5 reasons why training is vital for effective lone worker protection - and how to implement it

Introducing a lone worker protection system is only half of the story. It’s vital that your company culture fully understands and embraces the need to protect lone workers, by training and educating staff about its importance, as well as its use and management, so your solution can do its job properly.

Here are 5 reasons why training is vital for lone worker protection to be effective - and how to implement it.

1) Allows workers to feel connected with the business and promotes the overall wellbeing of lone working staff

Why this training is important:

Lone workers, by the very nature of their job, can feel isolated and disconnected from the business, which in turn can have a huge impact on their mental health and wellbeing. Providing effective training allows for two-way dialect between the lone worker/line manager, improving company and worker morale.

Training themes could encompass:

• Working alone doesn’t mean you are alone
• Providing programmes on mental health and wellbeing
• Adopting an ‘open door’ policy
• Risk assessment training
• Encouraging communication
• Role play activities

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2) Increases productivity and confidence in lone working employees, so that they know help is available at all times

Why this training is important:

Explaining how the system and the devices work together at all times emphasises to the lone worker that they aren’t ever really alone - and that help is available at the press of a button should the worst ever happen. Statistics show that having this peace of mind increases their confidence within their role and their employer, ultimately leading to an increase in productivity.

Training themes could encompass:

• 1/2 day LONEALERT training on the Lone Walker App on the devices you have purchased and how this works in conjunction with the O.W.L

3) Illustrates how lone workers can effectively defuse potentially threatening situations for those who work in volatile environments

Why this training is important:

Working in potentially hostile environments can create panic if a situation was to get out of hand. Training your lone workers effectively will give them the tools and skills needed to be able handle the situation calmly and appropriately, as well as illustrating just how effective their lone worker device and solution can be in getting them help quickly if needed. Highlighting the risks they face - as well as how to safely negotiate any potentially volatile situations - will give them greater peace of mind that the company is investing heavily in protecting their safety.

Training could encompass:

• Role play activities
• Device training in heated situations
• Understanding check-in and check-out and the frequency

4) Helps employees to understand what should happen in an emergency and how to effectively and efficiently respond to alarms raised by lone workers.

Why this training is important:

Many employees need to understand exactly what happens in the event of a lone worker alarm being raised.

Imagine being woken by an Alarm Receiving Centre call at 2am to be told that a member of staff has activated an alarm. It has been verified and the police are en route, and you need to enact your organisation’s response protocols. What are these? What is the first call the manager needs to make? How does he notify next of kin (if at all)?

These questions - and the answers to them - all form part of each organisation’s escalation procedure, and staff need proper and thorough training and support to obtain a clear set of guidelines in order to respond appropriately, quickly and calmly.

Training could encompass:

• Role play activities
• Training of the lone worker system The O.W.L
• Knowing your company’s escalation procedures
• Establishing emergency procedures

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5) Provides adequate risk assessments and emphasises the importance of these to ensure competency in safety matters

This provides lone workers with a clear set of limits of what can and cannot be done whilst working alone. It’s especially important employers ensure that lone workers are competent to deal with new or unfamiliar tasks, or those beyond the scope of training, so they are aware of when to stop work and seek advice from a line manager/supervisor.

Training could encompass:

• Mock risk assessments to illustrate how the lone worker identifies foreseeable events
• Providing information about emergency procedures and danger to lone workers visiting your site
• Identifying how a lone worker responds to emergencies

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Listen to lone worker expert Clive Wheawall’s speech on lone working and business efficiencies.
Clive is scheduled to speak on Thursday 11th April 2019 at the Health & Safety Event, NEC, Birmingham. For more information please contact LONEALERT on 0330 999 8484