There are around 8 million lone workers in the U.K. Lone workers can be found in many different industries, doing many different jobs. Some lone workers are out and about all day going to different locations and constantly on the move, others spend their days in one location.
If, like me, you are a lone worker who works from home, you might not be as active throughout your day as you could be. If you are lone working in an office or in a lab you spend the majority of your time sat either looking at a computer screen or lab equipment.
So, what does this have to do with the ‘Man Down’ feature on my lone worker safety solution?
The man down app feature has been designed to detect lack of movement, and when I am working at my desk, I have to remember to nudge my phone every now and then to let it know I’m all right. It’s not abnormal on any workday for me to realise I have been sat at my desk and not moved for three or four hours.
I have discovered I can use the man down feature of the Ok Alone app to help me be more active. Setting the timer for one hour creates an automatic reminder for me to get up and move around once the alert goes off. I get a message asking if ‘I am ok as no movement has been detected’, this prompts me to get up and take a quick walk around the house or do some quick star jumps (this is acceptable when you are working alone!) It gets the blood pumping and I can then continue working.
This is one of the uses of the man down feature, however, its main function is really good too!
What else can Man Down do for lone workers?
The Ok Alone app’s ‘Man Down’ function notifies a worker’s office if there has been no movement within a set amount of time (1 minute – 1 hour). If no movement is detected the phone will sound an alarm alerting the worker that there has been no movement. If this alert is not responded to by the worker, it will be escalated to the worker’s allocated monitor and they will contact the worker. The monitor can then send help to the worker’s location if necessary. The helpful reminder/alarm to the worker first means there will be less false alarms sent to either the monitor or the call centre.
What else does Ok Alone do?
Ok Alone, the lone worker safety app, allows workers to check in at regular intervals and request help if they need it. The system has GPS capabilities that can locate a worker if they are out on a job and fail to check-in. Using Ok Alone means that someone else will be notified if a worker doesn’t check-in or requests immediate assistance and that person can act to get help.
Other features of Ok Alone include the ‘High Risk’ function where workers can change the frequency of their check-in depending on their circumstances. The check-in can be set to every 10 minutes if required. Using this feature alerts the worker’s company that they are entering an area they do not feel safe in. This function allows the worker to update their company to their situation without having to phone in.
How can I get started with Man Down and Ok Alone?
If you want to use the Ok Alone lone worker safety app to help keep you safe while working alone or to help you get up and moving during a long shift of sitting still visit www.okaloneworker.com for more information and a free trial.
As an expert in lone worker content management, I possess an extensive knowledge base and experience in the area of lone working and safety monitoring. My expertise in this field encompasses a wide range of areas, including risk assessment, training, communication, and technology. I have a deep understanding of the unique risks associated with lone workers and have researched and written many projects and articles to educate people in how to mitigate these risks.
Throughout my time with Ok Alone, I have kept up to date with technological developments, legislative changes and regulations that have been introduced to help organizations ensure the safety of their lone workers.