Emerging Tech & Innovation for Lone Workers

July 7, 2025|Connected Workers, Industrial Hygiene in the Workplace, Lone Worker

All the latest lone worker safety technologies are headed in the same direction—enhanced connection and communication. Due to advancements in technology, as well as occupational safety, connection with people working alone can be significantly optimized and improved. This offers a number of major benefits, not only to lone workers, but for the entire organization.

Who are Lone Workers?

They might look different from organization to organization or from industry to industry; however, these employees can be defined according to their occupational circumstances and work environment. A lone worker is defined as a person working in isolation and/or without the presence of another coworker, as well as without direct supervision. They face common safety hazards and challenges including:

Higher risk of accidents and injuries from common slips and falls due to the lack of immediate help
Not receiving timely, urgent help for medical emergencies, leading to more serious outcomes
Increased in risk of harassment, violence and assault from the public
Stress, anxiety and loneliness due to isolation and lack of regular social interaction

These hazards are complex, and emerging technologies can help address a major portion of the lone worker’s safety. But, when practicing proper industrial hygiene protocols and principles with the consistent, habitual use of lone worker technologies, organizations can not only remain more reliably connected with their lone workers—they can respond faster and more efficiently in emergencies or accidents.

Current Landscape of Lone Worker Safety

In 2024, Connecticut began its In-Home Safety Grant Program, which helps provide its home healthcare workers with safety tools and technologies, such as emergency alert systems, tracking devices and safety training.
© Chanelle Malambo/peopleimages.com – stock.adobe.com

The area of lone worker safety is an evolving one with roughly more than 90 million people working alone in the U.S., and that number is expected to continue growing. With more and more people—in all industries—working alone more frequently, awareness of the unique occupational hazards that lone workers face is also increasing.

Delayed emergency response: The most significant general hazard of working alone is not having the immediate accessible help of a coworker in the unfortunate event of a work accident, injury or medical emergency.

Higher risk of violence or assault: Working alone in isolated or unpredictable environments increases exposure to violence, assault and harassment by members of the public.

Increased mental strain: Working alone in isolated environments can also contribute to stress, anxiety and burnout.

Limited communication: In particularly remote work environments, lone workers can experience major communication challenges, which can escalate risks during emergencies and critical situations.

Lack of supervision: When working alone and without in-person oversight, required safety procedures may be missed or improperly implemented, leading to preventable injuries and accidents, as well as safety fines.

Exposure to environmental hazards: Environmental dangers, such as extreme weather or confined spaces, can be amplified due to solitary circumstances.

Difficulty in self-rescue: If a lone worker is immobile or unconscious, they are unable to call for help on their own and are incredibly vulnerable.

Emerging Technologies Enhancing Safety

Due to the increased risk and hazards that can jeopardize lone workers, steps and planning must be performed ahead of time in order to protect people before an incident even occurs. Following the first three key industrial hygiene practices of anticipating, recognizing and evaluating current safety hazards within the work environment, organizations must then implement highly specific technological controls to minimize or eliminate these dangers.

Wearable Sensors for Hazard Monitoring

Such controls can include the lone workers wearing portable sensors and devices that provide real-time monitoring for air quality (volatile organic compound [VOC] exposure, particulate matter); dangerous noise levels; toxic gases (hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide); and important vital signs, such as heart rate and fatigue levels.

By providing safety technologies for its lone workers, organizations demonstrate that they value vulnerable employees and safety is a priority. © One King – stock.adobe.com

Mobile Safety Apps & Lone Worker Protection

For high-risk industries and jobs like home healthcare, mobile safety apps can be implemented and promptly used on existing devices, i.e., smartphones. They provide features such as GPS location monitoring, fall/impact detection and proactive automated check-ins that ensure lone workers can access and receive emergency support when needed. These technologies allow organizations and managers to monitor and protect teams of mobile, lone workers who are all working across different remote locations.

Smart Clothing & Safety Wear

Highly advanced, emerging occupational smart clothing can be used for worker monitoring, reporting and training, performing a wide range of safety functions, such as monitoring health vitals; improving visibility in certain conditions; adjusting temperature; and detecting environmental hazards.

Future Outlook & Prospects

With more people working alone and remotely in the future, it’s important to utilize technology to remain connected when performing jobs in solitary environments. These technologies and devices will become increasingly smaller and innovative, bringing advances in real-time hazard detection, bio-sensing wearables, as well as AI-driven compliance tracking and management. Technologies should also implement and complement easily with existing safety protocols.

Additionally, any future changes to safety regulations and legislation, as well as industrial hygiene standards, will also impact technology development and adoption. For example, in 2024, the State of Connecticut announced its In-Home Safety Grant Program, which helps provide its home healthcare workers with safety tools and technologies, such as emergency alert systems, tracking devices and safety training. As a result, many of the state’s home healthcare workers will be equipped with mobile tracking devices when visiting clients’ homes.

The Critical Role of Technology & Industrial Hygiene

Regardless of what local safety regulations and legislation are developed down the road, technology will play an integral role in successfully applying the four principles of anticipation, recognition, evaluation and control to effective lone worker safety. With consistent use of lone worker technologies, in conjunction with industrial hygiene principles and practices, people can prepare themselves from the hazards that have been identified and assessed beforehand.

By applying and putting into action industrial hygiene practices of hazard evaluation and hazard controls, such as emerging safety technologies, workers do not need to worry about their well-being and can focus on their work. By providing these safety technologies for its lone workers, organizations demonstrate that they care for their vulnerable employees and safety is a priority. IHW