| Written by Mark Buzinkay
Personnel Tracking: What is a lone worker tracking solution?
A personnel tracking solution is a technology which offers an easy way to monitor the location and safety of employees while at work. Then, if there is an emergency, employees can alert their employer or emergency services, who will respond immediately, preventing escalation and reducing the level of harm to the lone worker.
Lone worker tracking solutions come in various forms, but all usually include some form of tracking device that the employee wears while working. The device then communicates with a central server, which the employer or emergency services can access. In the event of an emergency, the employee can activate a panic button on the device, which will send an alert to the server. Much better, the device recognizes potentially threatening situations and alerts safety coordinators to trigger a rescue operation. The employer or emergency services can then track the employee's location and respond accordingly.
Lone worker tracking solutions are becoming increasingly popular, as they offer a simple and effective way to improve the safety of employees who work alone. By providing real-time visibility of employee locations, employers can be sure that their employees are safe and accounted for at all times. In the event of an emergency, the employer or emergency services' quick response time can help prevent a potential tragedy.
Lone worker: The benefits of using a personnel tracking solution
Mining is a dangerous industry, and safety is always the top priority. One way to improve safety is to track the location of employees at all times. A personnel tracking solution can help by providing real-time data on where employees are and how they are doing. This can be invaluable in an emergency, as it can help ensure that employees are found and helped quickly. It can also help prevent accidents by allowing managers to see where employees are and what they are doing. In short, a miner tracking solution can offer many benefits for both employers and employees in the mining industry.
How does a personnel tracking solution work?
As mentioned, a personnel tracking solution is a technology which offers an easy way to monitor the location and safety of employees while at work.
RFID technology uses electromagnetic fields to automatically identify and track objects. An RFID lone worker tracking solution uses tags attached to each employee. The tags emit a signal that can be detected by a receiver, which is typically carried by the employer or emergency services. When an employee raises the alarm, the receiver will pick up the signal and send an alert to the employer or emergency services. This ensures that help can arrive quickly in the event of an emergency.
An RFID lone worker tracking solution offers a number of benefits over traditional methods of tracking personnel. For example, it is much more accurate than relying on manual check-ins. In addition, some technologies are not available underground, like GPS, for example. This means that employers can be confident that they know the exact location of their employees at all times. In addition, an RFID solution is much easier to use than other methods – employees simply need to wear a tag, and there is no need for them to carry any additional equipment. This makes it ideal for businesses that want to improve safety without adding complexity. Finally, an RFID solution is much more cost-effective than other options, such as satellite tracking.
The features of a typical lone worker tracking solution
Most lone worker tracking solutions use RFID (radio-frequency identification) technology to track the location of employees. This type of system typically consists of a series of RFID readers placed around the workplace and communicates with a central hub. The receiver then uses this information to determine the location of lone workers wearing an RFID tag.
Typical features of a lone worker tracking solution include:
- Personnel tracking: This allows businesses to track the location of workers in real-time.
- Emergency alerts: In the event of an emergency, employees can send an alert to their employer or emergency services.
- Check-in/check-out: This feature allows businesses to track when employees arrive at and leave their worksites.
- Geofencing: This allows businesses to create virtual boundaries around worksites and receive alerts if an employee steps outside of these boundaries.
- Battery life monitoring: This helps businesses to ensure that employees have enough battery life on their devices to last their shift and longer.
One of the main benefits of using RFID technology for lone worker tracking is that it offers a high degree of accuracy. This means that employers can be sure that they know exactly where their employees are at all times, and can respond quickly in the event of an emergency.
Text Notification
With the newest upgrade of Crew Companion 1.3 we introduce the latest feature - the possibility of automatic SMS notifications to selected users. For example, in case of a planned blast, a text message informs all tag holders in the affected zones to evacuate to a safe place in time. The new feature will improve the efficiency of operations by avoiding search activities for non-accounted personnel and postponing the blast.
Message creation is fully customisable and can be tailored to the customer's needs. The SMS notification can be pre-scheduled or sent instantly. The feature is already implemented at one of our partners – LKAB, Europe's leading iron-ore producer at home in Sweden.
It can be used to notify lone workers after the time is up to make contact.
“The greatest benefit of (Wearable RFID) technology is that, as a worker, you’re not alone in terms of your safety,” said John Snawder, co-director of the NIOSH Center for Direct Reading and Sensor Technologies and acting chief of the agency’s Biomonitoring and Health Assessment Branch.
“If people see that this information is monitoring their productivity, absolutely, they are not happy about that,” said SangHyun Lee, an associate professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Michigan. “If it’s used for safety and health, they are more open.”(1)
Why choose a personnel tracking solution from Identec Solutions?
If you are interested in implementing a lone worker tracking solution at your workplace, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, make sure to choose a reputable and reliable provider. There are many tracking solutions on the market, but not all of them are created equal. Do your research to find a solution that offers the features you need monitoring miners at a price you can afford.
Identec Solutions is a leading provider of miner tracking solutions. Our solution, Crew Companion, is used by businesses of all sizes in underground and open-pit operations across the world. We offer a comprehensive solution that is easy to use and comes with all the features you need to keep your employees safe. One of the biggest benefits is the extremely long battery life of several years without the need to change/recharge the individual tag. In addition, crew Companion is ATEX-proof and shows you in real-time who is in a mine and who is not accounted for.
Takeaway
A lone worker tracking solution is an essential tool for businesses with employees who work alone. It offers a way to monitor the location and safety of these employees and quickly respond in the event of an emergency. This can prevent escalation and reduce the level of harm to the lone worker.
There are many benefits to using a personnel tracking solution like Crew Companion, including monitoring employees' whereabouts, quickly responding in emergencies, and preventing escalations. If you have employees who work alone, then a lone worker tracking solution is an important tool to help keep them safe. Contact us today to learn more about our solution and how it can benefit your business.
Dive deeper, browse through our wide selection of articles and learn much more about miner safety!
Sources:
(1) https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/18093-ready-to-wear-wearable-technology-could-boost-workplace-safety-but-concerns-remain
Note: This article was updated on the 12th of June 2024
