zest : track article base
This is one of a selection of general interest articles relating to the application of GPS tracking.
To find out more about how Zest Tracking helps its clients to exploit GPS tracking, whether it is for vehicle tracking, mobile phone, or Blackberry tracking or dedicated tracking units please explore the rest of this site, or contact us for an informal discussion
What our clients say...
"
It is comforting to know that my support team knows where I am continuously.
I drive thousands of miles alone to remote rural locations in all weathers but I can be confident that if anything untoward were to happen then my progress could be retraced and appropriate action taken"
Julia Scott, Sports Nutritionist, Equestrian World Class Programme Read More...
Lone Worker Protection
How Can GPS Tracking Devices Help With Lone Worker Protection?
Lone workers face increased risks in their daily activities when compared with their office-based colleagues. Their isolation from workmates means that communications and GPS tracking technology can offer real benefits in ensuring that should the need arise, they can raise an alarm and be confident that their location can be accurately obtained.
The number of people who work alone, either some or all of the time is now increasing. Many people who travel for work or who work at night, are lone workers. Some of these occupations have a higher degree of risk than others.
Particularly at risk are likely to be:
Track Your Vulnerable Lone Workers using their Mobile Phone or Blackberry!
Zest : trak™ enables you to keep on top of your vulnerable staff's whereabouts using their GPS enabled Blackberry or Mobile phone.
Read more about our Blackberry™ & Mobile Phone Tracking
Mobile workers who are working away from their fixed base. For example these may include: workers involved in construction, plant installation, maintenance and cleaning work, electrical repairs, lift repairs, painting and decorating or vehicle recovery, agricultural and forestry workers.
Secondly, service workers, e.g. rent collectors, postal staff, social workers, home helps, doctors, district nurses, pest control workers, drivers, engineers, architects, estate agents, sales representatives and similar professionals visiting domestic and commercial premises.
It is not possible to continuously supervise lone workers, but communicating with them and checking their working conditions and practices plays an important part in reducing health and safety risks.
Employers have responsibility for the health, safety and welfare at work of all of their employees. They are also responsible for the health and safety of those affected by work activities, for example any self-employed people they engage and visitors such as contractors. These responsibilities cannot be transferred to any other person, including those people who work alone. It is the employer’s duty to assess risks to lone workers and take steps to avoid or control risks where necessary.
Find out about Lone Worker protection devices Now!
The Zest : trak™ Ranger is the ideal device to give peace of mind to organisations that have people who find themselves in vulnerable situations.
Read more about our Lone Worker Protection Solutions
Consequently, procedures must be put in place by employers to monitor lone workers in order to help keep them healthy and safe. These procedures may include: – Supervisors regularly visiting and observing people working alone; – Regular contact between the lone worker and their supervisor, e.g. either mobile phones, telephones, radios etc; – The use of automatic warning devices which operate if specific signals are not received periodically from the lone worker, e.g. staff security systems; – Adoption of other devices designed to raise the alarm in an emergency, these can be operated manually or automatically by the absence of activity; – Checks to ensure a lone worker has returned to their base or home once their task is completed.
So as well as putting in place sound management processes to ensure that there is regular contact between an employee and their employer, it is clear that technology has a great deal to offer in support of these steps. A small personal GPS tracking device can give both parties the reassurance that the lone worker’s location is being continuously monitored, and that the employer will be able to tell when the worker has returned safely at the end of the day. Equally important is the facility that most GPS tracking devices will have to send a communication back to base in the event of an incident. Most devices will support making an emergency alarm call at the touch of a button. In addition, devices can respond in the event of a “man-down” – for example characterised by a period of inactivity.
More and more responsible employers are now recognizing the benefits that GPS tracking and communications devices can bring to their lone workers, and coupled with the falling running costs, they are convinced that there is a sound business case behind the adoption of GPS tracking devices for Lone worker protection.