Check-In Solutions vs. Panic Buttons: Why Proactive Safety Wins

September 3, 2024|Industrial Hygiene in the Workplace, Lone Worker

By: Gen Handley, Contributor

Lone workers are much more vulnerable than your average employee. People who perform their jobs in isolation can face different occupational hazards that are particularly complex and difficult to manage due to their unique work circumstances.

This can include a lack of, or limited access to, emergency help should they need it. It can also result in more severe injuries (such as a trip or a fall), as well as increased risk of harassment or assault when working in public.

To solve this problem, lone workers need to have access to emergency help and need to be monitored in a way that does not disrupt operations or their tasks. The secret lies in proactive and reactive safety.

A common example of reactive work safety is a panic button, which is a device pressed after an emergency or accident occurs. But, with proactive work safety, measures are in place to prevent accidents from occurring—before they harm the worker. Check-in solutions are examples of proactive measures that confirm the lone worker’s well-being prior to, after and during the shift at predetermined intervals and times, engaging the person in their surroundings and safety—oftentimes identifying safety hazards early.

Lone Worker Challenges

Lone workers are defined as those who perform jobs in the absence of coworkers or access to urgent help. The challenges include accessing communication with emergency contacts and providing an accurate location if rescue services are needed

As a result, their challenges include accessing communication with emergency contacts and providing an accurate location, if rescue services needed to find them.

Lone workers are found in almost every industry, but certain industries employ more than others, including home and community healthcare, water and wastewater, and utilities. These industries employ people who require accessible emergency communication and monitoring to protect them from daily hazards.

Lone workers perform jobs in the absence of coworkers or access to urgent help. The challenges include accessing communication with emergency contacts and providing an accurate location if rescue services are needed. © sorrakrit – stock.adobe.com

Panic Alarm Buttons

A panic alarm button is a device that, when pressed, sends a wireless signal alerting a monitor of a work emergency, and that the lone worker requires immediate help. Panic alarm buttons are commonly used in healthcare and hospitality where, in some states and cities like New Jersey, it is mandatory for hotel workers to carry a panic button while at work.

While effective in some cases, panic alarm buttons cannot be solely relied on, because their batteries can be unreliable; staff can forget them; they might require additional costs; and they’re reactive. They are safety tools to be used after an incident occurs.

Non-Invasive Monitoring

Rather than reactively, the safety of lone workers is better managed proactively through effective monitoring strategies, wearable devices and smart PPE. But the most important management is through strategic planning, training and safety protocols.

What are check-in solutions?

This includes a well-planned safety check-in system which is a remarkably effective, nonintrusive strategy to monitor the well-being of lone workers in a range of different industries. Safety check-ins are completely flexible, according to different work schedules and hazard risks, and can be adjusted simply and quickly.

Safety check-ins can be performed manually, in which the lone worker checks in via text or phone call at pre-scheduled times, or they can be performed as automated check-ins where the employee checks in with a mobile safety app that provides reminders and also signals emergencies when missed.

Automated vs. manual check-ins

In addition to reminders and emergency alerts, the benefits of automated safety check-ins include some that manual check-ins do not. Automated check-ins are not at risk of human error and negligence, ensuring check-ins or emergencies are not missed. Furthermore, automated check-ins provide reliable, continuous monitoring and valuable, regular updates of the lone worker’s status.

As mentioned earlier, this type of monitoring is beneficial to those working alone in industries where they work with clients and members of the public, such as home healthcare workers. (When a home healthcare worker was murdered in May, OSHA proposed more than $160,000 in fines for failing to protect the nurse with the patient who had a history of high-risk behaviors.)

Lone workers are found in almost every industry, but certain industries employ more than others, such as home and community healthcare. © Phindulo T/peopleimages.com – stock.adobe.com

Comparative Analysis: Check-In Solutions vs. Panic Buttons

Speed and reliability: Panic buttons will request help quickly; however, check-in solutions can proactively address a dangerous situation if the lone worker checks in with concerns about an issue. Additionally, automated check-ins can significantly improve the emergency response time by providing GPS breadcrumbs and location-tracking information.

Practicality and integration: Because they require separate batteries and are separate devices to be carried, panic buttons are not as practical as a check-in system that can easily be integrated into work schedules. Automated check-in apps may also include an in-app panic feature. Additionally, automated safety check-in apps are available on existing devices, such as smartphones, and do not require another device—they are relatively easy to onboard into remote and even global enterprises and teams.

Overall effectiveness: While panic buttons are a quick remedy, a safety check-in solution is much more effective and proactively addresses workplace hazards and issues. Frequent, periodic safety check-ins can dependably confirm these lone workers safe from occupational hazards.

The Power of Checking In

While brief, safety check-ins are a highly effective form of communication, confirming the worker is OK. But, with advances in technology, automated check-ins and lone worker safety apps can provide other valuable information, like location and other details through check-in messages.

Most importantly, the power of checking in comes from making a point of connection with a person working alone or in isolation—something important for lone and remote workers. Simply knowing they are being monitored will put the lone worker’s mind at ease and allow them to focus on their job. IHW