BSI sets out latest lone worker benchmarks

As announced last year in LookOut call News, BSI British Standards, the UK's national standards organization has been inviting public comments on the draft of ‘BS 8484’, a standard for the management of lone worker protection services. The draft standard aimed to cover the provision of services using electronic monitoring and alarm techniques and forms part of the BSI ‘Occupational Health and Safety Management System’ (OHSMS). According to BSI, managing the spectrum of staff related risks in the workplace will enable an organisation to control insurance costs and increase performance from its existing operations. An OHSMS also promotes a safe and healthy working environment by providing a framework that allows an organisation to consistently identify and control its health and safety risks, reduce the potential for accidents, aid legislative compliance and improve overall performance.

BS 8484 has now been published and lays out the minimum functionality for all lone working devices. BSI also prescribes the quality of the audio transmission - which it said is essential when assessing a situation, requesting the right response and to prevent false alarms. It also recommends the devices can be discreetly activated so there are no obvious signs of activation to an aggressor.
Other requirements are designed for alarm receiving centres which should operate 24/7 and have a continuity plan to operate from alternative premises within two hours. The centres should meet police criteria for the highest level response.

For further information, visit www.bsigroup.co.uk