Personal alarms for lone workers
Personal alarms for safety in every situation
When you’re working alone, especially in the evenings or in remote locations, it’s important to know that help is always close at hand. COBS personal alarms allow you to alert a colleague or alarm centre with the press of a button, enabling swift action and support. We offer reliable and robust safety and communication solutions that can be tailored to your individual needs and the conditions in your industry.
What is a personal alarm – and why is it needed?
A personal alarm is a portable device that enables employees to quickly call for help in an emergency. With a single press of a button, the user can alert an alarm centre, which receives information about the situation and can locate the user based on their position.
Personal alarms provide lone workers with the reassurance that help is always available if something unexpected happens. It’s a simple measure that can make a big difference to workplace safety in sectors such as healthcare, industry, and various types of night work.
The process
How our personal alarms for lone workers function
1. Alert quickly with the press of a button
If a threatening situation arises, you press the red alarm button. A message is then sent to the COBS message server, and an incident handler ensures the message is forwarded to colleagues, screens, and monitoring systems according to a pre-set configuration.
2. Help is on the way immediately
Once the alarm is sent, your colleagues and responsible personnel receive instant information that something has happened. They immediately see who raised the alarm, where the person is located, and whether they need to walk or run. This ensures that the right assistance is dispatched quickly every time – whether it’s for support, security personnel, or emergency services.
3. The incident is logged in the system
After the alarm has been dealt with and the situation resolved, the system ensures that the incident can be followed up. All alarm events are automatically logged, making it easy to go back and analyse what happened. This provides reassurance and helps improve workplace safety.
Applications
In what situations are personal alarms used?
Lone and night working
For lone work, especially in the evenings and at night, personal alarms are a fundamental safety measure. This applies to care and maintenance staff, security guards, forestry workers, or mast climbers who work alone and therefore have a critical need for personal alarms to get help quickly if an accident occurs.
Healthcare and social care
Work in healthcare and social care unfortunately sometimes involves situations where safety is compromised. This could involve needing help with lifting, extra support, or assistance with evacuation. With a personal alarm in their pocket, staff can act discreetly without escalating the situation. It’s a silent call for immediate assistance that increases safety for everyone involved.
Retail and public spaces
Employees in retail and public environments carry a heavy responsibility for the safety of themselves and others. This could involve attempted robbery, vandalism, or medical emergencies. In such situations, the ability to act quickly is vital. A personal alarm gives you the immediate ability to call for support without drawing attention.
Industry and production
Working in noisy factories or large industrial areas often means lone working and operating in remote places where traditional communication is difficult. If a machine breakdown, overheating, or similar issue occurs, you have a direct line to help. A quick button press is all it takes to raise the alarm and get the assistance you need, wherever you are.
Personal alarms that suit your work environment
For threatening situations
In high-risk environments where threats or violence may arise unexpectedly – such as in shops, receptions, healthcare, or public transport – a discreet alarm is invaluable. A carer faced with a suddenly aggressive patient, a shop assistant dealing with a suspicious shoplifter or robber, or a receptionist encountering an irrational visitor, can press the alarm for discreet assistance without escalating the situation further.
For accident-prone environments
At workplaces with a high risk of physical accidents – such as construction sites, heavy industry, production lines, or warehouses – it’s not always possible to manually call for help. COBS offers alarms that go a step further. They can be triggered automatically in the event of a fall or if the person is inactive for a prolonged period, and they work independently of mobile coverage. An industrial worker falling from a ladder and losing consciousness, or a technician suffering a medical emergency in a noisy machine room, can receive urgent assistance quickly thanks to the alarm’s automatic features.
For sedentary or physically demanding jobs
Personal alarms must always be comfortable and easy to use. For staff in offices, logistics, care homes, or monitoring roles, the alarm’s design and usability are crucial for ensuring it’s actually used. This could be an office employee subjected to threats or harassment, a care worker encountering aggressive behaviour, or a logistician working late in a warehouse who has an accident. That’s why our personal alarms are designed to be a natural part of workwear and easy to activate intuitively.
Our advantages
Why businesses choose COBS personal alarms
COBS focuses on creating safety and security in vulnerable environments where there’s a risk of threats, violence, or accidents. With extensive experience in wireless alarm and communication solutions and over 100,000 users across Europe, we are specialists in personal alarms that meet stringent requirements.
Many businesses turn to us because of our:
- User focus: Our intuitive personal alarms are designed with the user in mind – they are small, discreet, and easy to use in everyday situations and various working environments.
- Customization: At COBS, we offer a wide range of handheld units and alarm transmitters with features that can be tailored to different industries and needs, such as positioning, automatic fall alarms, and alerts to colleagues or alarm centres.
- Robust solutions: Our systems are highly reliable and work even in environments without mobile coverage, so emergency help can always be called regardless of your location at the workplace.
- 45+ years of experience: With our extensive expertise and deep industry knowledge, we can help you find the solution that best suits your business and contribute to a safer work environment for everyone involved.
Compatibility
Easy integration with security systems
It’s easy to connect the COBS message server to other systems. For example, if someone raises an alarm from a specific location, a CCTV camera can automatically display the area in a security system. Doors can be locked or opened when the alarm is triggered, and speakers can be used to quickly share information where needed.
Want to know more about our personal alarms?
Would you like to know how COBS personal alarms can improve safety at your workplace? We’re happy to help you develop a solution that matches your needs and circumstances. Get in touch and we’ll tell you more.