Strategic Focus: Reducing Lone Worker Injury And Fatality Rates

Executive Summary

Lone workers undertake isolated or remote workflows in a range of environments and settings. In these types of workflows, a lack of supervision and communication can lead to increased vulnerability, lending itself to increased risk. The most prominent risks attributed to lone workers are in the form of slips, falls, violence and roadway incidences. All of these can result in substantial costs for firms, if not mitigated. Certain industries have higher risk profiles and a greater likelihood of worker injury and fatality – for instance, the construction and agricultural industries. Digital technologies can be deployed to aid in mitigating these risks. However, when selecting technologies, it is important to consider the types of providers and their solutions for a given risk profile. Firms should identify the mode in which the technologies seek to lower risk, question at what scale solutions can be deployed, and recognise the barriers to the implementation of digital strategies.