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Writer's pictureMarc Bates

When reacting to slips, trips and falls can save a life

Slips, trips and falls can be a real problem for lone workers, but Safe Hub's reactive Worker Down feature can get them help fast.


Here at Sky Alert, we're passionate about protecting lone workers. Periodically in our blog, we'll take a closer look at each of our Safe Hub lone worker safety features. In this blog, we’re focusing on Worker Down, designed for any lone worker at risk of slips, trips or falls. It’s a reactive feature that responds to impacts, unexpected changes in position, or lack of movement. By utilizing powerful technologies to trigger agreed emergency escalation protocols, this could save a lone worker’s life.


Slips, trips, and falls are common workplace dangers

Slips, trips and falls form a common category of workplace accident - and they can sometimes be very serious. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), 880 workers died in falls at their workplace in the US in 2019. And in terms of non-fatal accidents, 244,000 were injured badly enough to require a subsequent absence from work. A worker doesn't have to fall from a high level to suffer fatal injuries; indeed, 146 workers were killed in falls on the same level in 2019.


For lone workers in certain job functions, slips, trips or falls represent particular risks. Of course, construction workers are most at risk for fatal falls from height (more than seven times the rate of other industries in the US). But even if they’re not up a ladder, anyone who is working alone in remote locations could fall. Night security guards could trip during a walk around the property they’re looking after. Slips, trips and falls can happen anywhere, even at a desk job. A lone office worker can slip on a spillage that hasn't been cleaned up or trip over badly laid cables. And any of these workers may need a rapid response to help them recover from their accident.


How we can react to slips, trips, and falls

At the heart of our response to dealing with lone workers who may have suffered a slip, trip or fall is a powerful yet simple technology. Safe Hub uses the built-in motion sensors in smartphone handsets and specialist safety devices to enable Worker Down. On all smartphone operating systems, Safe Hub optimizes the use of sensor technology so the operation of Worker Down does not affect other phone functions.


The hub monitors the device's movement and orientation, and registers if it hasn’t moved for a length of time or suffers a sudden impact. This could indicate a lone worker requires emergency help after a fall or other incident. Worker Down automatically raises an alert with our Monitoring & Response Center. Using established procedures, operatives will access the worker's GPS location and call the worker's phone to see if they're OK. In the event of a false alarm, the worker can simply advise the center operative to ‘stand down’. If they can’t contact the worker via their handset, the operative automatically follows the next steps and can quickly dispatch emergency services to the worker’s location. It’s no exaggeration to say that saving valuable time in dispatching help could be the difference between life and death.


Why we use the term ‘Worker Down’

We recognize that slips, trips or falls can happen to anyone, whatever their gender. That’s why we call this feature ‘Worker Down’. We’re able to focus on the individual who holds the job – not the traditional view of who that person might be. We provide the broadest possible range of gender-free protection on a variety of devices and apps. And with Worker Down, managers can rest assured that their lone workers will get the help they need, when they need it.


We’re also acutely aware that different job roles can involve different amounts of physicality. That’s why we can decrease or increase the sensitivity of the motion and shock sensors. This accommodates the specifics of the individual using the device or app to provide maximum levels of protection. Whenever we deploy Safe Hub with a new client, we look carefully at lone worker risk assessments to gauge all these elements. We can't stop accidents from happening in the first place - that's up to our clients mitigating risks in other ways. But we do customize our response to our clients' needs. And it's no exaggeration to say that getting lone workers assistance fast can help to save lives.


To find out more about Safe Hub's Worker Down safety feature can mitigate the effects of slips, trips and falls for lone workers, contact one of the team today.


About Sky Alert

Safe Hub, from Sky Alert, is an advanced security platform that protects people working alone. With pinpoint accuracy and lightning-fast response, Safe Hub is not just another 911 app. It's all-around protection for lone workers. Using a discreet personal device such as the SOS Fob, our advanced App on a smartphone, or the SPOT X satellite device, Safe Hub connects users with a state-of-the-art Monitoring Response Center (MRC). At the MRC, highly trained operatives can provide immediate assistance directing the police or paramedics to your GPS location in the fastest time possible.

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