Lone worker protection for office workers
When it comes to lone working, you don’t think of an office being a particularly hazardous place to be. Despite being at less risk of violence, the office environment causes its own share of accidents and injuries.
As we look for a better work/life balance, the demand for flexible hours and working from home has increased by 20% in the last 10* years and is set to continue to increase, putting added pressure on to managers to keep workers protected.
Furthermore, employees who work alone in an office outside normal working hours, or visiting clients alone are classed as lone workers. Although this sector may be considered a lower risk, this is not a reason to avoid protecting your lone working office staff, who still require adequate protection to remain safe. A lone worker alarm can reduces risk of harm to any situation.
*http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/working-home-soars-15million-people-8008210
Our risk assessment
To carry out a risk assessment you need to think about what might cause harm to your employees and decide whether you are taking the reasonable steps needed to prevent any harm.
A risk assessment is something you are required to carry out by law. We have teamed up with lone working specialist trainer Jackie Dolan and created a comprehensive risk assessment for people working in an office.
LONEALERT Solutions for the Office:
Due to the situation these workers are in, and the fact that most office based workers will have both a desk and a mobile phone, we would suggest the following solutions for your industry:
LONEALERT Access:
What is it?
Accessed via The O.W.L, landline, mobile phone or smartphone, LONEALERT Access is a simple, cost effective solution to benefit lower risk roles within this sector.
How it can work?
Graham leaves a busy office to go and visit a client. They log into The O.W.L to create a timer, set to expire when they should conclude their meeting, and off they go. Once they are safety back, they simply send an SMS to tell The O.W.L that they are safe and the timer is cancelled. If they can’t log out, the alert is raised to their Response chain. A panic button is also available if things go wrong.
LONEALERT Instant:
What is it?
The Instant solution includes all products within the LONEALERT Access range, and adds access via a range of dedicated devices. GPS equipped with fall detection, panic and one button timer creation.
How it can work?
A day draws to a close in the office and Graham is left behind finishing up. They pick up the shared LONEALERT Instant device, press one button to check in and wear it, at their desk, to the kitchen to make a brew to keep them going until they finish up. When they are ready to leave, they press a second button to check-out. If they don’t check out, or they fall, or press the panic, then the alert is raised.
You could even:
Combine this with Access so Neve can log into The O.W.L via Access between leaving the office and getting home or to their car.
