It is currently estimated that 22% of the working population can be considered lone workers. With increasing pressures on businesses to enhance profits and productivity, and an increase in automation and new technologies, this number continues to grow year on year.
While lone working allows organisations to operate in a more efficient manner, it brings with it a new set of health and safety challenges. Lone workers are more vulnerable to the risks of violence, abuse, accident and injury since any risks they face, are faced alone.
But should organisations be taking extra care when protecting their lone working staff? This guide outlines three business reasons why you should take lone worker safety seriously; legal, moral and financial.
When discussing the costs associated with poor workplace health and safety, direct costs such as fines and legal costs tend to take centre stage. While fines given to a business following a safety failing are designed to have a significant impact on the business, there is a multitude of ‘hidden costs’ that many forget to consider. Yet these hidden costs can also have a significant, and in many cases, the ongoing financial impact on the business.
https://www.securemobility.nz/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/iStock_76515121_SMALL-e1467042702175.jpg420755Stephen Robbhttps://www.securemobility.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Secure-Mobility-Full-Logo-300x59.pngStephen Robb2018-02-28 14:12:272020-08-14 10:56:37Discover the hidden costs of poor health & safety
A remote worker is anyone who works away from a fixed work base, such as an office or work site. Remote workers may work in small groups or on their own, and their roles are likely to require travel to different locations.
For many, the holiday season means long periods of leisure and time spent in the home surrounded by family and friends. But for some, work continues as usual through these periods. However, we do not always consider that health and safety risks around the holiday season not only change but are likely to become more prevalent and heightened due to bad weather conditions (even in summer) and human risk.
So what are the increased hazards and what can we do to stay safe over the holiday period?
https://www.securemobility.nz/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Christmas-at-beach-Credit-Susanna-Burton-3.jpg15632359Stephen Robbhttps://www.securemobility.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Secure-Mobility-Full-Logo-300x59.pngStephen Robb2017-12-05 11:16:202020-08-14 12:04:40Learn how to stay safe while working alone during the holiday season
We Are Beams (Beams) is a UK charity working to support the disabled children, young people and their families across Kent.
As part of their Direct Payment Support Service, Beams is commissioned by the local authority to help families best use the available funding to meet their individual circumstances and needs. The service is provided by a team of lone workers who visit clients at their homes to offer support and advice. Travelling by country roads and working behind closed doors, Direct Payment Case Workers are exposed to both environmental and people risk.
“Dealing with finances can be overwhelming at the best of times. Many of our families employ support workers directly, adding another layer of responsibility or they need to find alternative services which meet their child’s needs to ensure they spend funding in the best way. Lone working allows us as a charity to support as many families in the community as possible to take the stress out of the process. We understand that lone working does come with a set of risks and we want our employees to feel safe and secure as they do so.” – Karen Dorling, Direct Payment Service Manager.
Turner and Townsend is a construction and project management consultancy, whose lone workers provide a range of services to organisations across the UK.Read more
https://www.securemobility.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Turner-and-Townsend-StaySafePhoto.jpg4181248Stephen Robbhttps://www.securemobility.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Secure-Mobility-Full-Logo-300x59.pngStephen Robb2017-08-14 08:44:292020-08-14 12:05:18Turner and Townsend use StaySafe to check-in with staff and monitor their safety out of hours
Business Manukau is a non-profit organisation, providing services to businesses in the city of Manukau, New Zealand, with two main objectives; making Manukau safer for all, and promoting the city as the best place to shop, work, invest and play in Auckland.
In order to achieve their first objective, a number of crime prevention managers regularly patrol the streets of Manukau, dealing with shoplifters, beggars, buskers and persons displaying antisocial behaviour. The crime prevention managers work alone and often carry out patrols throughout the night. Read more
https://www.securemobility.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/iStock-159301838.jpg7331100Stephen Robbhttps://www.securemobility.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Secure-Mobility-Full-Logo-300x59.pngStephen Robb2017-08-14 08:00:082020-08-14 12:05:42Business Manukau use StaySafe to monitor the safety of crime prevention managers
Following an independent audit by the National Security Inspectorate (NSI), lone worker safety solution StaySafe has been approved for the provision of lone worker device services in accordance with the updated British Standard BS 8484:2016.
BS8484: 2016 supersedes the original BS 8484:2011, which StaySafe was awarded in 2015, and defines stringent guidelines regarding lone worker devices. A BS8484 accreditation is only awarded to solutions that are deemed to be fully compliant with current safety legislation and practices.
StaySafe monitoring service
StaySafe is an app and surrounding cloud-based monitoring service which tracks a lone worker’s location via GPS and alerts their manager if they do not check-in within a specified time.
The app works on iPhone, Android and Windows and offers a wide range of functions including a panic button, check-in, GPS tracking, man-down and duress alerts. If an employee activates the app’s panic button or fails to check-in, alerts are automatically triggered on screen and via text and email, allowing an employer to take immediate action. Monitoring can be done in-house via an online Hub or outsourced to one of StaySafe’s monitoring and response partners who offer 24/7 services.
British Standard of approval
Don Cameron, CEO StaySafe added; “achieving BS 8484:2016 status means we remain one of the handfuls of lone worker safety devices available in the market that meet the stringent British Standard of approval. It is a core part of our business to be independently recognised as having a solution that is fully compliant and of the highest quality as there is nothing more important to us than ensuring people’s safety”
If you would like to talk to us about StaySafe and how BS8484 applies to the Australasian market, please get in touch using the form below, or feel free to call on 0800 GET SECURE (0800 438 732):
Get in touch with us
https://www.securemobility.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/staysafe-app-920.jpg533920Stephen Robbhttps://www.securemobility.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Secure-Mobility-Full-Logo-300x59.pngStephen Robb2017-06-12 09:55:392020-08-14 12:14:20StaySafe receives updated British Standard BS 8484:2016 accreditation for safety
Dedicated devices have been around for a long time and are a great way to offer personal protection to at-risk employees. However, with the advancement of technology and availability of smartphones, safety apps can offer a new and efficient way of providing protection.
With more and more businesses switching to smartphone technology to keep their staff safe, we take a look at some of the reasons why apps are gaining popularity.
https://www.securemobility.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Returned-Devices.jpg10461200Stephen Robbhttps://www.securemobility.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Secure-Mobility-Full-Logo-300x59.pngStephen Robb2017-05-23 19:08:462020-08-14 12:15:35The rise of the lone worker app – is it time to make the switch?
A new survey published by Accident Advice Helpline, has revealed that hazards aren’t always being reported in the workplace. 1 in 6 said they would not report identified workplace hazards despite 25% admitting that they or someone they worked with had been harmed at work.
When asked why, the respondents gave the following answers;
