[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section” module_class=”home-banner” _builder_version=”4.9.3″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.9.3″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”840px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.9.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.3″ _module_preset=”default” text_orientation=”center” animation_direction=”top” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section” module_class=”font-16″ _builder_version=”4.9.3″ _module_preset=”default” background_image=”https:\/\/sheqsy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Asset-4.png” background_size=”contain” background_position=”bottom_center” custom_padding=”0px||100px||false|false” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.9.2″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”840px” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.9.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.3″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Open Sans||||||||” ul_font=”Abel||||||||” global_colors_info=”{}” ul_text_color__hover_enabled=”off|desktop”]<\/p>\n
If your organisation employs <\/span>lone workers<\/b><\/a>, then it is your responsibility to ensure that they are effectively safeguarded against the potential hazards and risks they face on a daily basis. At a bare minimum, all lone workers should have access to a <\/span>duress alarm system <\/span>to ensure they can call for help – quickly, easily, and discreetly – any time they feel unsafe or experience an emergency.<\/span><\/p>\n But before your organisation deploys a personal duress alarm system, it is important to examine the different options and features available, to understand which solution will best fulfil your safety policies and procedures, comply with legal requirements, and <\/span>simplify your operations management<\/b><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Read on to understand why and how your organisation should deploy duress alarms to ensure your employees are safeguarded at all times, as well as which safety and management features to look out for. <\/span><\/p>\n In its most basic form, a duress alarm (or GPS alarm) is a small, personal alarm, which should be worn or carried and accessible at all times. In the event of an emergency, the user can press a help or panic button to trigger a duress alert which is received by a manager or professionally monitored security centre and escalated accordingly. The alert is always accompanied by basic data, including GPS coordinates and time and date. (A duress alarm may sometimes be referred to as a GPS alarm.)<\/span><\/p>\n If you have employees who work alone, in isolated areas, out in the community, or remotely, they are exposed to the risks of being unable to contact managers or co-workers if things go wrong.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Deploying personal duress alarms ensures that your lone workers are properly safeguarded, enabling them to get help quickly, easily, and discreetly whenever an emergency occurs. Without a duress alarm within reach, your employees are left unprotected from whatever dangerous – and potentially, fatal – incidents that may arise.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In addition to safety, deploying a duress alarm system will help fulfil your organisation\u2019s legal obligations to ensure that you provide your employees with \u201ca safe work environment\u201d and \u201csafe ways of working,\u201d and that you \u201cmonitor the health of workers and conditions at the workplace.\u201d If your organisation does not take appropriate action, prosecution and sizeable fines could apply (<\/span>1<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n Some solutions, such as SHEQSY, may also collect and report on lone worker data (such as location, job activity, and <\/span>hazard and incident data<\/b><\/a>), which may be required by law (<\/span>2<\/span><\/a>). <\/span><\/p>\n As you consider how best to safeguard your lone workers, it is important to understand that duress alarms take many forms and range in cost, features, and capabilities.<\/span><\/p>\n Some alarms are very basic, standalone, and may not easily satisfy your organisation\u2019s lone worker policies and procedures. Meanwhile, other options, such as <\/span>SHEQSY<\/b><\/a>, may be integrated into overarching lone worker solutions that have more effective, efficient, and intuitive safeguards and management capabilities in place. <\/span><\/p>\n Duress pendants:<\/strong> Duress pendants are standalone wearable pendants that typically operate on the 3G or 4G cellular networks. They can be worn as lanyards or wristwatches, attached to belt clips, or kept in a pocket. While duress can be activated with a quick and discreet push of a button, duress pendants do not offer any extra functionality.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Panic buttons:<\/strong> Panic buttons are similar to pendants, however, they typically have fixed locations (such as underneath office desks). When incidents occur in other settings, workers are not safeguarded. Other than activating duress, panic buttons do not offer any additional functionality.<\/span><\/p>\n Smartphone-enabled duress alarms:<\/strong> Smartphone-based duress alarms can be activated quickly, easily, and discreetly, and operate anywhere there is mobile service. Because smartphone duress alarms typically function within an app (such as the SHEQSY app), and are often cloud-based, they offer more flexibility, safety functionality, and useful lone worker data and reporting than other types of duress alarms. Unlike the other two options, smartphone-enabled duress alarms may allow customisation to suit your lone worker safety policies and procedures.<\/span><\/p>\n It is just as important for lone workers to have personal duress alarms as it is for organisations to accurately understand <\/span>how<\/span><\/i> employees <\/span>actually<\/span><\/i> use the solution and whether they fulfil your organisation\u2019s safety policies and procedures.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In other words, if a duress alarm system does not provide any information about whether it is being used or how it is being used, then using the alarms becomes a futile procedure altogether.<\/span><\/p>\n Before purchasing a duress alarm system, consider, does it:<\/span><\/p>\n If the answer to any of these questions is \u2018no,\u2019 then the duress alarm system may not meet your organisation’s lone worker safety needs.<\/span><\/p>\n If the only function a personal duress alarm offers is duress activation, then it is impossible to manage, understand, and evaluate your employees\u2019 true and ongoing use of the alarms against your organisation\u2019s lone worker policies and procedures.<\/span><\/p>\n The only time you will truly understand the use of the alarms – or the lack thereof – is when an incident occurs. By then, it may be too late. <\/span><\/p>\n Generally speaking, duress pendants and panic buttons only offer basic duress functionality, and therefore, will not fully support your lone worker policies and procedures.<\/span><\/p>\n On the other hand, because smartphone-based duress alarms are usually app-based, they generally offer simple and more intuitive safety, management, compliance, reporting features, and functionality.<\/span><\/p>\n In addition, smartphone-based duress alarms can often be easily customized and innovated to suit your organisation\u2019s unique requirements. <\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_5,3_5″ _builder_version=”4.9.3″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”840px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”4.9.3″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/sheqsy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Smartphone-enabled-duress-alarm-SHEQSY-lone-worker-app.png” alt=”SHEQSY is a smartphone-enabled duress alarm system, which works as one part of an overarching lone worker safety and management solution. This is the SHEQSY app on iPhone with a QuickPanic duress alarm being triggered.” title_text=”Smartphone enabled duress alarm, SHEQSY lone worker app” align=”center” admin_label=”Image” _builder_version=”4.9.3″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” max_width=”100%” min_height=”623px” max_height=”623px” custom_margin=”-10px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.9.3″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.3″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n SHEQSY<\/b><\/a> is a smartphone-enabled duress alarm system, which works as one part of an overarching lone worker safety and management solution.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The SHEQSY app (for iOS and Android) offers employees simple and discreet duress activation, the ability to set activity countdown timers and periodic check-ins, complete work pre-start forms, report hazards and incidents, trigger a man-down duress, and communicate with colleagues and managers.<\/span><\/p>\n Meanwhile, SHEQSY enables managers to manage, monitor, and report on lone worker activities from one user-friendly, cloud-based dashboard. Managers can view lone workers\u2019 locations and activity countdown timers in real-time and choose to receive duress alerts via email or SMS or have SHEQSY\u2019s 24\/7 A1-graded security monitoring center manage duress alerts according to their organisation\u2019s safety policies and escalation protocols.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In addition, SHEQSY offers integrated Bluetooth wearables and handheld satellite devices to suit your organisation\u2019s requirements and employees\u2019 working conditions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.9.3″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”840px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.9.3″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.3″ _module_preset=”default” ul_font=”Abel||||||||” global_colors_info=”{}” ul_text_color__hover_enabled=”off|desktop”]<\/p>\n These devices may be used standalone or in conjunction with the SHEQSY smartphone app; and similar to the app, employees can activate duress through these devices and all lone worker data is automatically collected and stored in the SHEQSY dashboard.<\/span><\/p>\n SHEQSY makes lone worker safety easy. Organisations worldwide rely on SHEQSY to protect their employees against workplace hazards, streamline management, and comply with health and safety requirements.<\/span><\/p>\n Are you ready to safeguard your employees? <\/span>Contact SHEQSY<\/a><\/strong> now to schedule a 30-minute online demo and start your 30-day free trial.<\/span><\/p>\n Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.9.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”120px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.9.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/sheqsy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Asset-3.png” title_text=”Asset 3″ align=”right” _builder_version=”4.9.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section” module_class=”discover” _builder_version=”4.9.2″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#171c8f” custom_padding=”20px||20px||false|false” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.9.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.9.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.2″ _module_preset=”default” header_2_text_align=”center” header_2_text_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_margin=”||10px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.2″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”32px” header_2_text_align=”center” header_2_text_color=”#FFFFFF” header_2_font_size=”30px” custom_margin=”||10px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=”4.9.3″ _module_preset=”default” text_orientation=”center” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_code][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Deploying personal duress alarms ensures that your lone workers are properly safeguarded, enabling them to get help quickly, easily, and discreetly whenever an emergency occurs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"parent":2,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1420","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nWhat is a Duress Alarm?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Why Should Your Organisation Deploy Duress Alarms?<\/b><\/h3>\n
What Types of Alarms are Available?<\/b><\/h2>\n
Most Common Types of Personal Duress Alarms<\/b><\/h3>\n
Using Duress Alarms to Fulfil Your Safety Policies<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Duress Alarm System Considerations<\/b><\/h3>\n
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Duress Pendants and Panic Buttons<\/b><\/h4>\n
Smartphone-Enabled Duress Alarms<\/strong><\/h4>\n
SHEQSY as a Smartphone-Enabled Duress Alarm System<\/b><\/h2>\n
Learn More About SHEQSY<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Discover how easy it is to keep your lone workers safe<\/h2>\n
Try SHEQSY for free now. No Credit Card. No obligations.<\/h2>\n