When a lone worker device goes off at 3 a.m., what happens next depends on where that alert goes. And for many businesses, this is something that hasn’t been adequately considered.
The terms "lone worker app" and "lone worker monitoring" are often used interchangeably, but they're not the same thing at all. In fact, they’re solving two different problems.
In this guide we'll separate the two, explore what actually happens when an alert is triggered, and share our insight on how to match the right level of protection to the roles in your organisation. We’ve previously covered the hidden risks of staff responding to alarm activations, but it’s just as important to consider who is actually available to respond.
The two questions people confuse
Lone worker apps or monitoring services? This is a common question in the security world, but really it covers two different questions.
The first is about what a lone worker carries: do they use a smartphone app, a dedicated wearable device, or something else?
The second is more about the response: when an alert fires, who is at the other end? A self-managed setup sends the alert to a nominated colleague or manager, whereas a professionally monitored service routes it to a trained operator in an Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) that’s staffed around the clock.
An app can be used for either response model, as can a dedicated device. So if you’ve been deciding between a lone worker app and a monitoring service, that’s not quite the right consideration. What you really need to focus on is who will be available to respond, and how effective that response is likely to be.
Self-managed lone worker apps: the honest pros and cons
There are certainly real pros to lone worker apps. They’re cost-effective as there’s no hardware to buy, and staff can use the phone they already have in their pocket. This also makes rollout fast, and app adoption tends to be high. On top of this, the GPS on modern smartphones is generally reliable and apps work over Wi-Fi and cellular networks such as 4G and 5G.
But lone worker apps are by nature entirely reliant on the phone they’ve been downloaded on. A phone must be charged, in signal and to hand when something goes wrong, otherwise its usefulness is limited. In addition, live location tracking can drain a battery over a long shift. And here's the crux: an app can raise an alert, but it doesn't, by itself, decide who responds, or how fast.
This point really matters. Under BS 8484:2022, the British Standard covering the provision of lone worker services, self-monitoring - whether using an app or a dedicated device - can’t unlock the fastest level of police response, known as Level 1. Only a fully accredited chain, including an ARC, can do that.
You can learn more about your options on our lone worker solutions page, which discusses apps and dedicated devices in more detail.
Professionally monitored services: the honest pros and cons
With a professionally monitored service a trained operator is in place to receive the alert and decide on an appropriate response. When an alarm triggers, someone at an ARC is there to review it, often using location, audio and sometimes video data. They verify what’s happening and escalate as the situation demands, to either a nominated contact, on-site security or the emergency services. This is the model behind our own lone worker monitoring service.
Where the whole chain - including the device or app, the provider and the ARC – is accredited to BS 8484:2022, Level 1 police response can be unlocked for genuine emergencies. Though it’s worth noting that this response can’t be guaranteed, as it depends on police priorities and resources.
Some security companies go as far as to dispatch their own trained security staff to the location in person when an ARC decides it’s appropriate, quickly responding to incidents and threats as part of a professional alarm response service.
Professional monitoring also creates a defensible audit trail, recording every alert, verification and escalation. Of course there is a cost element to consider, and a full monitoring setup may seem like overkill for genuinely low-risk roles.
Head-to-head: cost, reliability and response
Let’s take a look at how a self-managed lone worker app stacks up against a professionally monitored service on the things that really matter:
|
|
Lone worker app (self-managed) |
Professionally monitored service |
Cost |
Lowest up front, no hardware, per-user licence. Hidden cost: staff time to monitor |
Highest line item, but includes 24-hour trained response and an audit trail |
Reliability |
Depends on the phone's charge, signal and whether it's to hand |
Staffed 24 hours a day; Securitas' dual-ARC resilience removes single points of failure |
Response capability |
Raises an alert only; a human still has to notice and act |
An operator verifies, escalates, calls 999, and can dispatch an officer |
What happens at 3 a.m. |
The alert routes to a nominated colleague, who may be asleep, off-shift or unable to help |
The alert reaches an awake, trained operator within seconds; escalation begins immediately |
With a self-managed app the alert usually goes to a pre-set list of contacts, who receive a call or text. However, if that person is asleep or doesn’t see their phone for a while, the alert may go unanswered.
With a monitored service the alert reaches someone whose job it is to be awake and attentive, whatever time the alert comes through. This person is trained to verify what’s happening and to escalate immediately. Securitas’ alarm monitoring and wider remote monitoring services operate in just this way.
The hidden cost of self-monitoring
Self-monitoring – whether using an app or a dedicated device – may sound like a cost-saving solution, but of course it’s not actually free. You need someone available to watch the platform for every hour that lone workers are on shift, and they need to be available to respond as soon as an alert is triggered.
You might only need cover from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but for many organisations lone workers are out in the evenings, weekends and at unpredictable times. This means you need someone genuinely on call around the clock to effectively monitor your people. This cost may not show up on an invoice, but it exists nonetheless.
Self-monitoring can also be a single point of failure, for instance if the specified person is off sick, in a meeting, or simply doesn’t spot the alert when it arrives.
Standards and accreditation that actually matter
A few standards come up in conversation around lone worker devices and monitoring, so let’s clarify what each one actually covers.
BS 8484:2022
This British Standard covers the provision of lone worker services, and the entire chain, including the device or app, the provider and the ARC. Only a chain that’s fully accredited can access a Level 1 police response.
BS EN 50518:2019+A1:2023
This standard sets the minimum requirements for how an ARC is built, staffed and operated, covering everything from physical resilience to how alerts are handled.
NSI Gold
This is the independently audited benchmark for ARC operating standards in the UK. It’s worth noting that regular reassessment is necessary to hold NSI Gold; it’s not a one-off certificate.
If you’re evaluating different providers don’t just ask whether they’re BS 8484:2022-accredited. Ask which specific parts of their chain hold current, independently audited accreditation, and ask them to share evidence. For a serious security service this shouldn’t be a problem.
Match the solution to your risk: a decision framework
Here are some examples of risk levels and matching lone worker monitoring solutions to help you choose the right provision for your organisation:
|
Risk level and example roles |
Typical solution form |
Monitoring model |
|
Lower risk: office-based occasional lone worker, homeworker |
App on an existing phone |
Self-managed or internal escalation may be enough |
|
Medium risk: field engineer, estate agent, home-visit staff |
App, sometimes with an optional wearable trigger |
ARC-monitored, or a robust hybrid |
|
Higher risk: night or lone shifts, violence-exposed roles, remote sites, out-of-hours alarm response |
Dedicated device, or app plus device |
ARC-monitored, with the option of physical response |
|
Signal blackspots or extremely remote locations |
Satellite device |
ARC-monitored |
You should treat this as guidance rather than a rulebook. The right monitoring setup for your organisation is one that matches the actual risk present in your roles and the solutions you choose should be based on your own risk assessment. If you’d like to learn more about putting one together, take a look at our guide on how to carry out a lone worker risk assessment.
The legal backdrop
British employers have a duty of care to lone workers under Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. And Regulation 3 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 requires a suitable and sufficient risk assessment, recorded in writing if you employ five or more people.
At the most serious end of the scale, the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 sets out a criminal offence where a death results from a gross breach of an organisation's duty of care.
Currently there’s no specific technology legally mandated for lone worker protection or monitoring. The law is concerned with the outcome – a properly assessed and managed risk – rather than the specific method of achieving it. It’s also worth noting that monitoring – whether app-based or professionally managed – is a control that should sit alongside training and procedures, rather than a substitute for them.
For more information, take a look at our lone worker monitoring guide and HSE's own lone working guidance.
Please note, this is general information, not legal advice and nothing here should be read as a statement that any particular business is in breach of its duties.
The bottom line
There’s no simple, universal answer to the best app, device or monitoring model, because organisations differ so much. What’s right for you is a solution that matches your actual level of risk. For many, this only becomes clear after a comprehensive risk assessment.
If you’d like to discuss your situation and options further, please feel free to contact the Securitas team today.
Frequently asked questions
Is a lone worker app enough, or do I need a monitored service?
This depends on the risk. While apps can work well for lower-risk roles where a self-managed response is fast enough, a professionally monitored service adds a trained operator, faster escalation and access to a police response (where accredited and available). This makes it a better fit for higher-risk roles, night shifts, violence exposure and remote sites.
What happens when a lone worker alarm is triggered?
With a self-managed app the alert goes to a pre-set contact who then decides what will happen next. With a monitored system a trained operator at an Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) reviews the alert, verifies what’s happening and escalates to a nominated person, the emergency services or a physical response.
Are lone worker apps cheaper than monitored services?
Up front, yes - a simple lone worker app is cheaper as no extra hardware is required. But self-monitoring carries a hidden cost, as someone has to be available to respond at any hour.
What is BS 8484:2022?
BS 8484:2022 is the British Standard covering the provision of lone worker services, covering the app or device, the provider and the ARC. Only a fully accredited chain can gain access to a Level 1 police response, the fastest tier reserved for genuine emergencies.
Can you monitor lone workers in-house?
Yes, but someone has to be available to watch the platform and respond to alerts whenever lone workers are active. This is a staffing commitment and cost that many organisations underestimate.