How personal panic alarms can support lone worker protection in Ireland
For people who work alone, getting help can be more difficult when something goes wrong.
An employee may be visiting a customer, working late, carrying out maintenance, travelling between sites or working in an isolated location. In some situations, reaching a phone or finding another person may not be practical.
This is why lone worker protection in Ireland is an important consideration for employers.
Recent plans by the Courts Service demonstrate how personal panic alarms can form part of a wider workplace security strategy. BreakingNews.ie reported that judges in Dublin are to be issued with personal panic alarms following concerns about an increase in violent behaviour among litigants. The plans form part of a €1.8 million investment in security infrastructure.
The Courts Service is planning to issue up to 150 portable panic alarms to judges and senior personnel, alongside a mobile app or GPS personal safety device for a further 60 people. This is intended to complement around 150 fixed panic alarms already installed in courtrooms and administrative settings.
It is a useful example of how personal alarms for lone workers can sit alongside existing security measures rather than replacing them.
What can employers learn from the Courts Service plans?
The reported plans focus on giving judges and other personnel a discreet way to raise an alert when they need assistance.
The proposed standalone devices will be lightweight and discreet, with long-life battery capability, and the alarm will be activated through a single action. GPS data will only be shared when the device is activated, with users not tracked at other times.
That combination of simplicity, discretion and location information is relevant to many workplaces beyond the courts.
For an employee working alone, the key question is often straightforward: If I need help, how can I raise an alarm quickly and what happens next?
A lone worker alarm can provide one part of the answer.
What is lone worker protection?
Lone worker protection is the combination of processes, training, technology and monitoring used to support employees who work without direct supervision or nearby colleagues.
The right approach starts with understanding the risks.
A healthcare worker visiting someone's home may have different requirements from an engineer working on a remote site. A retail employee working alone may need a discreet panic button, while someone working in an industrial environment may need fall detection and a more robust device.
For employers, a lone worker personal alarm can provide an additional way for an employee to request assistance when they cannot easily access other support.
How does a lone worker panic button work?
A personal panic alarm is designed to make raising an alert simple.
Securitas lone worker devices can be carried in a pocket, attached to a keyring or worn on a lanyard. With a one-touch SOS button, the worker can raise an alert that connects to the Securitas Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC). Securitas operators can identify the worker's location, make contact and liaise with emergency services if required.
This type of response can be particularly useful where an employee is working away from colleagues or in an environment where using a mobile phone may not be practical.
The technology can also include additional safety features, depending on the device and the needs of the organisation.
Fall detection and man down alerts
A man down alarm can provide an additional layer of protection for employees who could become unable to activate an alarm themselves.
Securitas devices can automatically trigger an SOS following a detected fall or period of inactivity. Welfare checks can also be configured using timers for higher-risk tasks.
These features do not remove the need for appropriate workplace procedures, training or risk assessments. Instead, they can complement them.
Location information
Knowing where an employee is can be an important part of responding to an alert.
Securitas lone worker solutions can use GPS, Wi-Fi and beacon technology to provide location information. This can help monitoring teams understand where assistance may be required.
This is similar in principle to the approach described in the recent Courts Service plans, where the proposed personal panic alarms would send the individual's location to an operations centre when activated.
Two-way communication
Some lone worker devices also allow two-way communication between the worker and the monitoring centre.
This gives the monitoring team an opportunity to understand the situation and follow the appropriate response procedure rather than simply receiving an alarm without context. Securitas devices can include two-way voice communication and options designed for situations where discretion is important.
Fixed panic alarms and personal alarms can work together
Personal alarms do not necessarily need to replace existing workplace security systems.
The Courts Service plans are a good example. Around 150 fixed panic alarms are already installed across key court locations. The planned mobile solution is intended to add portable protection for judges and senior personnel.
For other organisations, the same principle can apply.
A business might use fixed panic buttons in reception areas or other vulnerable locations, while employees who regularly move between rooms, buildings or sites use a lone worker personal alarm.
Other organisations may combine personal alarms with access control, CCTV, remote monitoring or other security measures.
The best combination depends on the working environment and the risks identified through the organisation's risk assessment.
Who can benefit from a lone worker alarm?
Lone working takes place across many different industries in Ireland.
Employees who may benefit from additional lone worker protection include:
- Healthcare workers and carers
- Social workers and other professionals visiting clients
- Engineers and maintenance workers
- Utility and construction workers
- Security guards and night workers
- Retail and customer-facing staff
- Delivery drivers and transport workers
- Field service technicians
- Employees working in remote or isolated locations
- Agricultural and rural workers
Securitas provides different lone worker safety options for these types of working environments, with devices designed around different levels of risk and different ways of working.
Choosing the right lone worker protection solution
There is no single solution that will suit every lone worker.
Before choosing a lone worker alarm in Ireland, employers should consider how their people actually work.
For example:
- Do employees work alone for short periods or entire shifts?
- Do they travel between different locations?
- Could they experience a fall or medical emergency?
- Could they encounter aggressive or threatening behaviour?
- Would they be able to reach a mobile phone easily?
- Is automatic man down detection appropriate?
- Is location information required?
- Would employees benefit from two-way communication?
- Do they work in a hazardous or potentially explosive environment?
- Should fixed panic alarms be used alongside personal devices?
Starting with these questions helps employers choose technology based on the actual risk rather than simply selecting a device because it has the most features.
Securitas lone worker protection in Ireland
Securitas Ireland provides lone worker personal alarms and man down devices designed to support employees across different working environments.
Our solutions include compact wearable devices, more robust devices for industrial environments, ATEX devices for hazardous areas and a lone worker mobile application. Features can include one-touch SOS, automatic fall detection, welfare checks, GPS location, two-way communication and 24/7 monitoring through the Securitas Alarm Receiving Centre.
The mobile application can also provide panic and duress alarms, automated check-ins, GPS-tracked sessions and non-movement alerts for employees who use their smartphones as part of their lone worker protection solution.
This gives organisations options when building a wider lone worker protection solution.
For some employees, a compact wearable device may be the most practical choice. For others, a more robust device or mobile application may be appropriate. In some workplaces, personal alarms can be combined with fixed panic buttons and other security measures.
A practical approach to lone worker safety
The plans reported by BreakingNews.ie for personal panic alarms in the courts highlight an important point: personal safety technology can be designed around the way people work.
The proposed court system combines existing fixed panic alarms with portable devices and mobile technology. The personal devices are intended to be discreet, easy to activate and capable of providing location information when an alarm is raised.
For businesses across Ireland, the same principle can be applied to different working environments.
The starting point should be the employee, the work they carry out and the risks they face. From there, a lone worker alarm, man down device, mobile application, fixed panic button or combination of solutions may form part of an appropriate safety strategy.
Securitas Ireland can help organisations understand the available options and select a lone worker protection solutionthat fits their people, locations and working practices.
Talk to us about lone worker protection and find the right personal alarm solution for your team.
Explore lone worker personal alarms
Source note:
BreakingNews.ie, “Judges to be issued with personal panic alarms following concerns over litigant 'violence'”, 5 August 2026.