Keeping the lone worker safe and connected

Isolation is a state of being that we’ve all become more familiar with in 2020. But while spending time at a distance from others may have been alien to professionals in some industries until COVID-19, it’s an everyday occurrence for the lone worker in sectors such the Rail, Oil & Gas and Renewables.

According to latest figures, more than 6 million people in the UK work either in isolation or at least without direct supervision. In many instances, these roles can be high risk with little in the way of a safety net. Employers asking their staff to undertake relatively dangerous roles – be it servicing railway lines, repairing wind turbines or safety checking power lines – have a clear responsibility to protect their lone workers. While adequate training and safety equipment is undoubtedly part of their duty of care, vulnerable employees should also be given suitable communication devices, enabling them to stay in regular contact, share important information and call for help if required.

Despite the ubiquity of modern smartphones, which have incredible functionality and connectivity compared to technologies of 15 years ago, the truth is that these devices remain too temperamental and unreliable in environments where the stakes are high and the location remote. Mobile phone signals and real-time monitoring software may be passable in built up areas, but for lone workers deployed offshore or to unpopulated areas, a superior communication and monitoring solution is required.

Employers have a responsibility to invest in solutions that can not only support the effective completion of jobs but also reassure workers that they have a vital lifeline in the event of a slip, fall or other injury. At Succorfish, we’ve applied our expertise in monitoring and communications technologies to provide a reliable and robust solution for the lone worker. The XPEDIATE is not only a two-way satellite tracking device providing global coverage for users; it’s also a cellular messaging device complete with encryption security. The XPEDIATE utilises many of the innovations we have developed for our military-grade solutions to ensure that the lone worker is never truly isolated, no matter where they are working.

Another challenge for the lone worker is that the environment in which they find themselves may often be unfamiliar and potentially hazardous. Wind turbine engineers, for example, may be called out to hard-to-reach hilltops across rough terrain in unpredictable weather conditions. Similarly, with a growing number of offshore wind farms around the UK, more lone workers are finding themselves in surroundings that are challenging, at best, and outright hostile in poor conditions.

The XPEDIATE device helps to minimise the risk of the lone worker going off course or entering dangerous areas through the application of geofenced boundaries and warning notifications – particularly useful for rail workers who need to be warned of approaching trains, for instance.

Like the devices developed for military personnel, the power of the XPEDIATE lies in the Iridium satellite connection, which provides truly global coverage – anytime and anywhere.

Essential risk management and an opportunity for insight

For employers, it is crucial to maintain compliance and quality of communication in order to reduce the risks faced by lone workers. But at Succorfish we believe in developing solutions that don’t just help to avert disaster; they should also add value and provide insight.

The value of information collected from the field – be it in oil and gas, rail or energy – has never been greater. By putting comprehensive data and analytics at the fingertips of employers, the XPEDIATE ensures that organisations are able to build a clearer picture of the remote work being carried out on a daily basis, no matter where staff are based.

Full information on the features and specifications of the Succorfish XPEDIATE are available via secure login here. To request access please email sales@succorfish.com