ok Alone Team Using Ok Alones charts to coach your team on safety Chemicals in the Workplace Soup Theory for Laboratory Lone Working Desktop/Web App for Lone Workers --- ## No Local Lone Working Laws? You've still got a problem *February 28, 2023 · Stacey Manclark* What about areas where there is no specific Lone Worker legislation? Lone Worker regulations are a subset of Employer Duty of Care laws. All Western countries have Duty of Care obligations. Here's why having Ok Alone in places without lone worker laws matters. What is a Duty of Care? Everyone has a legal duty to act reasonably and avoid injuring other people. When people fail to meet this legal duty, they may be liable (responsible) for the harm they cause. This is a core principle of personal injury law. All employers have a Duty of Care to provide a safe work environment for their employees or they face personal injury lawsuits. Personal Injury Law the basis on which an injured employee will sue the employer Primary factors to consider in ascertaining whether the employers conduct lacks reasonable care are the foreseeable likelihood that the persons conduct will result in harm, the foreseeable severity of any harm that may ensue, and the burden of precautions to eliminate or reduce the risk of harm. Negligent conduct may consist of either an act, or an omission to act when there is a duty to do so. See Restatement (Second) of Torts 282 (1965). Best practice guidelines for your Duty of Care Each workplace should have agreed best practice guidelines in place regarding how to undertake certain tasks, for example operating machinery, administering treatment, or dealing with violent situations. These guidelines should enable staff to work safely and effectively. Best practice is determined by the work procedures of the company and industry standards. Many sectors use lone worker monitoring systems, and judges will use that as the benchmark for best practice. If your organization faces a personal injury case, you will want to show you are exercising Best Practice. ### Best practice for Lone Worker Identification If your organization goes to trial, and the worker was alone, they will be asked to demonstrate Lone Worker Identification Best Practice. The first step is identifying who is a lone worker by answering these 4 questions. Are there other people in the vicinity? Are those people aware your workers have a problem? Are they willing to provide assistance and have the skills to do so? Are they able to provide assistance in a timely manner?If the answer is No to any of these four questions, your plan is not demonstrating Best Practice and your liability increases. The They'll call if there's a problem approach does not show you know who your lone workers are and therefore what steps you need to be taking to reduce the employers risks, damages & liabilities. ### How Ok Alone Lowers Key Risk Factors/Damages/Liabilities Risk ImprovementDistracted Driving Ok Alone has hands free operation through Siri, Google Assistant and Alexa hands free, automated check-ins. Lack of safety programs Ok Alone is an easy first step for organizations without a lone worker safety plan. It includes an employee safety engagement system that rewards top performers. Claim Severity/Likelihood of litigation The Ok Alone alerts do not require worker action to activate. The system will send for help even when a person is unconscious. There are 3 modes missed regular check-ins, missed high-risk check-ins or Man-Down alarms that get help sooner, and limit unnecessary damages. Data Collection for Risk Assessment User data from Ok Alone can be fed into Machine Learning models to improve their performance. This is especially helpful for insurance purposes. FrequencyWorkplace Violence Ok Alone has a Help/Panic alarm built into it. This acts as a deterrent to potential abusers and is a legal requirement in some states. Disputed Claim ReductionDriving history Log files are built into Ok Alone for easy verification. Worker location logging Ok Alone uses a phones GPS to verify a worker is in the correct place, at the correct time. Claim CostPoor incident reporting/documentation Each time an incident occurs, Safety professionals can enter detailed notes into the log files. These notes are linked to the incident for easy reference. Safety policies do not get followed in a crisis Ok Alone has a convenient template for writing company and individual level Escalation Procedures. The written procedures ensure necessary information is in one place and followed in the event of an emergency. Vicarious Liability/Negligence Claims can arise in or outside a vehicle. Ok Alone can monitor both, thus demonstrating a duty of care throughout the work day. Summary Workers trying to remember to call in during a shift does not meet the requirements of any lone worker legislation (i.e. timed check-ins and help buttons). In places where no specific lone worker laws exist, the employer still has Duty of Care obligations. The employer must show they are taking all reasonable steps necessary to provide a safe work environment. Implementing the latest Best Practices for your Duty of Care and Lone Workers is the most compelling way to do this and it comes with a very low burden with Ok Alone. This approach reduces risk factors, damages and overall liabilities. Understanding these implications takes the issue from operational to Board level. 1 https://www.worksafebc.com/en/law-policy/occupational-health-safety/searchable-ohs-regulation/ohs-regulation/part-04-general-conditions#SectionNumber:4.21 2 https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/duty_of_care#::text=The%20duty%20of%20care%20stands,person%20in%20their%20position%20would. www.okaloneworker.com/author/staceymanclark/ Integrations with Ok AloneLone Worker Trends for 2023 Lone Worker Legislation --- ## UK Driving Laws affecting Lone Workers and requiring Handsfree *February 28, 2023 · Stacey Manclark* As the number of lone workers in the UK increases, they need to be aware of the rules and regulations of using lone worker protection systems while driving as using a solution that is not handsfree may be breaking the law. The original law for driving with mobile phones was put in place 18 years ago, but smartphone use has drastically increased since 2004. There are many people who need to use their phone for work while in a vehicle, many of those are lone workers, so how have the laws changed? What are the new laws and how will they affect you? The updated legislation means you can now be prosecuted for the following smartphone actions while behind the wheel of a car or riding a motorbike: Making a phone callSending a text message (including WhatsApp messaging and emails)Browsing the internet (including social media)Taking photosFilmingScrolling through a playlist This means that using any lone worker device that is not handsfree, is breaking the law. The law still applies if you're: stopped at traffic lightsqueuing in trafficsupervising a learner driver You can get 6 penalty points and a 200 fine if you use a hand-held phone when driving. You will also lose your licence if you passed your driving test in the last 2 years. You can receive 3 penalty points if you don't have a full view of the road and traffic ahead or proper control of the vehicle. What can you do to avoid fines and points while mainting lone worker protection? While driving a car or motorbike on British roads, the only way to use a phone is if you have a Bluetooth headset, use voice commands, have a dashboard or windscreen holder/mount or a built-in satnav this is often called handsfree. ### How Ok Alone can help Drivers with Handsfree Luckily for people who drive for work there are plenty of apps that use voice commands. One such app is the Ok Alone lone worker app. This app lets you check in with your work place or request help without having to touch your phone. Ok Alone are the first lone worker system to use voice commands to ensure you're compliant with the laws and help keep you focussed on the road. The app is connected to a dashboard system that allows workers to stay in touch with their supervisors throughout a shift and let them know if there are any problems. 1 https://www.wlmg.co.uk/news/new-mobile-and-smart-phone-driving-laws-2020/ 2 https://www.gov.uk/using-mobile-phones-when-driving-the-law www.okaloneworker.com/author/staceymanclark/ How Man Down could help different industries prevent disasterUse Siri to Check in Hands Free Using Ok Alones charts to coach your team on safety - Ok Alone --- # Policy, Procedure and Risk Assessment ## The Ok Alone Guide to Escalation Procedures for Lone Workers *December 15, 2023 · Stacey Manclark* The Purpose of This Guide Most health and safety laws include a special category for those who work on their own. These people are referred to as Lone Workers. A Lone can be defined as a worker that is in isolation from other workers without close or direct supervision. Working alone is not a hazard on its own, but it does present a unique set of challenges. The purpose of this guide is to help you overcome these challenges by: Explaining the importance of an Escalation Procedure Providing a framework to create your own Escalation Procedures. This guide provides a starting point for you to assess current safety measures within your work place and work towards a higher standard of safety for your lone workers. What is an Escalation Procedure? An Escalation Procedure is a clear, step by step set of instructions that can be used by other members of staff or an independent call centre to check that a worker is alright or alert others to a potential incident. What is a Potential Situation? Lets say for example that John is a health worker who has gone on a home visit. His appointment ended at half past two and he was supposed to call his supervisor then to check in. Half past two passes without a phone call from John. No one notices John hasn't called. John doesn't get home for dinner; his wife thinks he is stuck in traffic. By seven o'clock Johns wife tries to ring Johns office, but it has closed for the day. Where is John? If Johns company was using an Escalation Procedure with the appropriate support, it would have been noted within minutes that John had not checked in. Using an Escalation Procedure Lets look at the scenario again. John is a health worker who has gone on a home visit. His appointment ended at half past two and he was supposed to call his supervisor then to check in. Half past two passes without a phone call from John. The first step of Johns Escalation Procedure is activated and an independent call centre is alerted to Johns missed check in. An operator rings Johns phone. John doesn't answer so the operator leaves the voicemail: Hello John. You have missed a check-in. Please check-in to confirm you are okay. She calls John three times. John doesn't respond, so step two is activated. Johns supervisor is phoned to inform her that John hasn't checked in. The supervisor doesn't answer her phone, so the operator leaves the voicemail: Hello Lisa. John has missed a check-in. Please investigate this further. The operator calls Lisa three times. Lisa doesn't answer. Step three of Johns Escalation Procedure is initiated. The operator calls Johns manager. The Escalation Procedure has specific instructions for the manager to go to Johns last known location, the address of his home visit. The operator informs Katie, the manager, that she is to proceed to Johns last known location. At three o'clock Katie arrives at the address of Johns last appointment. There she finds John at the bottom of the stairs where hed fallen when leaving the residence. Without an Escalation Procedure it took four and a half hours to realise that John was missing. Using the Escalation Procedure Johns manager was informed of his absence within 14 minutes and at his last know location in 30 minutes. ### Creating an Escalation Procedure When creating an Escalation Procedure decide if you are going to have a company wide version that applies to all staff or individual procedures with person specific instructions. Step One: Make sure you have up to date contact details for all your employees. A mobile phone number and an alternative number (home phone or personal mobile) if possible, would be best. Step Two: Decide who should be notified if the worker doesn't check in. Their supervisor? A spouse? The Site office? How many times do you call? How many minutes apart? Step Three: Who is alerted if there is no response from Step Two? A line manager? An office manager? A shift manager? How many times do you call? How many minutes apart? Should someone go to the workers last known location? Step Four: Decide if someone on-site should contact the emergency services. Pairing your Escalation Procedure with a check-in system that uses a Smartphone app and GPS locating will help ensure your employees are safe. The benefit of an Escalation Procedure We have found that a focus on the call delay time, the number of repeat contact attempts, the number of people in the contact list and a clear, easy to follow layout will have a much more profound effect on how quickly a situation gets escalated to emergency services should it ever be required. Within the Ok Alone site (my.okalone.net) is a system to help you create clear and informative instructions for call centre operators to follow. The Escalation Procedure Wizard is designed to make the process of setting up your workers individual procedures as easy as possible. www.okaloneworker.com/author/staceymanclark/ City of Santa Monica: Chapter 4.67 Hotel Worker ProtectionSetting up an Escalation Procedure with Ok Alone More on Escalation ProceduresWhat makes a great escalation procedure? Setting up an Escalation Procedure with Ok Alone Lone worker alarms and escalation procedures Ok Alone Worker --- ## *December 13, 2023 · Dan Noblett 7 Reasons to Choose Ok Alone* You are up and running in 5 minutes, without speaking with usIt takes very little investment of your time to start using Ok Alone in your organization. You know exactly what you are buyingAll Ok Alone customers start with a free trial. Using Ok Alone is the best way to confirm you are getting what you need. No credit card is required unless you decide to proceed. You are guided through the set-up processOk Alone provides step-by-step instructions for how to add people into the system and writing your escalation procedure. These simple to follow wizards take all the guess work of it. They also enable you to quickly get results. You control when you want Ok Alone's 24/7 live monitoring, which means you control your costsCall centre time is expensive. We understand that, which is why Ok Alone allows you to turn this powerful feature on and off whenever you choose. You can even schedule it to happen automatically. We believe your input mattersThe first version of Ok Alone was quite basic. Virtually every feature you now see in the system came from customer suggestions. We like that. In fact, we believe its the best way to serve you, responding to your needs as quickly as we can. Its also why you can send us a Feature request any time you like. There's a place to do it in the online Help section. No long term contractsNo one likes being trapped in a contract. Ok Alone doesn't do that to you. You renew your subscription each month. If you don't feel Ok Alone is adding value to your organization, we feel you should be free to leave. You save moneyOk Alone has low subscriptions that start at $8/7 per person per month. Volume discounts apply and prices go down as you add more than 30 workers. The subscription includes the smartphone apps, your online account, email alerts, activity logs and performance reporting. Loading sign up form... www.okaloneworker.com/ Enhancing Safety for Lone Working Health WorkersVideo Demo Lone Worker App and Cloud-based Dashboard --- ## How to Create a Formal Hazard Assessment *December 6, 2023 · Ok Alone* A formal hazard assessment is the basis for the organizations entire occupational health and safety management system. It outlines the hazards, measures risk (to help prioritize hazards), and points to the necessary control measures. Levels of Hazard Assessment Formal hazard assessment Field-level hazard assessmentFormal Hazard Assessment are the foundation of safety program and involve:identification of all jobs and tasks performed by employees, assessment of each task for hazards, prioritization of the hazards based on the level of risk, implementation of controls for the identified hazardsSteps for Conducting a Formal Hazard Assessment Create an inventory of jobs and tasks The first step of formal hazard assessment is to create a list of all jobs within the scope of your companies business, and record the number of workers that perform each job. Then, list all the tasks performed as part of each job identified. Identify and assess hazards Each task needs to be assessed to determine the potential hazards and associated risk. Workers who perform the tasks should be involved in this process to ensure nothing is overlooked. After the hazards are identified, calculate their risk ratings by asking the following questions:What are the consequences if the hazards are not controlled? What is the probability of an incident occurring? What is the frequency of exposure to the hazard?Prioritize hazards- Using the information created so far, determine the overall risk rating for each task, and rank the tasks in order of priority, based on the level of risk. Sort the tasks from high risk to low risk, and this will give you a critical task list. Determine controls- Address identified hazards by assigning methods of control to eliminate or reduce the hazard. Elimination, engineering, administrative, PPE or a combination of controls can be used for each identified hazard. Review hazard assessments Formal hazard assessments should be dated and subject to a regular review schedule to prevent the development of conditions that may put workers at risk. These reviews should take place annually (at a minimum), or anytime a new process is introduced, a change is made to the operation, or a significant addition or alteration is made to a work site. This blog was written by of Red Deer Alberta which Ok Alone is pleased to share with permission. On-Track Safety Solutions develops company-specific safety documentation, provides online training and manages on-site project safety for small to large companies from the petroleum, transportation, and construction sectors. On-Track Safety can help your company with the creation of a formal hazard assessment that will meet government and partnership requirements. Call our office at 800-440-6650 for more information. www.okaloneworker.com Chemicals in the Workplace Soup Theory for Laboratory Lone Working5 key elements to your fleet safety program Recent Posts about Ok AloneCanadian Privacy Laws Are Your Security Guards Sleeping on the Job? (Security Specific Features of a Lone Worker System) Help alerts with the Ok Alone lone worker solution Video Demo Lone Worker App and Cloud-based Dashboard I Think I Checked-In Maybe not. Know your Status with Ok Alone Get Lone Worker Alerts when your iPhone is on Silent Legislation & Policy for Lone Workers in Yukon The importance of lone worker training and engagement of staff --- ## Lone Worker Protection Uncover Hidden Hazards in the Workplace *December 6, 2023 · Ok Alone* One of the simplest forms of lone worker protection is uncovering hidden hazards in the workplace. When it comes to creating a risk assessment, you'll find that some of the hazards are quite easy to identify. Everyone is aware of the threats of working at height, with electricity, with moving machinery, or with volatile chemicals. Not to mention the slips, trips, and falls can happen virtually anywhere. These types of hazards are common and easy to add to a list. Thinking you've got everything covered can also lead to complacency about the less obvious lone worker protection hazards in the workplace. This is one of the biggest safety mistakes employers can make. These often-overlooked hazards are equally dangerous, if not more, due to their unexpected nature. To truly keep your lone working employees safe, you'll need to dig deeper. Here are some tips on how to uncover the hidden hazards in your workplace. Check accident records Accidents are often repeated, so its worth taking a look at past incidents to identify hazardous conditions and causes of past accidents. You might even notice patterns that will help you devise a better safety strategy. Ask your employees Talk to your employees about what they think the hazards are. They might notice things you don't, or point out particular risks you weren't aware of. For example, there are unique risks experienced by expectant mothers or those with disabilities. Its also a good idea to talk to people who are only in the workplace occasionally, such as maintenance staff, contractors, and the general public. Their fresh first impressions can say a lot about the overall safety of your workplace. Check chemical data sheets and manufacturers instructions These explicitly explain the risks associated with using a product and may offer guidance on how to ensure everyones safety. Think about the non-routine tasks Don't forget jobs don't always go by the book. Sometimes workers need to carry out tasks that are unscheduled or unplanned, and yet need to be completed immediately. So when you're thinking about the risks associated with a particular position, you also need to think about things like maintenance, repair, cleaning, or anything else that may fall outside of normal duties. Contact trade associations If your business is a member of a trade association, get in touch with them. They'll be able to provide you with helpful advice, guidance, and insights into the kinds of lone worker protection safety issues similar businesses are facing. Think long term Don't forget to think about the long-term hazards to health, such as back injuries, exposure to noise, or exposure to high levels of chemicals. You don't need to be a health and safety expert to create a comprehensive risk assessment that's tailored to your lone workers. You do, however, need to understand that lone workers are more vulnerable than staff who work as part of a crew, and that they face special risks. ### Get in the know about Lone Worker Protection To better inform yourself of all aspects of lone worker protection, check out our other blog posts. Or review that latest Canadian lone worker protection legislation. The more you know, the stronger your safety plan will be. www.okaloneworker.com February Newsletter from Ok AloneWork Alone Call Center: What to Look For in a Live Monitoring Service Leave a Comment Cancel replyYou must be logged in to post a comment. Recent Posts about Ok AloneWorkers Compensation- the Safety Net for your Employees Video Demo Lone Worker App and Cloud-based Dashboard Pitfalls of the Buddy System Lone Worker Protection Systems Lone Working Jobs in Ireland Top 5 Features of a Lone Worker App Lone Worker Safety Start & End Shift Alerts for Lone Workers Lone Worker Legislation & Policy for Northern Territories Lone Worker Protection System with 24/7 live monitoring --- ## Sub-Contractors and your Health and Safety Program *December 6, 2023 · Ok Alone* The first myth we need to disburse is that you are somehow not responsible for your sub-contractors health and safety while they are working on your job site or working in your name. This is not even a gray area anymore. For example Workers Compensation Board (WCB) in British Columbia looks at whether the sub-contractor works for anybody else or whether they just work for you. If they just work for you, they are called Dependent Contractors and must be included in your health and safety program. The best way to deal with the sub-contractor situation is to actually have a sub-contractor management plan and state in this plan what you require your sub-contractors to have before they can work for you. Your plan should cover whether you wish them to have their own WCB, their own health, and safety program, whether you want them to be Cor or Se-cor certified. List any additional certifications that you feel they should have In addition to the above requirements, you should also be requesting a clearance letter from them on a quarterly basis as well as a WCB rate sheet on a yearly basis. You will want to compare the rate they are paying versus the industry standard rate. Ideally, they should be paying less than the industry rate, and this will show they operate safely on average. In addition, you should orientate them on what reporting procedures for things like hazards, near misses and incidents. Make them aware that you will require them to attend all job site health and safety meetings or toolbox meetings as your company may call them. If you have not yet developed a sub-contractor management plan you can Google Canada best practices for sub-contractor management and get some helpful tips on how to develop one and what it should include in it. Please remember above all that unless you actually state in a sub-contractor management plan that you are not responsible for a sub-contractor health and safety program and let the sub-contractors know in writing that you are not responsible then you are going to be found responsible by virtue on nondisclosure. In this case, you must tell them in order not to be responsible. If there is no evidence of this, then you will be responsible. Hope this helps clear up the difference between workers and sub-contractors as far as responsibility for health and safety. This blog was written by Blake Cowen of CORtek Safety Solutions in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada which Ok Alone is pleased to share with permission. Cortek Safety is a full-service safety company that offers a very wide range of services across Canada. Whether you have a project, you would like managed by a professional NCSO, or whether you just need something small like a code of practice developed for your company, we have the solutions for you. Our programs are priced competitively and we pride ourselves in only putting into the manuals what you really need. Want to learn more about Canadian Lone Worker Legislation? See our blog https://www.okaloneworker.com/2018/01/canadian-work-alone-legislation/ www.okaloneworker.com Health and Safety Guidelines for Workers Exposed to BiowasteApplying GDPR to Lone Worker Solutions Recent Posts about Ok AloneOk Alone introduces the Lone Worker Safety Awards Inmarsat IsatPhone 2 Satellite Phone Lone Working + Gamification = A Perfect Match Safety Devices and Equipment for Lone Working Zoo Staff Keep Moving with Man Down on our Lone Worker App A collaborative approach to safety strategy in Canadian logistics GPS Monitoring for your Lone Workers with the Ok Alone App --- ## Lone Worker Policy *October 17, 2023 · Ok Alone* If your business employs workers who are not directly supervised and at risk of accident or injury you are required, by law in some jurisdictions and according to occupational health and safety regulations in others, to have a lone worker policy in place to protect them. It is the employers duty to assess risks to lone workers and take steps to avoid or manage the risks. Some companies ignore these obligations and should a worker suffer injury while on duty without lone worker monitoring in place, may face severe consequences. Here are a few lone worker policy options to help keep your employees safe:Change the schedules of lone workers review the working hours of your lone workers, you may be able to adjust them for safety. For example, some businesses have scheduled cleaners to work during office hours, to avoid having them work in an otherwise empty building. This strategy is very effective, where its practical. Use a white board system keep a white board showing the schedules and locations of employees and update it when lone workers call in to verify their safety and whereabouts. The downside of this system is that it works only within business hours and its reliant on whoever is managing the board. If they fall ill or are just too busy the board may be neglected. Work with, or tell a buddy some companies use the buddy system to protect workers, but even though its generally a good idea, its far from fool proof. What happens if both people are injured in an accident, leaving no one able to call for help?What kind of lone worker policy works best? Without a doubt, the best lone worker policy takes advantage of the latest technologies. Ok Alone gives you the control you need within a flexible and comprehensive system that offers multiple check in options including a smartphone app and cell phone call or text check-ins. Lone workers can also check in with a land line or using a satellite enabled device. You decide how you want to have check-ins reported and missed check ins or help requests are managed by the call centre according to your work alone policy. Your employees can also make notes that will help improve your policy and everything can be easily monitored from your console. Compare our lone worker monitoring system with others Ok Alone offers the best value for cost conscious businesses Our flexible plans start at just $8/7 per month, per employee. We can help you craft a lone worker policy and customize a monitoring system perfectly suited to your needs and budget. Contact us for a free trial today. Ok AloneThe Ok Alone team writes informative articles about lone working. Through our articles, we aim to educate readers on the benefits and best practices of using our lone worker app, and how Ok Alone can help mitigate risks and enhance communication between workers and monitors. Learn about other areas including legislation, risk management, and legal compliance plus lone worker features such as man down, high-risk check ins and location monitoring. www.okaloneworker.com Lone Worker Check InLone Worker Safety Lone Worker Legislation --- ## What is the meaning of Lone Worker? *March 10, 2023 · Stacey Manclark* Many industries across the world are recognizing that more and more people are required or are choosing to work on their own these days. As a result of that, those people are referred to as lone workers. What does Lone Worker mean? The definition of a lone worker is when work is done in a location where the employee can't physically see or be seen by another person or talk to or be heard by another person. This is often true for those people who work in remote locations and are at a higher risk of workplace accidents. Who is a lone worker? Lots of industries have staff who are frequently required to work entirely on their own or alone with members of the public:Postal staff Social worker, Social service worker Repair staff Construction worker Care workers, Community workers Forestry workers Shop workers, Food delivery workers Self-employed people Delivery drivers, taxi drivers, truck drivers Estate agentsThis often puts workers in danger of physical violence or in violent situations. Many countries and states have lone worker legislation that mandate employers must carry out a lone worker risk assessment to ensure staff are protected. The safety legislation should focus on potential risks to employee safety when lone working and should result in a company wide Lone Worker Policy. Here is a list of definitions of other terms that are frequently linked to people who work alone. What does Worker Tracking/Monitoring mean? Lone worker monitoring is a way for companys to know where their workers are and that they are safe when there cannot be direct supervision. This is often done using a specific lone worker device or through a Smartphone app. Tracking should only be done during a workers shift (their regular business hours) and only when necessary, for instance if a worker has not checked in or has requested help. What does Check In mean? If a worker is alone for the duration of their shift then it is necessary for them to check in to let their supervisors know they are all right. This should be done throughout the shift at regular intervals and at the end of their shift. Checking in can be done by phone call, text message, an app or personal assistant device. What does Monitor mean? A Monitor is the person who receives the check in from a lone worker and should be in regular contact with them throughout their work day. They are also the person who would get any help requests during a shift if a worker was in trouble. They may be monitoring one individual or a group of lone workers. What does Live Monitoring mean? Sometimes your Monitor isn't available if your workers shift is outside of normal office hours or on weekends. Live monitoring connects to a call centre that is manned 24 hours a day, seven days a week to ensure there is someone to receive check ins and help requests at all times. What does Escalation Procedure mean? Every lone worker needs to have an individual escalation procedure. These are the emergency procedures showing what to do and who to contact in what order if a worker fails to check in and can't be reached or requests immediate assistance due to physical injury or the threat of violence. Want to Try the Ok Alone App? Ok Alone is a lone worker monitoring solution that uses a workers own smartphone to protect their health and safety. The lone worker app connects to a cloud-based dashboard that allows a monitor to oversee the well being of their workers and get a precise real time GPS location if a worker is in distress. To find out more about Ok Alone visit us at www.okaloneworker.com or on our About Page or email us at [email protected] www.okaloneworker.com/author/staceymanclark/ Working from Home Tips from the Ok Alone TeamHow do I keep Lone Workers Safe? Cloud-based Dashboard for Lone Worker Monitoring How Desktop Panic Buttons Work What Artificial Intelligence thinks of Ok Alone --- ## Lone worker alarms and escalation procedures Ok Alone Worker *March 8, 2023 · Ok Alone* An escalation procedure is one of the most important elements of your workplace safety policy. Its an action plan that outlines exactly what to do when a lone worker calls for help, or when they're overdue, unaccounted for, and non-contactable. The support team needs to react quickly when lone worker alarms go off, and they must follow particular steps to ensure a favourable outcome. It might sound simple, but its not easy to remember all of the important details, especially during an emergency. And to make things more complicated, different employees often require different escalation procedures. Before you get started on an escalation procedure, you'll need to gather some basic information about your workplace and your employees: ### Risk Assessment In order to create a proactive escalation procedure that actually works, you first need to understand the risks associated with the work being carried out. Take the following into consideration:Worker experience Location Time of day Proximity of safety systems (fire alarms, fire extinguishers, telephones, other workers, etc.) What are the hazards? (Explosive materials, pressurized gas, or hazardous chemicals, for example) Are there any hidden hazards? How serious the consequences could be (Minor cuts, serious injury, or fatality, for example) Previous accidents in the line of workUnderstanding all of the risks, including how they change based upon various factors, will help you decide the best way to respond in case of an emergency. Choose a monitor Next, you must appoint one or more employee monitors to act as the workers support team. The monitor should be someone who can respond the fastest, and who knows the risks the worker is facing. Monitors are most often the workers line manager, but can also be a senior manager, another employee, a family member, or a live monitoring service supplied by a 24/7 call centre. Your chosen monitor needs to receive alerts and to have access to all escalation procedures. Employee contact information You must also determine the best way to contact the employee directly. Most workers carry a smartphone with them, so get their phone number. Once you have that, you need to figure out how many times to call them, how long to wait between calls, and what voicemail message to leave. You can also add in additional details that could help locate the worker, such as the type of car they're driving. Secondary contact information If you can't establish contact with the employee, who do you contact next? Is there a manager close by who can physically go check on them? Or does it make more sense to call a friend or family member? Whoever you choose, make sure they're nearby, available, and informed of their responsibilities. When to call emergency responders Your escalation procedure should clearly state when to call for additional help. Monitors should be able to give police, ambulance, and other emergency response teams detailed information about the employee, such as their location, their last recorded check in, and the risks they could be facing. Review your procedures Its vital that you keep detailed records of every workplace emergency, from both employee and management perspectives. Take note of not only how the situation began, but also how it was resolved. By reviewing your records, you can use your new insights to update your safety procedures where necessary. Do you struggle with creating well-written and properly assigned escalation procedures? Then you should look for a lone worker safety system with a built-in escalation wizard. With just a few simple steps, you'll have a robust emergency plan that's easy to follow and even easier to maintain. If youd like to learn more about creating great escalation procedures, head over to our best features page. Its just one of the five popular choices you'll discover. www.okaloneworker.com Work Alone Call Center: What to Look For in a Live Monitoring ServiceHR Strategies to Promote Lone Worker Safety Ok Alone Worker --- ## Using Focus Groups to Gather Risk Information for a Lone Worker Policy *March 8, 2023 · Ok Alone* Using Focus Groups to Gather Risk Information for Your Lone Worker Safety Policy Most often, the process of gathering risk information for your lone worker safety policy begins in a general sort of way. You might make a list of the obvious hazards, observe your employees in their working environments, or carry out a short and simple survey to get a better sense of the unique risks your lone employees face. Chances are, these methods will uncover a number of areas worth exploring in more detail. One of the best ways to get to the root of these newly exposed safety issues is to put together employee focus groups. In these small and safe group settings, employees will feel at ease and will be more likely to freely share detailed information and deep insights about the role safety plays in lone worker policy and procedure. Who should run the focus groups? All focus groups should be run by two moderators: one who facilitates the discussion, and another who records the conversation, takes notes (on body language, for example), and helps keep track of time. You don't necessarily have to hire someone outside of your organization to facilitate the focus groups. It often works to use a neutral party like a human resources professional or even someone from a different department, as long as they have knowledge of the subject and can listen attentively and remain unbiased. Just be sure they aren't a direct superior and that no conflicts of interest will get in the way of an honest and comfortable discussion. How big should a focus group be? In general, focus groups should have between 6 and 12 participants. Having too few people will stifle the discussion, and having too many could lead to chaos. That said, it all depends on the size of your business. For smaller organizations, it might work better to speak with the entire staff rather than leave a few members out. For larger organizations, its best to break it up. How many focus groups do I need? If a particular safety issue is complex and affects many lone employees across a range of departments/roles, you'll need at least two focus groups (but no more than four). For issues that pertain to more specific areas of the business, one focus group should do the trick. Who should be in the focus groups? The groups should consist of lone employees who share the same safety challenges, and who have similar authority levels (employees could be uncomfortable talking freely in front of their managers or supervisors). How should the conversation flow? The facilitator should warm up the group by first introducing general questions about the topic of safety. Are the employees aware that lone workers face unique risks? Do they understand the need for a lone worker safety policy? Do they currently feel safe in the workplace? Next, the facilitator should ask follow-up questions to gradually begin to hone in on the issue(s) at hand. After the key questions are tackled, the discussion should end with suggestions for improvement and subsequent actions. All questions should feel natural, be open ended, and only address one issue at a time. What's next? After your focus groups have concluded, its time to take action. Have the meetings transcribed and summarized, then set aside a block of time to go over all the information at once. Look for common themes (hazards, questions, problems, etc.) and record your findings. Then, make a plan to eliminate as many of these issues as possible, whether its by removing risks entirely, taking measures to control risks, improving training, or clarifying lone worker policy and procedure. Even after all your precautions, its likely that some risks will still remain. So, what you need to do next is compile the information and include it in your lone worker risk assessment as part of your lone working policy: the hazards that exist, the people they may affect, the possible outcomes, and the control measures in place. Focus groups are a key way to collect risk data for your lone worker safety policy, but they're only a piece of the puzzle. So, talk to your employees often, hold regular meetings, review all safety incidents, and update your policy regularly. And of course, keep yourself informed of all the latest and most effective tips, tools, and technology. Interested in comparing the many safety monitoring systems out there? Download our free comparison guide and see which system suits your needs best. www.okaloneworker.com Ok Alone PresentationWork Alone Safety: Creating a Safe Space for Fixed-Site Lone Workers Recent Posts about Ok AloneWill I have to Self-isolate or self-quarantine? Dos and Donts for Lone Workers Learn about Safety for the UKs Electrician Lone Workers How to keep your HVAC Lone Workers Safe Ok Alone has Partnered with what3words to Help Protect Lone Workers Illinois and Chicago Lone Worker Legislation Ok Alones gift to you FREE access for fund raisers --- ## I Think I Checked-In Maybe not. Know your Status with Ok Alone *March 8, 2023 · Ok Alone* Looking for ideas to improve your safety policies? This month you get two articles that take a interesting approaches. Marketing teams use them all the time, so why can't Safety Departments too? Focus groups can provide powerful insights into the risks your teams face. This article gives you practical advice for using focus groups effectively. Use focus groups to assess risk for your safety policyFavourite customer feature of the month: Worker status check Have you ever meant to checked-in by calling from your phone or using an SMS message, but then got distracted and forgot whether you did or not? You are not a lone. It happens, even to the best of us. Ok Alone has a handy feature that lets your lone workers confirm their current working status at any time with a simply phone call or text message.. HOT TIP: Ending your shift in an area with poor coverage? Send a quick text and get confirmation before you head off to your big night out. See how knowing your status reduced fall alarmsThe Ok Alone Team www.okaloneworker.com Know your working status with Ok AloneAre you looking out for the mental health of your lone workers? Recent Posts about Ok AloneLone worker alarms and escalation procedures Ok Alone Worker Reducing Workplace Accidents Personality Type and Motivation When Using Gamification in the Workplace Improving the Safety of Employees who Drive for Work Falling Short: The High Cost of Neglecting Safety in the UK Construction Industry Using Ok Alones charts to coach your team on safety Top 10 Features of our Lone Worker App Social Distancing for Lone Workers I Think I Checked-In - Maybe not. Know your Status with Ok Alone - Ok Alone --- ## What does lone worker risk really mean? *March 8, 2023 · Ok Alone* We often hear about lone worker risk. Its talked about in a generic sort of way you are on your own, so you're at more risk. While this is true, its less common to see these risks broken down into meaningful categories that can be analysed. This article does just that and gives you some additional structure to consider as you develop your lone worker health and safety strategies and risk assessments. Lets start by breaking risk down into three categories. Accidents In general, accident simply means an unplanned or unexpected event that causes harm or damage. From a workplace perspective, as you consider potential risks, that means looking at where people could slip, trip or fall. For example, your lunch room cafeteria or coffee room may have a beautifully tiled floor which is safe when its dry, but what happens if someone spills their drink? Does the surface suddenly become incredibly slippery? Does your health and safety policy need to have a special provision to cover the event of liquids being spilled on the floor and what to do about it? In addition to the written policy, do physical items such as, pylons, rope, rags, sawdust or caution signs need to be kept in the area to deal with the problem. Illness We most often think of illness as waking up with the flu or a bad cold and calling in sick that day. This however, only covers some of the ways a person can suddenly become ill. For example, simply leaning forward and standing up too quickly can cause a loss of blood pressure in your head. Dizziness or short term unconsciousness can result. Coming in contact with an allergen or unexpected toxic fumes can cause people to become incapacitated. There are also many documented cases of people being the victim of unexpected heart attacks or strokes, all of which can happen in the work place. Understanding the wellbeing of your staff will help you assess how much danger these risks pose. This is why health and safety teams need to work closely with human resource professionals as you develop your internal risk assessments for each job. Attack Its unfortunate, but violence in the workplace is real. At its most basic level, workplace violence means any action or threat that can reasonably be expected to result in harm or injury to the employee. Angry customers fit that description. So would the recipient of a road rage attack or an irate supplier. These kinds of attacks are often covered in a bullying and harassment policy, but its worth keeping this in mind as you look at lone worker safety policy too. The consequences can be severe and include decreased job satisfaction and performance, lower morale, and a public perception that this isn't a safe place to work, none of which is good. This should give some ideas as you assess your own lone worker risk. Want more help? Why not download our free Lone Worker Safety Monitoring Risk Assessment Guide now? www.okaloneworker.com How does health and safety fit with working alone?Lone worker health and safety : Who is at risk? Recent Posts about Ok AloneDiscover how to find Hidden Hazards at Work and Keep your Team Safe Social Distancing for Lone Workers Work-related fatal injuries in Great Britain 2023 Legislation for Lone Working in British Columbia Lone Working Legislation & Policy in Australia Using Ok Alones charts to coach your team on safety The California Consumer Privacy Act Thuraya SatSleeve+ Satellite Phone --- ## What makes a great escalation procedure? *March 8, 2023 · Ok Alone* Whether its for missed check-ins or help alerts, everyone who works alone or in isolation needs a written escalation procedure telling the support team what to do. That sounds easy enough, but often different employees require different approaches. So what are some of the key elements every escalation procedure should include? 1. Establish how to contact the employee In many cases, the person will be carrying a smart phone, so the natural thing would be to call them, assuming your procedure has their personal number in it. Now the question is how many times do you call them? How long do you wait between calls? What voicemail message do you leave? A good escalation procedure should include these details. 2. Determine what additional support is now required Once you've established the person is not responding, you want to have a clear plan on what to do next. This step very much depends on your work environment. For example, it may make sense to contact an on-site manager and ask them to check on the unresponsive person. Alternatively, it may be more appropriate to contact the workers spouse or home. Let your context guide you, but make sure you have a plan for someone near-by to investigate the situation. 3. Set rules for when to call emergency services Police and ambulance services already have heavy demands placed on them. As a result, some have implemented fees for too many false alarms. Make sure you know the rules for calling your local emergency services and ensure these are added as the last step of your procedure. In summary, an escalation procedure tells you who and how to contact your lone worker in the event of an incident, what actions should be taken if you cannot make contact with them and when to stop taking action because the issue is being resolved. Ok Alone give you the flexibility to all of that and more. Why not see how this could work for you now by signing up for our 7 day free trial? www.okaloneworker.com Single point of contact made easyI have GPS, What else do I need? An app for my lone workers? More on Escalation ProceduresSetting up an Escalation Procedure with Ok Alone Lone worker alarms and escalation procedures Ok Alone Worker The Ok Alone Guide to Escalation Procedures for Lone Workers --- ## Ok Alone has Partnered with what3words to Help Protect Lone Workers *February 28, 2023 · Stacey Manclark* We've added what3words to our lone worker system to provide an alternative way of describing a workers last know location. what3words is a simple way to identify precise locations. Every 3 metre square has been given a unique combination of three words. For example, the exact location of Parliament Hill, London can be found at ///tower.defeat.land what3words addresses are as accurate as GPS coordinates, but easier to communicate and share over the phone or radio. Its the simplest way to communicate a precise location to team members across the business. Learn more about how it works here: https://bit.ly/2zOA46aMany companies and emergency services around the world are using what3words to locate people in emergencies, our integration means that any last know location for a worker can easily be translated into a what3words location. Learn more about Ok Alone and what3words www.okaloneworker.com/author/staceymanclark/ How the Ok Alone Lone Worker System WorksLone Worker Legislation & Policy for Australian Capital Territory Recent Posts about Ok AloneStreamline Your Workflow by Integrating a Lone Worker App Security Guard Lone Worker Policy and Hazard Assessment Lone Working with Google Home from Ok Alone Activating the Discreet Lone Worker Alarm on an iPhone New Jerseys Hotel Lone Worker Legislation Canadian Privacy Laws Ofsted Guidelines for Lone Working in Schools --- # Wellbeing, Safety Culture and Engagement ## How to Manage Lone Worker Safety *December 6, 2023 · Ok Alone* The 2008 murder of realtor Lindsay Buziak while showing a property in Victoria, BC, Canada is a disturbing example of why you need to manage the safety of your lone workers. There are many sales industry professionals who may be at risk when working alone; realtors showing homes, car salespeople taking customers for a test drive, and all sorts of outside sales workers who travel to visit clients and prospects. All of whom work alone or in isolation without reliable safety systems supporting them. Sending your team out on sales calls without a lone worker safety device is just not acceptable anymore, not when there are affordable safety solutions available at ever decreasing prices. ### Effective, Affordable Lone Worker Safety Solutions for the Sales Industry When you think about it, why would the best salespeople stay with a company that disregards their personal safety? They won't. Competition for great sales professionals is stiff, and showing your staff that you care about them by providing a lone worker safety solution is one way to improve morale and increase retention of your best salespeople. Why choose Ok Alone? Our system is flexible and so easy to implement and use that it actually gets used! Your sales force will be safe when working alone, protected through automated or live monitoring on a check in schedule that you can set and easily change according to your needs. And at very affordable prices starting at $8/7 per person per month. Contact us Most people are up and running in ten minutes or less. Why not sign up for a free trial now and see for yourself. www.okaloneworker.com Does your team really need a lone worker safety system?Favourite Feature High Risk Check-ins Recent Posts about Ok AloneWhat People think of the Ok Alone Lone Worker App How Ok Alone is used by Schools, Tutors and Teachers for Lone Working Live Monitoring with our Work Alone Call Centre Work Alone Devices Available for your Lone Workers A collaborative approach to safety strategy in Canadian logistics OSHA + Legislation & Policy for Lone Workers in the USA Reminder Alerts from Ok Alone --- ## Health and Safety working aloneHow does health and safety fit with working alone? *March 8, 2023 · Ok Alone* Health and safety is a term that's been around for a long time. The general topic covers a wide range of activities from working with hazardous materials to agriculture. Health and safety legislation requires employers, amongst other things, to make sure all reasonable risks in the workplace have been reviewed and mitigated as much as possible. One situation that has special risks associate with it is working alone. Health and safety issues to consider for working aloneEnsure to appoint one or more monitors for each worker. It seems obvious, but when someone is working alone, they need a competent person who can take action in an emergency. This person does not have to be onsite, but they do need to be able to call on local resources to resolve the situation quickly Set check-in frequency to match risk. Your risk assessment gives you an overall rating for your lone workers activities. For simplicity, lets use low, medium and high as the rankings. In this context, you could decide low risk people check-in every 4 hours, medium risk every 2 hours and high risk every hour. Have a clear health and safety policy. The policy doesn't have to long or complicated, but it should include a statement of intent, who is responsible for what actions, and identify the various issues/remedial actions identified by your hazard assessment. Consult with staff. The people doing the work are often best placed to know where potential problems can occur. In many countries, getting worker agreement is a mandatory requirement of your overall work alone safety procedures. Consultation also shows commitment to a strong health and safety culture, which is a very powerful tool. Stress and mental health. With lone workers not always in view, its especially important to pay attention to signs of stress or mental health issues. One of the most common indicators of something being wrong is an unusually high sick absence rate. Drugs and alcohol. Alcohol has long been banned from use in the workplace, but in Canada at least, there is the risk from the legalisation of marijuana. A potential sign that drugs and alcohol may be being used at work are an increase in minor accidents. Pay particularly close attention to the accident reports of your lone workers. Promoting healthy life choices. Given points 5 and 6, promoting healthy living choices is a low cost way to improve the health and safety of those working alone. Fit, healthy and alert employees will perform better, show up for work regularly and have fewer accidents. Identify part time lone workers. In many cases, people end up working alone without realising it. For example, have you ever stayed late to complete that project and found yourself locking up for the evening. Under most rules, this would qualify you as working alone. Situations like this should be identified in your risk assessment and picked up in your safety policy. Looking for help with your risk assessment? Why not download our free risk assessment free guide? www.okaloneworker.com Why Experiential Training is a Key Part of your Lone Worker SolutionWhat does lone worker risk really mean? Recent Posts about Ok AloneWorking Alone Safety Tip for Realtors and Estate Agents Why Ok Alone is your Lone Worker Solution Personal Alarm: for When You're Working Alone Canadian Privacy Laws Simple safety advice for women driving alone Lone Working in Schools Lone Worker Legislation & Policy for Australian Capital Territory Monitor driver safety away from the vehicle Lone worker protection technology for mining teams --- ## HR Strategies to Promote Lone Worker Safety Ok Alone Worker *March 8, 2023 · Ok Alone* Human resource professionals play a vital role in ensuring the health and safety of lone workers. Of course its not their exclusive domain (health and safety is everyones business), but they are equipped with exceptional communication skills that can help mitigate the risks associated with working alone. Its not easy to start a conversation about safety, but its one that needs to happen on a regular basis. Why? Beyond compliance, safety is an investment in the business. In safe and supportive work environments, there is an increase in:Employer and employee morale Retention of talented employees Productivity Quality of serviceAnd, a decrease in:Costs associated with injuries and illnessesHere are a few ways to ease into the topic of lone worker safety: Utilize all possible resources OHS guidelines, safety committees, training seminars”these are all essential resources that can enhance the safety culture of any workplace. But for lone workers, who are far removed from other employees, one of the best ways to spark conversation is through the safety technology itself. An employee uses a lone worker app throughout their entire shift. Its a real, tangible lifeline and a connection to the outside world in case an emergency happens. But its more than that. This important piece of technology is also a reassuring symbol for people that their employer values their health and safety just as much as other workers. And, it can also act as a jumping off point for a more in-depth discussion about safety responsibilities. For example, activity charts, which are based around objective measures and behaviours, can be used in performance reviews to discuss safety behaviours. Keep an open line of communication Because lone workers are away from others, they may feel disconnected from their company, its culture, and its core staff. That's why its so important for the HR department to maintain open and ongoing communication with their remote employees. This special class of worker should feel extra comfortable talking about their work environment and reporting unsafe practices and conditions. So, don't be afraid to touch base often, give regular feedback, hold frequent meetings, ask questions, and be a mediator between management and workers where necessary. Coordinate with other departments Most HR staff members don't know the technical aspects of workplace health and safety (nor should they have to), but what they do know is the workplace, the employees, and the unique risks associated with various roles. With this knowledge, the HR department can help align the safety goals of various departments. The result will be a successful, company-wide safety plan that addresses the practical concerns of not just lone workers, but all workers company-wide. Looking for more ways to improve lone worker safety in your workplace? Then head over to our blog for helpful tips, advice, and insights. www.okaloneworker.com Lone worker alarms and escalation procedures Ok Alone WorkerDiscover how to find Hidden Hazards at Work and Keep your Team Safe Recent Posts about Ok AloneThe Role of a Lone Worker System in Protecting Your Employees and Creating a Safer Workplace Desktop On Screen Panic Button for Lone Workers Lone Worker Legislation & Policy for the UK GPS Technology Isn't Enough Lone Worker Safety What is Lone Working and other Relevant Questions WhatsApp Available for Ok Alone Lone Worker Notifications Legislation & Policy for Lone Workers in Alberta Lone Working in the Cannabis Industry --- ## Are you looking out for the mental health of your lone workers? *March 8, 2023 · Ok Alone* When it comes to assessing the risks associated with working alone, its easy to focus on the physical dangers that can easily set off a lone worker alarm or man down alarm. Heights, loud noises, chemicals, extreme temperatures, tripping hazards”these are all things you can see, hear, and feel. But under the surface, there's a lot more going on than meets the eye. According to research from the British Occupational Health Research Foundation (BOHRF), remote/mobile workers are a hot spot for stress. In fact, 64% of remote and mobile workers reported symptoms of psychological distress. Why? Isolation, poor communication, low decision authority, job insecurity, and unclear roles, just to name a few of the many complex links. Stress is a legitimate health and safety issue for lone workers of all ages, genders, and experience levels, across all industries. Stress has been shown to increase chronic fatigue and decrease attention span, which interferes with safe work practices and sets the stage for injuries at work. And for lone workers, who are physically isolated from colleagues, supervisors, and emergency personnel, this is an especially serious concern. Without the right controls in place, a lone worker panic alarm may be triggered and the consequences could be dire. To help managers better support their lone workers mental health and well-being, the BOHRF put together some practical recommendations. Here are a few of their top tips to implement in the workplace: Encourage an active lifestyle Its a well-known fact that exercise is good for both the body and the mind. It reduces stress hormones and stimulates the production of endorphins, leaving you more relaxed and able to cope with your day-to-day tasks. Sounds like a simple fix, but its hard enough to encourage in-house workers to jump on the fitness wagon, never mind those who work in isolated or remote conditions. A lunchtime running group or yoga class just isn't possible, nor are active corporate outings. So, you'll have to think creatively and come up with some more unconventional ideas. A subsidized gym membership can work in some cases (if the lone worker is mobile, choose a gym with multiple locations within their working territory). Or, you could boost engagement and accountability by equipping your workers with a wearable fitness tracker or app and setting up a virtual team that anyone in the company can join (to streamline technology, the app can be installed on the same device as your employees lone worker man down alarm system). Members can participate in special challenges, receive incentives based on activity levels, and share their photos, tips, and statistics on a regular basis. Make contact a priority Lone workers often feel dislocated from their workplace, their peers, and the work culture in general. That's why its so important to keep the communication flowing. Managers should contact employees regularly (not only when there is a problem!) and build up trust so employees will do the same. Also, make sure lone workers check calls regularly and are in touch with their colleagues frequently, either by phone during a normal working day, or face to face at meetings and training courses. Even with the best intentions, some communication (particularly the ad-hoc variety) doesn't get passed on to lone workers. To prevent this, you can assign each worker an in-house communication contact to keep workers up to date, and also encourage managers to use mass communication, such as forums or group emails, whenever possible. Clarify decision-making levels of authority Lone workers are just that”alone. Employers trust them to manage their own time and their own tasks, and to make their own decisions when necessary. But to ensure their own health and safety, workers need to feel capable of making those decisions and know how far their authority goes before they have to consult a manager or activate their lone worker alarm. To accomplish this, you must first ensure your workers are properly trained in all aspects of their position, understand the risks involved, and know what to do in case of an emergency. And, you must have a comprehensive lone working procedure in place that outlines exactly when workers should consult a manager. Review all the training, policies, and procedures regularly, and update them often. Healthy workers are the key to a safe and productive workplace. Check out our blog for more lone worker safety tips, or explore the many safety features of our lone worker app by signing up for a free 7-day trial. www.okaloneworker.com I Think I Checked-In Maybe not. Know your Status with Ok AloneWhy Experiential Training is a Key Part of your Lone Worker Solution Recent Posts about Ok AloneThe Importance of Lone Worker Monitoring: Ensuring Safety and Compliance in the Modern Workplace Top 5 Features of a Lone Worker App 3 Safety Considerations for Land Surveyors Who Work Alone Lone Working in Care Homes Lone Worker Monitoring System What is the meaning of Lone Worker? Future of Health and Safety Conference 2016 Lone Worker Protection Systems --- ## 5 tips for Managing Workplace Stress Lone worker Safety System *March 8, 2023 · Ok Alone* We all face stress on the job and when your workplace stress is not acknowledged and managed, it can lead to physical and emotional illness as well as reduced performance and productivity. How well you manage your workplace stress depends on how you are able (or unable!) to address it. Compounding the problem, if you work alone, without the security of co-workers to share the workload and watch your back, your stress levels may go through the roof! Here are 5 tips for managing your workplace stress:Talk about it! Don't keep your concerns to yourself if you think that your working conditions are unsafe or that your workload is unmanageable, talk with your co-workers about how to change the aspects that worry you bring your supervisor into the conversation too. Come to work prepared to do your job. Coping with workplace stress by blowing off steam during your off-hours can be dangerous. Showing up to the job site worse for wear because you were up late, overdoing the socializing, could increase your risk of injury. Getting enough sleep, good nutrition and regular exercise will keep you sharp. This advice is particularly critical for shift workers. Prioritize your tasks. Decide which jobs are critical and perform them first, if possible. Break down big jobs into logical steps and undertake to achieve each one safely and thoroughly. Delegate responsibilities where appropriate. Think positively! When negative thoughts intrude, turn them around perhaps by seeing some humour in a difficult situation. You can't control everything, especially other peoples actions and reactions, so learn to let it go rather than stressing out. Take advantage of stress reducing tools, like our safety system for lone workers. Whether you are working by yourself out in the field, delivering home care services in a private residence or performing tasks in an isolated position at a high risk job site, you will feel less stressed if you know that help is as close as a button on your cell phone. Simple, effective safety and security technology Ok Alones lone worker monitoring system is so easy to use it will only take a few minutes to download the smartphone app and set up your check-in process. And the cost is so reasonable as low as 4.00 / $5.00 per month per worker. Not sure the boss will go for it? Ask about our free trial. www.okaloneworker.com Keeping Home Care Nurses Safe with a Lone Worker Safety AppThe Most Common Workplace Safety Policy Violations Recent Posts about Ok AloneGet Lone Worker Alerts when your iPhone is on Silent Ensuring Safety in the Workplace with Employee Safety Monitoring from Ok Alone Top 5 Features of a Lone Worker App OSHA + Legislation & Policy for Lone Workers in the USA Simple safety advice for women driving alone Ok Alone Integration with the V.ALRT Panic Button How to Recognise and Avoid Aggressive Driving --- ## Lone Worker Safety Award Rankings for Companies and Lone Workers *February 28, 2023 · Stacey Manclark* Ok Alone investigated the engagement of lone workers actively using their lone worker systems. Our research found that motivating a workforce to think and act safely by encouraging worker involvement and collaboration can be achieved. The main way to encourage this is by creating a sense of competitiveness and comradery around the companys main goal, keeping their people safe. As a direct result of our findings, Ok Alone developed and released their Safety Awards program. How do the Safety Awards work? Every month each workers Ok Alone activity is reviewed, and they are awarded a number of badges for features used and milestones reached. A score out of 100 is awarded to each worker. This takes into account a number of safety factors including missed check ins, location monitoring, shift starts and check in reminders. Workers are then able to compare their ranking in relation to other workers in their company, their country and around the world. Lone worker safety badges. How can Workers Improve their Ranking within their Company? To get a ranking, workers must have completed some shifts in the Ok Alone system. The more workers use the system and stay safe, the higher their score will be. To start getting the highest scores, a worker must be using the app at least 3 times a week for shifts of 2 hours or more. Frequently using different features of the Ok Alone system will also increase a workers ranking. How is the Company Ranking Calculated? Company rankings show how your companys safety scores compare to other companies in your country and around the world. To calculate your company score, we take the average of your top 5 workers for the month. To be included in the ranking you must have at least 5 workers with a score higher than 0. If you are not in Canada, The United Kingdom, The United States or Australia we include you in the Rest of the World and your country ranking will compare with countries such as New Zealand, Norway, Malaysia, Germany and other countries in the Ok Alone global community. Lone worker safety award rankings for Canada and World wide. Why is this Helpful? Companies are able to see their workers positions within the company ranking and see who is making an effort to help create a positive safety culture. Management will then be able to provide regular feedback and positive affirmation. Thus increasing worker morale and helping to instil a feeling of ownership for staff who are participating in the program. www.okaloneworker.com/author/staceymanclark/ Ok Alone Saves Lone Workers Life!Personal Alarm: for When You're Working Alone Recent Posts about Ok AloneWho is a Lone Worker? Ok Alone Presentation Lone Worker Protection Live Monitoring with our Work Alone Call Centre How to Recognise and Avoid Aggressive Driving Simple safety advice for women driving alone --- ## The Benefits of Gamification for Increasing Employee Engagement *February 28, 2023 · Stacey Manclark* Employee engagement and productivity are complicated ideas. These are things that often start to diminish after people have been in their position for a year. There is however something that can be done to alter this course, gamification. The simplest definition of gamification is: a process for integrating game mechanics into something that already exists to motivate participation, engagement and loyalty. Gamification introduces game design elements into non-game applications to make them more fun and engaging. It uses competition, points, achievement, rules of play, status and self-expression to encourage actions through positive feedback. A major factor of successful gamification in the workplace is identifying your desired business needs and offering a range of rewards and recognition that will motivate people to achieve them. Successful programs offer a wide range of motivators tailored to personal preferences, including opportunities to learn and gain confidence, recognition from others in the workplace, rewards, competition and other incentives. ### Success in Business One example of a business who have succeeded in gamification is Fitbit. They have effectively gamified fitness by enabling users to collect badges and earn rewards based on their levels of physical activity and the achievement of their health goals. Fitbit even provides digital tools that allow users to compete in challenges with family, friends or co-workers to see who can accumulate the most steps in a given time frame. In short, Fitbit isn't just a wearable device, but a gamified platform that leverages design and psychology to drive desired outcomes around fitness. Ok Alone, a popular lone working solution, had heard from clients that they wanted their workers to be more engaged with their system. So, Ok Alones wonderful development team added aspects of gamification to their app and created the Safety Awards. ### Safety Awards Safety Awards add an element of fun and competition to staying safe throughout each shift. Workers are encouraged to use features of the safety app and check in at specified intervals, so supervisors know they are all right. Through completing these tasks workers earn badges and points that give them a position on their companys leader board. Introducing elements of gamification can increase staff engagement and active employee participation in maintaining safety standards. Gamification of safety tasks can help to create a positive safety culture within a company. Using a safety solution that has frequent check ins, allows staff to call for help, can locate workers in an emergency and creates a sense of competitiveness and camaraderie, all while focusing on keeping people safe, is the one your workers want. To find out more about the Safety Awards or start a free trial of the lone worker solution, visit www.okaloneworker.com https://smallbiztrends.com/2017/07/what-is-gamification.htmlhttps://www.adp.com/spark/articles/2017/07/gamification-in-the-workplace-how-to-boost-productivity-and-engagement.aspx# www.okaloneworker.com/author/staceymanclark/ Lone Working with Siri on your iPhoneThe Positive Impact of Gamification on Engagement at Work Recent Posts about Ok AloneChemicals in the Workplace Soup Theory for Laboratory Lone Working Start & End Shift Alerts for Lone Workers Work Alone Safety: Creating a Safe Space for Fixed-Site Lone Workers Cloud-based Dashboard for Lone Worker Monitoring Situation Not Normal Is Your Mind on Your Driving? Lone Worker Legislation & Policy for Tasmania Lone Worker Legislation & Policy for Queensland Simple safety advice for women driving alone High Risk Check-ins from Ok Alone --- ## Is Lone Working Dangerous and other Questions *February 28, 2023 · Stacey Manclark* Ok Alone is one of the highest-rated lone worker solutions and because of this we get lots of questions about and from lone workers. A lot of people also search on Google about lone working. People ask who lone workers are, what are the risks of lone working, how do they stay safe and much more here are our answers. 1. What does working alone mean? There are many similar definitions of a lone worker. One of the clearest definitions is when work is done in a location where the employee cannot physically see or be seen by another person or talk to or be heard by another person. This scenario of isolation means a person could go hours without interacting with other people. 2. Can an employee work alone? Employees are legally allowed to work alone. There is nothing specific in general legislation that prohibits a person from working alone. However, employers need to assess situations on a case by case basis. Some situations such as pregnancy or existing disability/medical conditions may stop a person safely working alone or affect a persons ability to complete tasks alone or in isolation. 3. How do you stay motivated when working alone? One way to stay motivated is with Ok Alones Safety Awards. It is an engaging system that uses a lone worker system to compete with colleagues and companies across the world. The program recognises Ok Alone feature usage or when a worker completes a safe shift and rewards them with badges, points and rankings. This has been proven to boost worker morale and foster positive inter-team or individual competition. 4. Is working alone bad for mental health? Lone workers often feel dislocated from their workplace, their peers, and the work culture in general. That is why it is so important to keep up regular communication. Managers should contact employees regularly not only when there is a problem. It is also a good idea for lone workers to stay in touch with their colleagues frequently, either by phone during a normal working day, or face to face at meetings and training courses. You could assign each lone worker an in-house communication contact to keep them up to date, and encourage managers to use mass communication, such as forums or group emails, whenever possible. Working alone can be difficult, but there are ways was to make it easier. If working from home, it helps to set up a designated work station. Somewhere in your home specifically designated to do your work. It will also help to have a set routine for your day a start time, set lunch time and finishing time. 5. Why is Lone Working dangerous? Lone working is considered to be dangerous because you do not have colleagues to turn to if something goes wrong. This puts lone workers at a higher risk of being involved in an incident and not being able to get help. Lone workers often travel for work. Either completely on their own (driving), or to the homes/offices/warehouses of other people as health visitors, delivery people, technicians etc. Lone workers may also do manual work in occupations (farming, forestry, construction), that are more dangerous. As they are carrying out their tasks in isolation there is a greater possibility they become injured. As these workers do not have work mates close at hand, there is no one to administer first aid or summon emergency services. 6. How do you keep a lone worker safe? The best way to keep lone workers safe and protected is to use a lone worker solution. The most convenient solutions use hardware, like smartphones, that lone workers already possess. Using a smartphone app allows workers to check in with their companies on a regular basis to show they are all right. 7. How do you stay safe when working alone? This is best done through automated systems that use a countdown timer to remind workers to check in. If they fail to check in the system contacts their supervisors to let them know this person may be in trouble. More Questions What is Lone Working and other QuestionsWhat is a Lone Worker Policy and other Questions www.okaloneworker.com/author/staceymanclark/ Protect your Lone Workers with a Spot Device and Ok AloneTop 10 Features of our Lone Worker App Recent Posts about Ok AloneLone Working with Amazon Alexa & Echo Devices from Ok Alone About our Work Alone System Keeping your Lone Workers Safe How Municipalities use Ok Alone Personal Alarms for Lone Workers Improving the Safety of Employees who Drive for Work The California Consumer Privacy Act Lone Worker Legislation & Policy for South Australia --- ## Are your Lone Workers Stressed? *February 28, 2023 · Stacey Manclark* There are many different things you need to think about and be aware of if you have staff who are lone working, or you are a lone worker. Being the only person in the workplace and having no one to confer with or being on the road with an endless list of jobs to do can start to have an impact on peoples well-being. One side effect of working alone can be stress; thinking that you must do everything yourself and putting yourself under unnecessary pressure to complete unrealistic goals or tasks. Here are four points to help lone workers reduce their stress levels: 1. Balance your professional and private life Try to divide up your day so you have clear work and non-work hours. The ideal balance would be eight hours work and sixteen hours of leisure activities, eating and sleeping. Make sure you don't let work creep into your down time and try to do things that are fun and make you happy. 2. Build up resources to remain in control Don't allow situations to progress to where you feel out of control. Plan your day out by listing the jobs you can achieve in that day. Give yourself rewards for success. Make sure you include a break in the day to have lunch (do not skip meals). At the end of the work day review what you have achieved and plan for the next day. 3. Stick to your guns Don't be afraid to say no. Attitudes like Itll be alright or It won't happen to me lead to many Health and Safety codes being ignored and lone workers being injured. If something doesn't feel right or you don't feel you are able to complete a task due to lack of training or understanding, then don't do it. Don't put yourself in situations where you are at risk. 4. Have support mechanisms Make sure you have people you can talk to if things are getting on top of you. These could be work colleagues or outside of work friends. Make time to do other activities in your free time that allow you to relax, unwind and forget about work demands. www.okaloneworker.com/author/staceymanclark/ Work Alone Devices Available for your Lone WorkersHelp alerts with the Ok Alone lone worker solution Recent Posts about Ok AloneBenefits of a Environmental, Health & Safety Management System Washington State Panic Button Legislation for Hotel, Motel, Retail Workers, Security Guards and Janitors Are You Getting Your Municipality Value For Money? Live Monitoring with our Work Alone Call Centre Legislation, Regulations and Policy for Lone Workers in Ireland --- ## How Lone Worker Safety Awards can help your Company *February 28, 2023 · Stacey Manclark* The best lone worker systems can't help your people if they won't use them. The outcomes of disengagement can be severe: accidents, injuries, illnesses, even loss of life. You wouldn't want this to happen in your workplace. Tackling the existing culture of this is how we do it can be difficult, but it is possible to turn your companys attitude around and create a positive safety culture. ### Encouraging Safe Behaviour for Lone Workers It is important to encourage the development of attitudes and beliefs that support safe behaviour. Your staff should understand you're dedicated to the concept that people should go home in the same condition they came to work in, that everyone has the right to return home safely at the end of their shift. That this is the companys number one priority. Companies that recognise, encourage and celebrate those who have shown a positive attitude towards safety, will increase the likelihood of those positive attitudes and beliefs becoming shared values across the board. This will then result in the shift towards the new positive safety culture. ### How to Motivate Lone Workers You can motivate your workforce to think and act safely by encouraging worker involvement and collaboration. Provide regular reinforcement of good safety practices and attitudes and promote ownership and a sense of belonging amongst your workers. Creating a sense of comradery and competition can be very effective, just because something is important, doesn't mean it can't be fun too. ### Using Safety Awards to Encourge Lone Worker Safety Ok Alone have their Safety Awards, an engaging way to help your workers stay safe, while using the lone worker system. It allows your workers to log their own safe practises and compete with colleagues and companies across the world. The program recognises Ok Alone feature usage or when a worker completes a safe shift and rewards them with badges, points and rankings. Safety Badges for Lone Workers. Badges are given for GPS activation, Man Down or High Risk use, contacting a supervisor and many other features. Workers can also get awards for reaching milestones such as completing 10 safe shifts or five safe weeks. Some of the safety award badges that are available. Workers are ranked individually, in teams, by company or country against the rest of the global community using the OK Alone lone worker system. Active employee participation in safety is important and will help create the desired safety culture in your company. Using a safety solution that has frequent check ins, allows staff to call for help, can locate workers in an emergency and creates a sense of competitiveness and comradery, all while focussing on keeping people safe, is one your workers will thank you for getting. www.okaloneworker.com/author/staceymanclark/ How your Workers can become Safety ChampionsOk Alone Saves Lone Workers Life! Recent Posts about Ok AloneTrusty Ox Systems announces the availability of its safety monitoring solution on the Geotab Marketplace Looking after retail staff who work alone Lone Worker App & Safety Monitoring available in Spanish Learn about Safety for US Lone Working Electricians Worker Down Californias heat-related illness regulations Hands Free Lone Worker Solutions Help Nurses and Health Workers 5 tips for Managing Workplace Stress Lone worker Safety System Lone Working with Amazon Alexa & Echo Devices from Ok Alone Delivery Logistics Company Case Study --- ## Ok Alone introduces the Lone Worker Safety Awards *February 28, 2023 · Dan Noblett* Ok Alone have introduced Safety Awards, an engaging way to help workers stay safe, while using their lone worker protection system. It allows workers to log their safe practises and compete with colleagues and companies across the world. At the end of each month, the workers usage in the Ok Alone system is collated and reviewed, they are awarded a number of different badges and a safety score is calculated. Lone worker safety awards report card. What are Badges? Badges are given based on feature usage of the app and other lone worker tools throughout a shift. They can be awarded for GPS activation, Man Down or High Risk use, contacting a supervisor and many other features. As they continue to use Ok Alone, workers can also get awards for reaching milestones such as completing 10 safe shifts or five safe weeks. These show the workers commitment to achieving safety goals. Lone worker safety badges. How is the Safety Score calculated? Every month a score out of 100 is awarded to each worker. This takes into account a number of safety factors including missed check ins, location monitoring, shift starts and check in reminders. It is possible to get 100/100, however, any score over 75 is classed as very good. What happens next? Based on their score for the month workers are ranked individually, in teams, by company or country against the rest of the global community using the OK Alone lone worker system. Lone worker safety award rankings. Companies are able to see their workers positions within the company ranking and see who is making an effort to create a positive safety culture. Providing regular feedback and positive affirmation of this should increase worker morale and help instil a feeling of ownership for staff who are participating in the program. Motivating a workforce to think and act safely by encouraging worker involvement and collaboration can be achieved by creating a sense of competitiveness and comradery around the companys main goal, keeping their people safe. To find out more about the Safety Awards or start a free trial visit www.okaloneworker.com www.okaloneworker.com/ Ok Alone App Settings for Android 9Understanding Man Down in the Ok Alone Dashboard and Alerts Cloud-based Dashboard for Lone Worker Monitoring How Desktop Panic Buttons Work What Artificial Intelligence thinks of Ok Alone --- ## Lone Working + Gamification = A Perfect Match *February 28, 2023 · Stacey Manclark* One industry that seems to be made for gamification is lone working. The mobile nature of lone working makes it almost impossible for staff to physically check in with their employers. Because supervisors of lone workers don't have a direct line of sight to their workers in an office environment, gamification offers a way to monitor, communicate and reward staff no matter where they are. As Newman said for Forbes, No longer are employees”and their goals”out of sight, out of mind. They're a constant and active presence on the digital screen. ### Safety Awards Ok Alone, a popular lone working solution, had heard from clients that they wanted their workers to be more engaged with the system. So, Ok Alones wonderful development team introduced aspects of gamification and created the Safety Awards. Safety Awards add an element of fun and competition to staying safe throughout each shift. Workers are encouraged to use features of the safety app and check in, so supervisors know they are safe. Each month every workers Ok Alone activity is reviewed, and they are awarded badges for features used and milestones reached. A score out of 100 is also awarded to each worker. This score takes into account a number of safety factors including missed check ins, location monitoring, shift starts and check in reminders. The score is then ranked, and workers are able to compare their position to other workers in their company, their country and around the world. ### Positive Impact Increasing staff engagement and having active employee participation in maintaining safety levels is very important. It helps to create the right kind of safety culture within a company. Using a safety solution that has frequent check ins, allows staff to call for help, can locate workers in an emergency and creates a sense of competitiveness and comradery, all while focussing on keeping people safe, is one your workers will thank you for getting. To find out more about the Safety Awards or start a free trial, visit www.okaloneworker.com https://www.forbes.com/sites/danielnewman/2017/11/28/how-to-drive-employee-engagement-with-workplace-gamification/#7383aa273cf0 www.okaloneworker.com/author/staceymanclark/ Personality Type and Motivation When Using Gamification in the WorkplaceHow your Workers can become Safety Champions Recent Posts about Ok AloneWhat is the meaning of Lone Worker? Sub-Contractors and your Health and Safety Program Work-related fatal injuries in Great Britain 2023 Updated Changes to BS 8484 for 2022 How to Recognise and Avoid Aggressive Driving --- ## Why has your company introduced a lone worker system? *February 28, 2023 · Stacey Manclark* (Its safety, not tracking) Companies that are serious about their duty of care provide employees with lone worker systems as part of their personal protective equipment (PPE). This provides workers with support when they are in locations where particular risks cannot be completely avoided. Lone worker apps, with help buttons, have proven effective in the event of aggressive or violent behaviour from members of the public. They also allow employees to raise an alarm in any situation where they may feel at risk. However, you cannot just tell people to download an app and that's the end of it. Any safety monitoring system needs to be embedded into an organisation with lone worker training so it is well understood by workers. Businesses need to be transparent with workers on the extent of monitoring and the use of data locations. They need to let people know who can access the information and the privacy levels issued to supervisors. It is key that workers understand the need for location information is for keeping workers safe, not tracking their lunch break or movements throughout a shift. ### Improve Lone Worker Engagement with Training There needs to be engagement with the new solution and it has to be fit for all users needs, without overwhelming them. There needs to be training given that should encourage employees to incorporate the system into their everyday lives and ensure they have the confidence to raise an alarm in the event of an emergency. Training should show the need for the solution: what it does, why it is being introduced and how easy it is to use. It should also reinforce the idea that false alarms don't matter as they show the system is working. Lone worker training should be done with workers to activate alerts in real life so they can see what happens if an alert is triggered and therefore they won't be worried about activating it in the future. By using simulations and practice exercises, workers are much more likely to remember their training and be confident to take the necessary steps when a situation demands it. All existing staff members should receive the training when you introduce the solution, and new starts should receive the same in depth training when they join the company. Ok Alone lone worker solution Ok Alone is the perfect low-cost lone worker app to ensure workers safely complete each shift. The simple app is compatible with most smartphones and connects workers with a supervisor who monitors their health and well-being. The Ok Alone system has a wide range of features designed to make staff working remotely feel safer. An automated countdown timer, as required by work alone legislation and the duty of care, will remind an employee to check in using either the smartphone app, SMS or phone call. Other features like Man down detection and high risk check ins give staff an increased sense of security. Ok Alones smartphone app works in conjunction with a website and cloud-based dashboard that can be used on pc, laptop, tablet or smartphone. The online dashboard displays a map with the workers last known location and GPS co-ordinates if an alert is triggered. A unique feature of the Ok Alone solution is its ability to be used completely hands-free with voice commands. Android or iPhone verbal short cuts can be programmed into the app, allowing workers to start shifts, check in and most importantly, request help without touching their phone. There is no upfront investment or long term contract required as accounts run month to month giving employees and employers flexible peace of mind as long as it is needed. www.okaloneworker.com/author/staceymanclark/ How lone worker alerts play out in real lifeWays to request help with Ok Alone Recent Posts about Ok AloneExpand Ok Alones lone worker functionality with Zapiers Zaps Panic Buttons for Las Vegas Hotel and Casino Lone Workers The Most Common Workplace Safety Policy Violations Why You Need a Lone Worker App for Check Ins How Man Down could help different industries prevent disaster Legislation & Policy for Lone Working in Ontario and Nova Scotia How to Manage Lone Worker Safety --- ## The importance of lone worker training and engagement of staff *February 28, 2023 · Stacey Manclark* When you have lone workers in your company it is really important they are equipped with a lone worker solution. The solution needs to give workers a way to communicate with supervisors throughout their shift and alert someone if there are any problems or safety risks. Introducing a lone worker safety solution to the workforce isn't enough though, they need to be trained in how to use the solution to their best advantage. The lone worker training for lone workers needs to be accessible for all levels of staff, and fit the users needs, so everyone leaves comfortable and confident using the system. Lone worker safety training The lone worker safety training needs to explain; What the solution does Be transparent with workers on monitoring and the use of data locations. Tell them who can access this information and the privacy levels issued to supervisors. Emphasise that location information is for personal safety, keeping workers safe in an emergency, not tracking throughout a shift. Why the solution is being introduced In some instances, solutions are introduced to comply with local lone worker regulations/legislation or a companys duty of care. In the majority of cases lone worker solutions are introduced to improve worker safety either in a pre-emptive move or as a result of workplace injuries. How to use the solution Workers need to be shown the solution working in real time. Training with workers needs to involve activating alerts to let people see what happens, so they're not worried about activating an alert in the future. There should also be an attitude of false alarms don't matter as they show the system is working. Safety culture Any monitoring system needs to be embedded into an organisation so it is understood by workers to be creating a safe work environment. Ideally, there needs to be solution Champions within the company, especially across departments, that cover employee training and usage need. These individuals can be involved in organising and delivering training, answer any health and safety-related questions and be best practice examples for others to follow. They could also be a point of regular contact who other staff can discuss any safety issues or safety procedure concerns with. Companies must put clear procedures in place, because effective communication is essential to any solutions success. One good practice is regularly testing lone worker solutions and all emergency procedures to ensure lone workers can be reached or contacted if a problem or emergency is identified. This allows employers to check staffing is correct within each department and that all personal contact details are up to date. Another good practice is to offer additional lone worker training to any workers who would like a refresher course in how to use their lone worker solution effectively. ALL new employees must receive the same standard of training upon starting a new position. Lone worker safety policy Companies that have lone working staff need to have a robust Lone Worker Policy. The most effective policies are ones that are written by the lone workers themselves, not management. The workers have a more balanced view of safety within the work environment, their job assignments and therefore what lone working solution is required. Workers are best placed to identify common hazards and potential hazards as well as unexpected situations that could arise. People also tend to take ownership of policies they are involved in creating, over ones issued from higher ups. A piece of paper cannot keep people safe, it is once people read the paper and then decide what to do with the information on it. That is why a lone worker safety program created by those who work alone is more valued by other staff members. As well as training on any lone worker solution staff are using, there should also be lone worker first aid training given to staff and complete first aid kits issued. www.okaloneworker.com/author/staceymanclark/ How can a software based panic button help lone retail workers?Expand Ok Alones lone worker functionality with Zapiers Zaps Recent Posts about Ok AloneIridium Extreme PTT (Push-To-Talk) Legislation & Policy for Lone Workers in Yukon How Municipalities use Ok Alone A Firm Foundation: The Efforts to Improve Safety in Canadas Construction Industry Single point of contact made easy Lone worker protection technology for mining teams GPS Monitoring for your Lone Workers with the Ok Alone App How to choose a Lone Worker App: Pricing and Features --- ## The Positive Impact of Gamification on Engagement at Work *February 28, 2023 · Stacey Manclark* In 2019 TalentLMS conducted a survey to examine how gamified elements change the state of training, productivity, motivation, and employee engagement. The following results are from a pool of 526 people who use gamification in their workplace. 89% of employees say that when a specific task at work is gamified they feel competitive and eager to complete itEmployees say gamification makes them feel more productive (89%) and happier (88%) at work61% of the respondents receive training with gamification83% of those who receive gamified training feel motivated, while 61% of those who receive non-gamified training feel bored and unproductive89% believe theyd be more productive if their work was more gamified87% said game elements made them feel more socially connected and provided a sense of belonging82% felt game elements provided a greater sense of meaning and purpose in their workplace The most common gamified elements staff used during their workday were: 71% mention badges as the most common gamification element59% say they're granted points by an app or software at work56% are awarded virtual or physical rewards for accomplishments51% use leader boards47% work with levels The most motivating elements of work-based gamification ranked by employees are: RewardsBadgesPointsLeader boards (Ranking)Levels The survey shows overwhelmingly the positive impact and affect gamification is having on employees in the workplace. Aware of the positive outcomes of gamification Ok Alone developed Safety Awards, a way to add gamification and increase engagement with their lone worker safety solution. ### Safety Awards The system allows workers to log their safe practises and compete with colleagues and companies across the world. The program recognises Ok Alone feature usage or when a worker completes a safe shift and rewards them with badges, points and rankings. Badges are given for GPS activation, Man Down or High Risk use, contacting a supervisor by SMS, going hands free or leaving a voice mail update among others. Workers can also get awards for reaching milestones such as completing 10 safe shifts or five safe weeks. Workers are ranked individually, in teams, by company or country against the rest of the global community using the OK Alone lone worker system. To find out more about the Safety Awards or start a free trial of Ok Alones lone worker solution, visit www.okaloneworker.com All data can be found at https://www.talentlms.com/blog/gamification-survey-results/ www.okaloneworker.com/author/staceymanclark/ The Benefits of Gamification for Increasing Employee EngagementKeep Workers Safe using Microsoft Teams with a Lone Worker Solution Recent Posts about Ok AloneChemicals in the Workplace Soup Theory for Laboratory Lone Working Legislation for Lone Working in New Brunswick High-Risk Situations Californias heat-related illness regulations Lone Worker Trends for 2023 New U.S legislation for Lone Workers in Hotels and Casinos Working from Home Tips from the Ok Alone Team New Jerseys Hotel Lone Worker Legislation --- ## How Personality Type Affects Motivation When Using GamificationPersonality Type and Motivation When Using Gamification in the Workplace *February 28, 2023 · Stacey Manclark* It is not always easy to have workers motivated or on-board for new initiatives in the workplace, but what if these initiatives are designed to do exactly that? What if the purpose of the initiative is to rejuvenate and re-engage your workforce? ### Research into Gamification Researchers have found that from a theoretical point of view gamification has the potential to foster motivation in different contexts. The study carried out by Sailer, Hence, Mandl and Klevers looked at different aspects of gamification, how they tapped into peoples psyches and how they could be used to increase motivation in the workplace. Some of their findings showed that presenting challenges in different formats would motivate certain personality types. ### Different Formats Points are very basic game elements. Although, they seem to be very simple at afirst glance, they can address motivational mechanisms mostly referring to abehaviourist learning perspective. The primary mechanisms are the following: Points function as immediate positive reinforcements Points can be seen as mostly virtual rewards, provided for executed actions Badges are visual representations of achievements. Such badges systems can takedifferent levels of complexity. Main motivational mechanisms addressed by badgesare the following: Badges fulfil the players need for success and thereby address people with a strong power motive Badges work as virtual status symbols and thereby address people with a strong power motive Badges function as a form of group identification by communicating shared experiences and activities and thereby address people with a strong affiliation motive Badges also have a goal setting function Badges can foster the players feeling of competence Leader boards provide information about a players success. Regarding motivation,this element can be seen as critical, as only some people will stand on top of suchleader boards, while most of the other players will end up presumablydemotivated at the bottom. Nevertheless, leader boards can also address certainmechanisms and if designed as team-score displays, they could show someadditional motivational effects. Individual leader boards foster competition and address achievement and power motives For players at the top of leader boards, feelings of competence can arise Leader boards, which provide a team-score, can foster the team members feelings of social relatedness, as they emphasise collaboration and community activities provided by shared goals and opportunities for shared experiences Progress bars and performance graphs each focus on individual players and their progress. While progress bars symbolize progression towards a goal, performance graphs furthermore compare the individual scores to previously achieved scores. The following mechanisms are activated: Both progress bars and performance graphs provide feedback Progress bars provide clear goals Performance graphs compare players performance to previous performances and thereby focus on improvement and foster a mastery orientation regarding goals Quests are little tasks, which usually show a person the directly linked rewards. This fosters the transparency of a possible success of action. Thus the followingmotivational mechanisms are primarily addressed: Quests provide clear goals Quests highlight resulting consequences of a goal Quests emphasize importance of a players action within a giver situation For a new initiative to engage as much of the workplace as possible, it would be best to have a system that offered many of the different types of motivation. Using a combination of the formats is more likely to appeal to the wider community of staff. ### Safety Awards Incorporating Badges, points and leader boards, Ok Alones Safety Award program aims to engage lone workers with their safety solution. Every month each workers Ok Alone activity is reviewed, and they are awarded a number of badges for features used and milestones reached. A score out of 100 is also awarded to each worker. This score takes into account a number of safety factors including missed check ins, location monitoring, shift starts and check in reminders. Workers are then able to compare their ranking in relation to other workers in their company, their country and around the world. To find out more about the Ok Alone Safety Awards or to start a free trial, visit www.okaloneworker.com 1 & 2 All direct quotes are from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/278672057_Psychological_Perspectives_on_Motivation_through_Gamification www.okaloneworker.com/author/staceymanclark/ Desktop On Screen Panic Button for Lone WorkersLone Working + Gamification = A Perfect Match Recent Posts about Ok AloneTop 5 Features of a Lone Worker App Washington State Panic Button Legislation for Hotel, Motel, Retail Workers, Security Guards and Janitors SMS and phone call reminder settings for Workers Ok Alone has Partnered with what3words to Help Protect Lone Workers How to keep your HVAC Lone Workers Safe New Jerseys Hotel Lone Worker Legislation How to use Man Down on iPhones Falling Short: The High Cost of Neglecting Safety in the UK Construction Industry --- # General Lone Working ## Discover how to find Hidden Hazards at Work and Keep your Team Safe *March 8, 2023 · Ok Alone* Hello, we thought you might find Ok Alone useful for protecting your team. In Aprils update, discover how to find hidden hazards at work and keep your team within safe locations. ### Uncover Hidden Hazards Spring is a time of renewal and also a great time to review your safety procedures. This article gives you ideas for uncovering those hidden hazards. 6 ways to find hidden hazardsFavourite customer feature of the month: Safety Zone Not being where you're supposed to be can indicate a problem. That's why several customers requested a way to know if their lone worker is where they need to be. HOT TIP: Need to show your customer your team is on-site? Safety Zone can prove your lone worker never left their post. Discover Safety Zone alerts nowKind Regards, The Ok Alone Team www.okaloneworker.com HR Strategies to Promote Lone Worker Safety Ok Alone WorkerHow workplace culture shapes your working alone safety policy Recent Posts about Ok AloneHR Strategies to Promote Lone Worker Safety Ok Alone Worker Applying GDPR to Lone Worker Solutions How lone worker alerts play out in real life Legislation & Policy for Lone Workers in Yukon Enhancing Safety for Lone Working Health Workers Using your Lone Worker App when Driving in the US Massachusetts Safer Hotels for Workers Act Oakland Local Ordinances Chapter 5.93 Hotel Minimum Wage and Working Conditions --- ## Why Experiential Training is a Key Part of your Lone Worker Solution *March 8, 2023 · Ok Alone* Due to the isolated nature of their work, lone workers face unique challenges regarding health and safety. There are no colleagues around to watch their back, to lend a hand, or to intervene when their actions become unsafe. Instead, lone workers must rely on their own skills, knowledge and experience to carry out the job safely. These specialized lone worker solutions don't just come from anywhere, of course. Its up to you to provide your lone workers with a unique training approach that's more extensive than the one you use for your in-house employees. And most importantly, you need to take an approach that enhances learning and encourages retention”one that sticks. One of the best ways to train lone workers is to use experiential learning. This type of learning takes lone employees out of the office (an environment most lone workers aren't used to or comfortable with) and immerses them in real-life situations. By seeing and doing, lone workers will develop the confidence and instincts necessary to mitigate the risks associated with their job. To get the most out of these experiences, don't overwhelm your employees and do too many scenarios at once. Instead, chat with your employees, find out which health-related hazards concern them the most, and focus on the most high-risk ones. Here are some examples of how to use experiential learning to cover two of the most common types of risks lone workers face: Health/safety and violence/aggression. Work alone solutions for health and safety: First aid All lone workers should be equipped with a safety device, such as a lone worker safety app, that will alert others in the event of an emergency. But even with this essential safeguard in place, there will always be a period of time before help arrives. With no one but themselves to administer first aid, lone workers need to receive extensive training on how to deal with wounds, bleeding, fractures, burns, soft tissue injuries, and other aspects of self rescue. On top of it all, they also need to learn techniques and strategies for staying calm during an emergency situation. A basic first aid course is a great start, but to give workers the best tools possible, also consider enlisting the help of those who know best: police, firefighters, or other emergency responders. These professionals can simulate specific scenarios that will not only help workers further these essential skills, but also uncover any weaknesses in these areas and find ways to eliminate them. Workers will leave more prepared, more confident, and with a better awareness of safety in the workplace. Work alone solutions for violence and aggression: Dealing with the public Many lone workers, including sales representatives, home care nurses, and delivery drivers, spend a lot of time dealing with the public. Faced with unfamiliar people”in often unfamiliar environments”these workers are at a greater risk for violence or abuse. To help your public-facing lone workers, you need to ensure they're equipped with the proper self-protection, de-escalation, and conflict management skills. But simply talking about these areas isn't enough! You need to recreate possible scenarios and provide them with a safe, immersive environment where they can discover their honest behavioural responses, try out different strategies, and gain valuable feedback. For the best and most memorable results, use professional actors and facilitators in a workshop-type setting. When undertaking experiential training, be sure to include managers/supervisors so they know how to properly support their workers. And, its perfectly okay to throw some more conventional training tactics into the mix. Computer-based learning can be a great way for your workers to learn the basics of your lone working policies and procedures. Just be sure to follow up with targeted immersive training to capture their interest and make a difference in the long-term. Want to learn more about creating lone worker solutions that are memorable, effective, and easy to execute? Explore our blog for more practical ideas. www.okaloneworker.com Are you looking out for the mental health of your lone workers?How does health and safety fit with working alone? Recent Posts about Ok AloneWhat does lone worker risk really mean? OSHA Regulations 1915, 1910 and 1926 for Lone Working HVAC Technicians 5 key elements to your fleet safety program Check in with the Lone Worker App, SMS or Phone Call Protecting Lone Working Security Guards in the US Building a Safer Future: The Importance of Safety Monitoring in the US Construction Industry --- ## February Newsletter from Ok Alone *March 8, 2023 · Ok Alone* Its February already and if you need a little inspiration as you think about creating better safety policies, here are two ideas to get you going. People on their own often find themselves in uncomfortable positions. This article explores the kind of features you need in a safety app as your lone workers go into high risk situations. What to consider in high risk situationsFavourite customer feature of the month: Free performance reports They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and that holds true when it comes to coaching your team on the benefits of safety. And speaking of pictures, we've had great feedback from customers about how they use Ok Alones performance charts to guide a fact based discussion about improving worker safety. Believe it or not, prior to using Ok Alone, some people actually had to pay to get these charts and reports. Ok Alone believes they are an important tool for you and your team so they are automatically included as part of your monthly subscription. HOT TIP: Someone missing a lot of check-ins? Use their monthly chart to show how a few small changes in the way they work can dramatically increase their safety. Learn more about how these charts could work for you. The Ok Alone Team www.okaloneworker.com Using Ok Alones charts to coach your team on safetyLone Worker Protection Uncover Hidden Hazards in the Workplace Recent Posts about Ok AloneLone Worker Legislation & Policy for Northern Territories Monitor driver safety away from the vehicle Use Siri and your voice to check in whilst Lone Working How the Ok Alone Lone Worker System Works Lone Working with Google Home from Ok Alone Five Ways to Evaluate your Lone Worker App - Ok Alone --- ## Municipal Workers Need an Affordable, Effective Lone Worker System *March 8, 2023 · Ok Alone* Municipal workers are the gatekeepers of our communities. You work year round, performing countless complicated tasks to build and manage the infrastructure and assets that make our communities safe and enjoyable places to live. We don't need to tell you that many of the jobs you do are hazardous, you face these risks every day and are perfectly aware of how quickly things can go sideways. Your managers know this too, and they would like nothing more than to provide the means to protect their lone workers and municipal crews, but they also have budgets to meet, and ever-increasing demands for more services with little or no more funds to provide them. Asking your manager to find money for an expensive lone worker safety system will likely only lead to frustration for both of you. Everyone knows that keeping workers safe pays off in the long run, but why is top quality lone worker monitoring SO expensive? Cutting edge technology is only expensive because those who create it decide that it should be the actual costs of delivery are quite low. The most critical aspect of providing an effective worker safety system is the thorough analysis and deep understanding of exactly what is required to protect workers. ### Ok Alones Safety System Works for Tight Municipal Budgets Not only is our safety system affordable, we've invested in serious and ongoing system analysis to ensure we offer flexibility and options for your specific requirements: Need to vary your check-in intervals when performing particularly risky jobs? No problem, you can do so for one worker or several easily. Do you have crews working overnight and on weekends or holidays, who need monitoring? Our live monitoring service can take over when there's nobody in the office. Tell your manager for the price of a cup of coffee per month, per worker, you can have the best municipal worker safety system on the market today. Ask them to contact us. Ok AloneThe Ok Alone team writes informative articles about lone working. Through our articles, we aim to educate readers on the benefits and best practices of using our lone worker app, and how Ok Alone can help mitigate risks and enhance communication between workers and monitors. Learn about other areas including legislation, risk management, and legal compliance plus lone worker features such as man down, high-risk check ins and location monitoring. www.okaloneworker.com GPS Technology Isn't Enough Lone Worker Safety5 Reasons to Attend Security Canada Expo 2016 in Toronto Recent Posts about Ok AloneLone worker health and safety : Who is at risk? Lone Working in Schools Workers Compensation- the Safety Net for your Employees Integrations with Ok Alone Personal Alarms for Lone Workers Lone Worker Legislation & Policy for New Zealand Why You Need a Lone Worker App for Check Ins --- ## To Track or not to Track, that is the Lone Worker Question *February 28, 2023 · Stacey Manclark* No one likes the idea of being tracked throughout their work day, however, if you are a lone worker, worker tracking could literally save your life. ### Why Worker Tracking is Important Employee tracking is a way for companies to know where their workers are and that they are safe. The lone worker tracking is not focused on work performance or productivity throughout a shift, it is to check staff are ok and respond appropriately if there is an issue. This is often done using a specific device or through a Smartphone app. It is vitally important that employers know where their lone workers are; but tracking should be passive and only done during a workers shift and only when necessary, for instance, if a worker has not checked in or has requested help. What lone worker tracking isn't Using a lone worker solution to track worker safety is not the same as using employee tracking software. Lone worker tracking is NOT: remote desktop control (taking screenshots or camera photos) registering key strokes and time spent on websites analysing employee behaviours and response timesWe only track worker location when staff are working A phones operating system may generate location data for a variety of reasons and it can make that information available to apps. The Ok Alone app stops receiving location data unless the person is on-shift and working. This means that even if the worker remains logged into the Ok Alone app, but they are not on-shift/working Ok Alone is not collecting location data. Control over location settings is handled by the worker through the app, not the supervisor. This gives the workers themselves control. Why you can trust lone worker tracking Lone worker tracking is focused on the safety of your workers, not their performance. The location information recorded is for finding an employee in case of an emergency. All location data that is used for finding staff in an emergency is deleted after 30 days. Employees are in control of the GPS settings and tracking frequency. Lone worker tracking only occurs when an employee is logged in on shift. ### How Ok Alone tracks your workers Ok Alone uses GPS technology to offer full tracking services for lone workers. GPS High uses the phones GPS to provide continuous data updated every 10 seconds and is the most accurate setting. This ensures you have up to date information on your workers position when you need it. This can also be scaled down to Non GPS mode, which uses local cell towers to pin point workers locations and automatically updates throughout their shift. The Non GPS mode runs in the background having minimal effect on the phones battery life, but is not recommended if the worker is frequently moving locations. During a shift the lone workers location is also updated every time the app gets a location update and when they check in. This means you will have a clear picture of your lone workers last known location should they fail to check in or if they send a help request asking for immediate assistance. How lone worker tracking works in real life Maleek works for the Forestry Department. His job today is to check on some fences damaged in a recent storm. The weather is still unpredictable, with thunderstorms rolling through. Maleek reaches the fence line and starts his repairs. The weather gets worse and another thunderstorm begins. Suddenly a bolt of lightning hits the trees near Maleek starting a fire. Maleek pulls out his phone and hits the Help button on his lone worker solution, he then clicks Send Message and types the word FIRE. He starts driving away from the fire that is chasing him across the hillside. Tanya, Maleeks monitor, gets his help request and message and tries to call Maleek. There is no answer. Tanya logs into the dashboard and sees Maleeks current location. As she watches she can see Maleeks location update every ten seconds travelling quickly in the wrong direction. Tanya knows something is very wrong. She calls her manager and the local fire department to alert them to the situation. Using Maleeks GPS position she can tell the fire department where the fire is and which way it is travelling. Maleek is met at the end of the forestry road he is driving by the fire department who are able to get him safely off the hillside. www.okaloneworker.com/author/staceymanclark/ How can a Lone Worker App Protect Your People in High-Risk Situations?Why You Need a Lone Worker App for Check Ins More on Lone Worker AppsHow Desktop Panic Buttons WorkThe purpose of Ok Alones desktop panic button is to provide a convenient and readily accessible ... Lone Worker App for Windows from Ok AloneOur lone worker app is available on Windows through the Microsoft App store. The lone worker app is ... Do you really need BS8484 and a Lone Worker Call Centre?Within the UK lone worker solutions are held up to British Standard 8484, the Code of Practice for ... Introducing the Learning Center Lone Worker Safety EducationHere at Ok Alone we've always been deeply committed to ensuring your safety, but we also understand ... How can a software based panic button help office workers?Elena works in the office of a small company. One day, while working late, she finds herself in an ... SMS and phone call reminder settings for Workers - Ok Alone --- ## Working from Home Tips from the Ok Alone Team *February 28, 2023 · Stacey Manclark* Working from home can be hard. If you are not used to it, it can be difficult not to be distracted and go off task. Some of our lone worker app team have been working from home for years, so we wanted to share some things you can do to make it easier for yourself. 1. Set up an area Its not going to be a productive day if you are trying to do your work on your laptop in bed. You need to allocate an area of your home/room to become your work station. This is the place you will go to do your work. You will need to explain to any other people in your home that when you are at your work station they cannot bother you (unless they are offering cups of tea or coffee). 2. Set out a routine Try to divide up your day so you have clear work and non-work hours. The ideal balance would be eight hours work and sixteen hours of leisure activities, eating and sleeping. Make sure you include a break in the day to have lunch (do not skip meals). Plan your day out by listing the jobs you can achieve in that day. It will be tricky not to be distracted by home based issues like doing the washing, playing with pets or frequent snack breaks, but you need to stay in your routine. Equally, make sure you don't let work creep into your down time and make time to do other activities that allow you to relax, unwind and forget about work demands. 3. Keep up your communication Try to speak to your boss or other people from your work every day. This will help you keep up to date with tasks and be able to check in especially if you are a lone worker. Using services like Skype, Zoom or Microsofts Teams allows you to have face to face video calls, conference calls or share documents online. It also allows direct interaction, so you won't start to feel isolated. Make sure you have people you can talk to if things are getting on top of you. These could be your work colleagues or other friends. 4. Remain active Once you get into the swing of things its not abnormal on any workday for you to realise you have been sat at your desk and not moved for three or four hours. Setting a timer for one hour creates an automatic reminder for you to get up and move around once the alert goes off. This will prompt you to get up and take a quick walk around the house or do some quick star jumps (this is acceptable when you are working alone!) It gets the blood pumping and you can then continue working. Did you know? We use the Ok Alone lone worker app for our timer. When a check in is due we go for a little walk or make a cup of tea. 5. Stay positive While working from home can be hard sometimes and lonely other times, it also has lots of positives. You can try out much more elaborate lunch ideasYou don't have any commuting time or costsYou can spend more time with your petsYou can work in your pyjamas (although you should really get dressed) www.okaloneworker.com/author/staceymanclark/ Will I have to Self-isolate or self-quarantine?What is the meaning of Lone Worker? Recent Posts about Ok AloneDoes your Workplace Emergency Response Plan have those who Work Alone Covered? What are the Hazards of Lone Working? New U.S legislation for Lone Workers in Hotels and Casinos Start & End Shift Alerts for Lone Workers Help alerts with the Ok Alone lone worker solution Safety Zone from Ok Alone Inmarsat IsatPhone 2 Satellite Phone 3 Safety Considerations for Land Surveyors --- ## How to keep your HVAC Lone Workers Safe *February 28, 2023 · Stacey Manclark* What is HVAC? The Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) industry are companies mainly engaged in the installation, repair and continued maintenance of heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration systems. The industry operates on three levels; residential HVAC, commercial HVAC, and industrial HVAC. The May 2020 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates for the United States, created by The Bureau of Labor Statistics, has the number of Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers as 344,020 , however, these figures don't include self-employed workers, so the real numbers are much higher. ### HVAC Lone Working in North America According to ibisworld.com there are over 118,000 HVAC companies registered in the U.S at present. The states with the highest employment numbers in HVAC are Florida 33,210, California 32,410 and Texas 28,010. The 2020 statistics for Canada showed 25,674 HVAC companies registered across the country employing over 61,000 people, with the highest concentration in Ontario. These figures show that there are hundreds of thousands of people working in HVAC throughout North America. ### HVAC Lone Working in the United Kingdom Although the population sizes differ hugely, this is a field that is also well represented in the United Kingdom. The 2019 figures from Statista.com show there were just over 37,000 HVAC companies active in the UK. The Office for National Statistics January 2022 figures show there were 140,800 people employed as HVAC engineers across Britain mainly concentrated in the South-East of England. ### Lone Worker Legislation for HVAC Workers Under the legislation of the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom all companies with lone workers are required to have a communications system in place. Companies need to have frequent verbal confirmation that lone workers are safe. The HSE (U.K), OSHA (U.S) and CCOHS (Canada) recommend the implementation of employee monitoring procedures that include check-ins at pre-agreed intervals with workers. (For more detailed legislation read: OSHA Regulations 1915, 1910 and 1926 for Lone Working HVAC Technicians) ### How Ok Alone Can Help HVAC Technicians and Engineers Ok Alone, the lone worker safety monitoring app allows workers to check in at regular intervals and request help if they need it. The system has GPS capabilities that can locate a worker if they are out on a job and fail to check-in. Using Ok Alone means that someone who can send help will be notified if a worker doesn't check-in or requests immediate assistance. ### HVAC and the High Risk Feature Other features of Ok Alone include the High Risk function where workers can change the frequency of their check-in depending on their circumstances. The check-in can be set to every 10 minutes if required. Using this feature also alerts the workers company that they are entering an area they do not feel safe in. This function allows the worker to inform their company of their new situation without having to phone in. ### HVAC and the Man Down Function The Man Down (worker down) function notifies a workers office if there has been no movement within a set amount of time (3 minutes 1 hour). If no movement is detected the phone will sound an alarm alerting the worker that there has been no movement. If this alert is not responded to by the worker, it will be escalated to the workers allocated monitor and they will contact the worker. The helpful reminder/alarm to the worker first means there will be less false alarms sent to either the monitor or the call centre. For a free trial of the Ok Alone lone worker solution go to free trial page. 1 https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes499021.htm 2 https://www.ibisworld.com/industry-statistics/number-of-businesses/heating-air-conditioning-contractors-united-states/ 3 https://www.bls.gov/oes/2020/may/oes499021.htm 4 https://www.statista.com/statistics/604938/number-of-plumbing-and-hvac-contractors-by-province-canada/ 5 https://www.ibisworld.com/canada/market-research-reports/heating-air-conditioning-contractors-industry/ 6 https://www.ic.gc.ca/app/scr/app/cis/businesses-entreprises/23822 7 https://www.statista.com/statistics/1228145/plumbing-and-hvac-company-number-in-great-britain/ 8 https://www.ons.gov.uk/ www.okaloneworker.com/author/staceymanclark/ Why your Technicians need an HVAC Safety AppHealth Care Planned Inspectional Initiatives from WorksafeBC Recent Posts about Ok AloneNew U.S legislation for Lone Workers in Hotels and Casinos Lone Worker Policy Understanding the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and their Legislation, Guidelines and Penalties How to choose a Lone Worker App: Pricing and Features Why GPS technology Isn't Enough for Lone Worker Safety --- ## Personal Alarm: for When You're Working Alone *February 28, 2023 · Stacey Manclark* When they're working alone not many people think of themselves as lone workers, but the truth is, if you are on your own during your work day, that's exactly what you are. Regardless of the industry, whether you're dropping off a delivery or sat in a reception area, if you are completely by yourself or alone with customers, you are lone working and should have a panic alarm. Why Do I Need a Personal Alarm? With fixed panic buttons (the kind under a counter or on a wall) you only know the location where the alarm was triggered. If you were running away from danger this type of alarm would be helpful as a starting point, but not very helpful if you were moving locations. The best bet is a personal alarm within a dedicated device that is tracking your whereabouts, one that can track a users exact location using GPS positioning. Your current location can then be given to the emergency services who will be dispatched to the critical situation. Personal alarm with location monitoring. Lone working situations can present more potential risks or a higher level of risk than working in groups, purely as there is no one to help if there is an act of violence or an emergency situation. That's why it is part of an employers duty of care and legal obligation to ensure their staff have a way of summoning help when working alone. What Personal Alarm Should You Choose? There is a wide range of personal and lone worker alarm devices available. The best one is whichever will give you peace of mind and increase your feeling of personal safety. Work out which system is best for you by asking yourself some questions:Do you need a discreet device? Will you be in unpredictable situations with a potential for violence? Could you use a mobile app? Will you be working alone outside of normal hours? Could there be loss of consciousness? Are you a remote worker? Do you want a wearable button or lanyard? Will you have other staff monitoring you? Do you need lots of safety features? If not what are the key features you need to stay safe? Is there an all-in-one personal check-in, emergency alerting and monitoring solution? The OK Alone lone worker personal alarm app is designed to make managing safety simple. It ensures people who are working alone or in isolation can get assistance if their health or safety is threatened. The app is not overly complicated by additional external devices or multiple security levels. The system runs through a Smartphone and has the key features needed to keep people safe; help alarm, man down, high risk option and check ins at regular intervals. These features mean you can access help outside of normal business hours by having a supervisor or call centre contacted if you miss a check in or request help. The Man down feature activates to send a help alert if there is a loss of consciousness or no movement from staff. These features can even be triggered verbally by voice commands if staff are unable to tap the screen. Holding a phone with open lone worker app. ### Keeping Lone Workers Safe As an additional benefit, the app is connected to an online portal that enables supervisors or a manager to see the real time GPS location of staff if they request help or miss a check in. The platform can also create reports and documents for staff to show their compliance to the legal duty of care and local lone worker legislation. Monitor all lone worker personal alarms on an online cloud-based dashboard. Having a personal alarm in their possession, whilst working alone, gives staff a sense of security that they can hit the help button or ask out loud for help and know that although they aren't physically there, someone will hear. www.okaloneworker.com/author/staceymanclark/ Lone Worker Safety Award Rankings for Companies and Lone WorkersLone Working with Siri on your iPhone Recent Posts about Ok AloneEasy Check-In for Lone Workers with the Ok Alone Desktop App Ok Alone Integration with the V.ALRT Panic Button Lone Worker Legislation & Policy for New Zealand Are Your Security Guards Sleeping on the Job? (Security Specific Features of a Lone Worker System) Ok Alone App Settings for Android 9 How do I keep Lone Workers Safe? Know your working status with Ok Alone Ok Alones gift to you FREE access for fund raisers Why you Need a Lone Worker App --- ## Will I have to Self-isolate or self-quarantine? *February 28, 2023 · Stacey Manclark* What is self-isolating or self-quarantining? The terms self-isolate or self-quarantine mean to completely remove yourself from society. Should I self-isolate or self-quarantine? Symptoms of the virus are a fever, continuous dry cough and trouble breathing. If you or anyone in your household develops symptoms of Covid-19, then you need to self-isolate or self-quarantine immediately for 14 days. This course of action may also be necessary if you have travelled and returned from countries with a high number of cases as symptoms can take up to five days to show. What does self-isolating or self-quarantining look like? Once you are in your home you should not leave the premises. The person/people who are showing symptoms should stay in a room that has a window that can be opened and has plenty of ventilation. This person/people should be kept away from others who may be living in the premises. Other people who live in the house should stay 2 metres away from those who are ill and continue to wash their hands regularly. The person/people who are sick should sleep alone and not share any towels, toiletries or crockery, especially toothbrushes or eating utensils. Those who are sick are not allowed to go to the supermarket, pharmacy or any other shops. Other family members or friends will need to pick up supplies/medications for those who are sick and deliver them to the house. If these items are coming from people who do not live at the residence they should be left outside, visitors should not enter the house. Many people, including lone workers, will be working from home during self isolation. Here are some tips from our team about Working from Home. Here is some information on lone working in the UK. When should isolation end? The person who had the virus can leave isolation if they are well 7 days from the start of their symptoms. All other people living in the household must remain in isolation until 14 days from the ill persons first symptoms have passed. This is because family members could have contracted the virus but not started showing symptoms yet. If other members of the family within the isolation become infected, they must stay in isolation for 7 days from their first symptom. The other family members who are not showing symptoms can leave at the end of the original 14 days, they do not need to start isolation again due to other members getting the virus, if they themselves are well. For detailed information on self-isolating and self-quarantining see the GOV.UK site https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection#ending-isolation www.okaloneworker.com/author/staceymanclark/ Delivery Logistics Company Case StudyWorking from Home Tips from the Ok Alone Team Recent Posts about Ok AloneHow Ok Alone is used by Schools, Tutors and Teachers for Lone Working Protect your Lone Workers with a ZOLEO Satellite Device and Ok Alone How to Create a Formal Hazard Assessment Best Practice for Protecting Lone Workers in British Universities How Municipalities use Ok Alone Lower your costs with COR Certificate of Recognition Introducing Safety Award Certificates and Report Cards The latest in lone worker safety technology at IFSEC 2016 Why GPS technology Isn't Enough for Lone Worker Safety --- ## Returning to work after Covid-19 for Lone Workers *February 28, 2023 · Stacey Manclark* Returning to work is what everyone desperately wants, but it might not be so easy, and it definitely won't be the same. Our lives have changed due to Covid-19, but as a group we will have to adapt to our new normal. ### Working from Home During the Crisis As a result of the enforced quarantine, people discovered that it was possible to work from home. It didn't affect their productivity and they were still able to conduct their roles away from the office. This will likely continue once the lock down is lifted as people will choose to be based at home part of the week. It could also be mandatory as companies try to limit the number of people returning to their offices. Businesses may also be introducing staggered start and end times to reduce the number of workers within their building at any one time. What will change when I return to work? Those who do return to the office will see some significant changes; Desks set at least six feet apart to reduce contactEmployees may have to wear masks and /or gloves at all timesSpacing and safe paths may be marked on the floorsPeople will not be allowed to gather in the kitchens or eat togetherStaff meetings may still take place online to stop people being too close in meeting roomsPeople will be advised to take the stairs rather than being enclosed in an elevatorMeetings with clients may still occur online instead of face to face In this new era of working from home and staggered shift patterns there will be a rise in the number of lone workers. People carrying out their work on their own or in areas where they can't be seen by others. Before the pandemic people may have worked in this way every so often. However, now that people may be being asked to stay away and only come into their workplace every few days there needs to be a way to ensure these workers are safe. ### Returning to work for Lone Workers Using a simple lone worker safety app will allow workers to feel secure without imposing on their time. Ok Alones lone worker solution allows workers to start shifts, check in or request help with the click of a button. The solution also offers live monitoring, where calls are handled by a call centre, to cover new shift times that go outside of normal working hours. ### Flexible Free Trial for all Companies Ok Alone encourage companies to do a free trial of their system to see how easy it is to use and make sure it is a good fit for their needs. Companies have the flexibility to try the solution during lockdown and delay joining until they're sure of their new workplace dynamic. Ok Alone doesn't require long-term contracts, they understand that for some companies lone worker solutions may only be needed in the interim period where people are working away from the office. www.okaloneworker.com/author/staceymanclark/ Why Ok Alone is your Lone Worker SolutionLegislation & Policy for Lone Working in Ontario and Nova Scotia Recent Posts about Ok AloneProtective Legislation for Hotel lone Workers in Miami Beach Top 8 Features of a Lone Worker App for 2023 Ok Alones gift to you FREE access for fund raisers Who is a Lone Worker? I Think I Checked-In Maybe not. Know your Status with Ok Alone Is your Business Vulnerable to a Cyber Attack? Using your Lone Worker App when Driving in the US Free Lone Worker Protection for People Volunteering at Your Charity Event Building a Safer Future: The Importance of Safety Monitoring in the US Construction Industry OK Alone Lone Worker App: economical alternative to Blackline Safety --- ## SolutionsPersonal Alarms for Lone Workers *February 28, 2023 · Stacey Manclark* There are many different options when it comes to choosing a personal alarm. Some personal lone worker alarms in the U.K are worn on lanyards or a key-ring. Some emit a piercing sound to startle would be attackers, while others have GPS tracking to inform people of your location. ### Ok Alone and a Personal Safety Alarm The Ok Alone App can also be used as a personal lone worker alarm or with our man down alarm even if you aren't at work/on shift. If you find yourself in a worrying situation, all you do is go to the Ok Alone app, click start shift followed immediately by help and your alert will be sent to your monitor (even outside of work hours) or the live call centre. ### Personal Safety at Work or in the Workplace A lot of injuries or incidents at work can be avoided by using common sense. Take the extra time to make sure you are familiar with your work environment and any hazards it presents. Plan your most difficult tasks for when you are most focused, not first thing in the morning when you are still half asleep or the end of the day when you are tired, and your concentration is waning. Take regular breaks and make sure you don't skip meals. Use your equipment correctly, don't use the wrong tool for the job because the other tools are further away. Wear the safety equipment required to complete a task. DO NOT go to work under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Make sure all emergency exits are clear and not blocked by items being stored. As previously stated, it is common sense and not rushing through your jobs that will help keep you safe at work, but if you do have any concerns bring them to the attention of your supervisor or manager. Personal Safety Tips in the Workplace (getting to and from work) Think about where and how you park your vehicle. When possible, park near the exit in a car park, or park in a well-lit area if it will be dark when you return. Point your vehicle in the direction you'll want to leave so that you can quickly drive away if necessary. Always approach your car with the key in your hand. Always check the back seat of your car before getting in. Keep your doors locked and your windows up when in any built-up area. Always lock your doors when you leave the car while paying for fuel, especially at a large petrol station. Carry a map so you do not have to stop to ask directions (even if you have Sat Nav, it can fail). If (you think) someone is following you, do not lead them to your house. Instead, drive to a crowded place or to a police station. Make sure your car is in good working order (keep it serviced and maintained) with enough fuel for the journey. Consider the need for carrying spare fuel so that you do not get stranded. If your car starts to splutter or sounds unhealthy, drive to a garage or to the nearest telephone on the motorway. Do not limp on until it dies (potentially) in the middle of nowhere. If you do break down, try to decide whether to lock yourself in and wait for help. If you do breakdown on a motorway, remember that the hard shoulder is a dangerous place. You're more likely to be injured sitting in your car than attacked sitting at the top of the bank waiting for your breakdown service. www.okaloneworker.com/author/staceymanclark/ Why You Need a Lone Worker App for Check InsFive Ways to Evaluate your Lone Worker App More on Lone Worker AppsCan a task bar help button on your computer help in emergencies?When you have employees working on their own it is important to have an employee safety monitoring ... Desktop/Web App for Lone WorkersThere are many ways to use the OK Alone lone worker solution: app, SMS, landline, satellite phone ... The Role of a Lone Worker System in Protecting Your Employees and Creating a Safer WorkplaceAs an employer duty of care extends beyond the traditional office or worksite to include remote or ... Top 8 Features of a Lone Worker App for 2023As we move forward into 2023, the ever-changing landscape of work makes it crucial for employees to ... --- ## AppSocial Distancing for Lone Workers *February 28, 2023 · Stacey Manclark* What is social distancing and what does it mean for you? More and more events like football games, festivals, weddings and parties are being cancelled across the U.K. This is not a plan to ruin your summer, it is for the greater good and an effort to encourage Social Distancing. What is Social Distancing? Social distancing is a vitally important public health intervention designed to stop Coronavirus spreading. This practise helps people avoid large crowds and gatherings and therefore exposing themselves to the virus. By keeping distant to other people (at least 6 feet away) the likelihood of contracting the virus reduces and we help slow the spread of infection. How do you do this? First of all, stop going to places where there are lots of people in a confined area. Work from home if possible. Use online devices to visit relativesPostpone meetings or conferences until a later dateAvoid all unnecessary travel, either locally or internationally. Great video explaining social distancing from Vox. What if I feel fine? Staying at home as much as possible might be boring, but as a responsible human being it is something we need to do to look out for the welfare of others. Many people will not contract the virus to a degree they notice themselves. But by heading out to the gym they could be spreading it to everyone they encounter on the way. What happens if those people are already sick, have immune deficiencies, are pregnant or are elderly? It is hard to limit your own desires for the good of strangers, so think of them as family instead. They could be your aunt, your grandparents or your brother who are infected by someone on their way to yoga. Doing our bit Covid-19 is not airborne, it is spread through droplets that are expelled through coughing, landing on things and then being touched by other people who transfer it to their face. Therefore, practising Social Distancing by keeping at least 6 feet between people can help reduce the number of infections. So in a nutshell, stay away from people, stay in your home and watch t.v or better yet, read a book. www.okaloneworker.com/author/staceymanclark/ Legislation & Policy for Lone Working in Ontario and Nova ScotiaDelivery Logistics Company Case Study Recent Posts about Ok AloneWork Alone Call Center: What to Look For in a Live Monitoring Service Why Ok Alone is your Lone Worker Solution Workers Compensation- the Safety Net for your Employees What is the meaning of Lone Worker? Is your Team Prepared? Lone Worker Safety System Use Siri and your voice to check in whilst Lone Working How a Lone Worker Alarm Can Ensure Safety and Peace of Mind with 24/7 Protection Lone Worker Legislation & Policy for Australian Capital Territory Start & End Shift Alerts for Lone Workers ---