Beginners Guide to Lone Worker Apps and Devices: GPS Tracking, Phone Signal & More

Deciding on a lone worker safety solution can be difficult. With so many options available on the market, you want to make sure that you’re selecting the best fit for your lone workers and your organisation.

To help with this important decision, we’ve answered the most common questions we hear from businesses about lone worker technology, covering everything from how alarms are raised to industry standards.

Key Takeaways

• Lone worker apps and devices give employees a simple way to raise an SOS alarm and access support when they feel unsafe or need urgent assistance.
• Apps and dedicated devices offer many of the same core safety features, but the right option depends on the worker, their role and their environment.
• GPS location technology helps support teams identify where a lone worker is so that appropriate assistance can be coordinated quickly.
• Connectivity is an important consideration, particularly for employees working in remote locations or areas with inconsistent mobile coverage.
• Accredited lone worker solutions can support a faster emergency response, including police escalation where appropriate.
• The best solution should be selected through a lone worker risk assessment, rather than using the same technology for every employee.

1. What does a lone worker alarm do?

At its core, a lone worker solution provides a way for employees to raise an SOS alarm whenever they feel unsafe, threatened, or require urgent assistance.

When the SOS button is pressed on any of our devices or apps, an alarm is sent directly to our purpose-built Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) – staffed 24/7 by highly trained Controllers.

As soon as the alarm is raised, a two-way audio channel automatically opens between the device and the ARC. This allows Controllers to listen in discreetly to assess the situation, and if safe to do so, they will speak directly with the user to confirm details.

Every alarm is then managed according to a pre-determined escalation plan. Depending on the situation, this may involve contacting emergency services, or alerting designated escalation contacts such as a manager, colleague, or family member. The goal is always to ensure the necessary help arrives as quickly and safely as possible.

Depending on the device or app, additional features may include:

• Fall Detection – automatically raises an alarm if a slip, trip or fall is detected.
• Voice Memos/Text Activities – allows users to record details of their activity for added context.
• Timers and Welfare Checks – useful for users to confirm their safety during higher-risk tasks.
• Travelsafe – provides an added layer of protection while travelling.
• Team Broadcast – enables organisations to send critical alerts and updates to groups of employees, wherever they are.

These features are designed to ensure that help is available as soon as possible when it’s needed most.

2. Do they need a mobile phone signal to work?

No, not all devices need a mobile phone signal; however, most devices do work using a mobile SIM card and will need a mobile phone signal to raise an alarm immediately. To improve connectivity, our MySOS and MySOS ID Badge devices have roaming SIM as standard which is able to use the strongest of any of the three major network providers in the UK. This significantly increases the chance of securing a mobile phone signal.

For employees using the Peoplesafe app, we offer Roamsafe, an eSIM solution that sits alongside the user’s existing SIM card and acts as a backup when their primary network has no coverage. If the phone loses signal, Roamsafe will automatically connect to another available UK network, across Vodafone, O2, EE and Three, so that the app can still raise an alarm across the majority of the UK.

Alternatively, for employees working in very remote or rural areas we also provide SPOT devices (Gen4 and X), which use satellite technology instead of mobile networks to raise an alarm. These are ideal for rural or isolated environments where mobile coverage is unreliable or non-existent.

3. What’s the difference between a device and a smartphone app?

Lone worker devices and lone worker apps share a standard set of features, such as being able to raise an alarm; providing 2-way audio; logging a location; fall detection; logging an activity and recording a voice message.

The choice between a device and an app often depends on your workforce, taking into consideration their preferences and the environments they work in and any specific needs.

Lone worker devices:

• Ideal for employees who may be unfamiliar with smartphones or prefer a simple, dedicated device.
• Have a physical SOS button which can be easier to use for those wearing gloves or with poor dexterity.
• Can be pooled between staff for organisations with part-time or rotating teams.
• Lightweight, discreet, and can be hidden in plain sight.

Lone worker app:

• Suitable for employees who prefer not to carry an additional device.
• Allows alarms to be raised via lock screen override or the optional Smart Button accessory.
• Provides flexible activity logging via text messages and scheduled welfare checks throughout the day.
• Exclusive features are available such as Travelsafe, Team Broadcast, crash detection and check-in timers.

Many organisations find a combination of devices and apps works best, depending on roles, work environments, and personal preference. This ensures all employees have access to the most practical, reliable, and user-friendly solution for their needs.

4. Do lone worker devices track you?

All Peoplesafe devices and apps use GPS technology to help keep employees safe by providing real-time location information when it’s needed most.

For organisations that opt for the ‘Tracking’ feature, devices and apps transmit location data to Nexus at predefined intervals. This information appears on a dynamic map, giving authorised managers and administrators clear visibility of employees’ journeys and current locations. Employees can also send manual position updates, which are recorded in the same way, ensuring that the business has accurate, up-to-date information at all times.

When an alarm is raised, the employee’s location is immediately accessible to Controllers in our Alarm Receiving Centre. They can also review previous manual updates and tracking data to ensure assistance is dispatched directly to the exact location.

This significantly reduces response times and could mean the difference between a serious and manageable incident. To enhance accuracy, all location data is integrated with What3Words technology, allowing employees to be pinpointed to within three square metres.

It’s important to note that tracking is not continuous for all users. For employees without the optional Tracking feature, location data is only recorded when an alarm is raised or when a manual update is sent.

This information is also strictly controlled. Within Peoplesafe, ARC Controllers can only access location data during an active alarm. Within customer organisations, role-based access in Nexus ensures that only authorised managers or administrators can view employee data, maintaining privacy and security.

Find out more about how Peoplesafe uses location information

5. Will the emergency services be automatically called when an alarm is raised?

No, each alarm is assessed individually by the Controller in the Alarm Receiving Centre and the emergency services will only be called when necessary. In most situations, the Controller will attempt to follow the pre-established escalation procedure and call the user’s escalation contacts.

As all our devices are certified against BS 8484:2022, if the emergency services do need to be summoned, they can be done so quickly. If the Controller believes that the user needs emergency assistance, they can utilise the Unique Reference Numbers (URNs) to connect straight to the local police control room based on the user’s location, bypassing 999 to ensure the fastest response possible. The Controller will then be able to relay the information from the user’s online profile as well as any information they may have gathered when they received the alarm.

6. How easy are lone worker devices and apps to use?

At Peoplesafe, our devices and apps are designed to be simple, intuitive, and easy to use. Raising an SOS alarm can be done quickly with just the press of a button, so employees can raise an alarm immediately, even under pressure.

To make sure every user feels confident, we provide a wide range of training materials including step-by-step user guides, an online Help Centre, on-demand webinars, and access to our dedicated customer support team.

For larger organisations, our Customer Success team can also deliver personalised training and work closely with you to ensure that all employees are fully supported and comfortable using their device or app.

7. What happens if an alarm is accidentally activated?

False alarms are a normal part of using lone worker devices, and our Controllers are trained to handle them professionally. If an alarm is triggered by mistake, the Controller will simply ask the user to confirm a few details to verify their safety. Once confirmed, the alarm will be closed down.

There are no penalties for false activations, as we believe it’s better for employees to raise an alarm by accident than hesitate in a genuine emergency.

8. What industry standards are important?

When choosing a lone worker solution, it’s important to check that the service is accredited to recognised industry standards. These accreditations give you confidence that the system is reliable, secure and capable of getting help quickly in an emergency.

One of the most important standards is BS 8484:2022, which sets a standard of quality for lone worker solution providers. Solutions certified to this standard give users access to a faster police response through Unique Reference Numbers (URNs), bypassing 999 call queues. This can save vital minutes in an emergency.

Peoplesafe is accredited to all 5 parts of BS8484 (company, products, staff, Alarm Receiving Centre, response services), and our Alarm Receiving Centre also holds BS 5979 Category II and BS EN 50518 certifications. Together, these accreditations guarantee that our ARC is resilient, secure, and able to deliver a 24/7 service you can rely on.

Plus, Peoplesafe maintains strong data security standards through ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials Plus, protecting sensitive information and maintaining system security.

Choosing a lone worker device

The most important factor when choosing a lone worker solution is to ensure that the end user is confident in using their device.

We offer a consultative approach where one of our experienced consultants will work with you to understand your needs and recommend the best solution to keep your people safe. This ensures that every employee has a solution that works for them.

If you would like to find out more about our services, contact us today.