Lone workers are defined as employees who work without close contact or supervision from other colleagues. Since COVID-19, the number of lone workers has been rising globally. According to NSC estimates, around 15-20% of employees in the US currently work alone. Previous Verdantix research highlights that 44% of these workers feel unsafe and 20% have struggled to receive any help after an incident occurs. Many lone workers feel that their employers’ safety efforts are currently inadequate, or not as developed as those for on-site workforces. Improving their efforts will not only boost workplace safety but also reduce the costs associated with injuries. According to the Liberty Mutual State Index, every $1 invested in a safety programme yields a $4 return on investment.

There are many EHS technologies that can help support and monitor lone workers. For example, workers can wear livestream monitoring devices, which permit GPS location information and real-time footage. If an incident occurs, users can contact alarm receiving centres through their devices and provide video evidence. This helps organizations to create a full understanding of the incident and what next steps are required.

Self-monitoring is crucial

Without multiple colleagues to monitor one another, it is important that lone workers keep track of their health status. Changes in vital signs or fatigue issues can cause more serious incidents to occur. Technologies such as monitoring systems can measure a worker’s heart rate, skin temperature, activity level and sweat when worn around their arm. Significant changes to these factors can cause issues such as exhaustion. If there are any readings of concern, these devices will immediately notify the wearer, promoting them to take a break. Moreover, new headsets and eyewear can monitor fatigue and distraction. This is especially useful for long distance drivers, as lapses in concentration can cause serious road accidents.

The surrounding environment can also cause harm to lone workers. Workers in industrial settings, for example, often encounter harmful gases. Lone workers can carry gas detectors, which identify a number of ambient gases in the surrounding environment on one device. Additionally, many industries — such as construction and manufacturing — expose workers to high levels of noise, which places their hearing at risk. Workers can wear earplugs to protect themselves against real-time noise exposure. Some devices on the market offer listen-through technology, allowing workers to maintain situational awareness without having to remove their hearing protection.

It’s also important to remember that there now are a number of desk-based workers that are operating remotely. It is often difficult to monitor workers’ health in these environments. Software vendors have introduced telehealth functionality, which enables occupational health staff to schedule and conduct virtual health appointments for employees. This means that lone workers can still access health services without having to visit on-site clinics.

Leveraging these technologies along with EHS software helps provide managers with a more comprehensive understanding of their current performance and workers’ health and safety.