The BSIA’S new quick guide to purchasing lone Worker products and services is designed to help end users obtain the highest quality lone worker security solution, and gives tips on what to look for in terms of quality and standards.
The British Security Industry Association (BSIA) has published a useful one-page ‘quick’ guide to purchasing lone worker protection products and services, to aid employers of the UK’s vulnerable lone workers in choosing the right product to protect their staff, Vigilance can report.
More than six million people in the UK work either in isolation or without direct supervision, often in places or circumstances that put them at potential risk. However, given the wide range of solutions currently available to protect lone workers, choosing a supplier can be difficult. Fortunately, the BSIA operates a dedicated Lone Worker Industry Group, bringing together suppliers of lone worker protection solutions manufacturers of lone worker devices and representatives of lone worker alarm receiving centres.
Compiled by the BSIA’s Lone Worker Industry group, this one-page guide makes the selection and purchasing process simple, covering areas such as the assessment and mitigation of risk, and what to look for in a potential supplier. It also provides essential, easy-to-understand guidance to the more complex topics of British Standards, Alarm Receiving Centres and ensuring police response.
Mr Alex Carmichael, Technical Director at the BSIA and co-author of the guide, said: “Buying a Lone Worker Service can be confusing as there are many providers, devices and monitoring options available, and many considerations to make before you start. This guide provides step-by-step information to help employers make the right considerations to procure a lone worker service that’s right for their business.”
Carmichael added: The guide will be useful for businesses employing lone workers - who are often required to work away from an office environment or outside of normal working hours – and will help companies to fulfil their obligations under duty of care legislation. Alex Carmichael adds: “The financial repercussions of neglect of duty of care can be significant, and in some cases, far outweigh the cost of implementing a lone worker protection system. We hope that the BSIA’s new buyers’ guide will help companies starting off on this journey to consider all the options available and make the right choice of supplier.”