How Oil and Gas Companies Can Turn Existing Smartphones Into Lone Worker Safety Tools

Oil and gas workers rely on mobile technology every day. Smartphones can help employees communicate with supervisors, access work information, document inspections and stay connected while moving between sites.

But for employees who work alone or in remote locations, a smartphone can do more than support everyday communication. With the right lone worker app, an existing smartphone can become part of a dedicated worker safety solution.

This can be particularly useful for oil and gas companies looking to improve lone worker protection without requiring every employee to carry an additional safety device.

Oil and gas workers face unique lone working risks

Oil and Gas workers are among the top 10 most dangerous jobs in America. Operations can involve remote locations, long travel distances, physically demanding work and a wide range of hazards. NIOSH identifies lone workers and remote worksites as specific areas of research within the oil and gas extraction industry. The organization also notes that oil and gas work commonly takes place in remote locations and can involve hazards including falls, vehicle incidents, heavy equipment, hydrocarbon gases and vapors, and other physical and chemical risks.  

OSHA similarly identifies hazards associated with oil and gas extraction and notes that well sites are often located in remote areas, requiring workers and equipment to travel long distances.  

For a worker operating alone, an incident can become even more challenging if there is no colleague nearby to recognize what has happened or call for assistance.

That is where technology can provide an additional layer of protection.

Using Smartphones for Oil and Gas Lone Worker Safety

Many oil and gas employees already carry smartphones as part of their jobs. Some organizations also use protective equipment designed for the demanding environments in which their employees work, including equipment intended for hazardous locations.

For organizations using intrinsically safe mobile equipment, it is important to select equipment that is appropriately approved for the specific hazardous location and application. OSHA's requirements for hazardous classified locations distinguish between different classifications and specify that equipment must be intrinsically safe, approved for the hazardous location, or otherwise suitable for that location.  

The important point is that the mobile hardware and the lone worker safety software serve different purposes.

Intrinsically safe equipment addresses the suitability of electrical equipment for certain hazardous environments. A lone worker app adds safety and emergency response functionality to the mobile device.

Together, they can form part of a broader approach to protecting employees who work alone.

NRTL Certification and Intrinsically Safe Technology  

For oil and gas companies, choosing mobile technology is about more than functionality. Equipment used in hazardous locations may need to meet specific safety and certification requirements based on the environment where it will be used.

Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories (NRTLs) are organizations recognized by OSHA to test and certify products to applicable safety standards. OSHA maintains a list of recognized NRTLs and the standards for which each laboratory is recognized. OSHA's Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories Program

For hazardous locations, companies may also need equipment that is intrinsically safe or otherwise approved for the specific hazardous location. Intrinsic safety is a design approach that limits electrical and thermal energy within equipment so it cannot generate enough energy under specified conditions to ignite a hazardous atmosphere.

This is an important consideration when using smartphones as part of a lone worker safety program. The phone and any protective or intrinsically safe enclosure must be appropriate for the environment and meet the applicable certification requirements. A lone worker app does not, by itself, make a standard smartphone intrinsically safe.

Once the appropriate mobile hardware is selected, a lone worker app can add another layer of protection by providing emergency alerts, Man Down detection, location information and access to professional monitoring.

For oil and gas companies already using appropriately certified mobile equipment, this can provide a way to build lone worker safety functionality around technology employees are already carrying.

How a Lone Worker App Protects Oil and Gas Workers

A regular smartphone allows a worker to make a call or send a message when they need assistance. A lone worker safety app is designed specifically to support workers who may be alone, remote, or working in higher-risk situations.

The SoloProtect Lone Worker App transforms a smartphone into a personal safety tool with features including emergency alerts, Man Down detection, GPS location tracking and 24/7 monitoring.  

For an oil and gas company, this can add several important capabilities.

Red Alert: If a worker needs immediate help, they can activate a Red Alert through the app. The alert connects to the SoloProtect Monitoring Center, where trained operators can assess the situation, access location information and coordinate an appropriate response.  

Man Down: An emergency does not always give a worker the opportunity to reach for their phone. SoloProtect's Man Down Alarm can detect a potential slip, trip or fall and initiate an alert when the worker may be unable to respond themselves.  

Location information: The app uses the phone's GPS capabilities to provide location information that can help operators understand where an incident has occurred and support an appropriate response.

24/7 monitoring: When an alert is raised, the SoloProtect Monitoring Center is available around the clock to listen to incidents, assess what is happening and initiate an appropriate response. SoloProtect states that operators answer incidents within an average of three seconds and are ready to initiate a response in just over 41 seconds.  

Why Use a Lone Worker App Instead of a Dedicated Device?

For some oil and gas workers, a dedicated lone worker device may be the right choice. The best solution depends on the employee's role, work environment and risk profile.

But an app can make sense when employees already rely on smartphones for their work.

Instead of introducing another piece of equipment that workers need to remember, charge, carry and use, organizations can add lone worker functionality to a device employees already have with them.

This can make implementation simpler and potentially reduce the hardware and logistics associated with deploying a separate device.

The SoloProtect app is available for iOS and Android and is designed to be quick to implement with minimal training.  

Lone Worker Safety Beyond Traditional Check-In Procedures

Many organizations use check-in procedures to maintain contact with employees working remotely or alone. But a check-in relies on the worker being able to complete the process.

What happens if an employee falls, becomes incapacitated or faces an emergency and cannot make a call?

That is one of the advantages of adding automated safety features to a lone worker program.

A Man Down alert can help raise an alarm when the worker may not be able to do so themselves. A Red Alert provides a direct way to request help when the worker can activate the alarm. Location information can then give responders additional context about where assistance may be needed.  

The goal isn't necessarily to replace existing safety procedures. It's to add another layer of protection when traditional communication methods aren't enough. Learn more about how lone worker safety monitoring can help reduce workplace risk.

How to Choose a Lone Worker Safety Solution for Oil and Gas

There is no single solution for every employee in the oil and gas industry.

A worker performing an inspection at a remote site may have different requirements from someone working directly around classified areas, operating heavy equipment or performing higher-risk maintenance.

Organizations should consider:

• Where employees work and whether they are alone  

• The hazards associated with each role  

• Whether employees work in hazardous classified locations  

• What mobile equipment is approved for those environments  

• How workers currently raise an alarm  

• What happens if an employee cannot call for help  

• How emergency responders will locate the employee  

• Whether a dedicated device or smartphone app is the better fit  

For companies that already equip appropriate employees with smartphones, a lone worker app can provide a practical way to add dedicated safety functionality without automatically adding another device to the worker's equipment.

Turn existing smartphones into lone worker safety tools

Oil and gas companies don't have to start from scratch to strengthen lone worker protection.

If employees already carry smartphones as part of their work, the right technology can add a mass notification system or emergency alerts, Man Down detection, location information and access to 24/7 monitoring.

The SoloProtect Lone Worker App is designed to turn an existing smartphone into a personal safety tool, helping organizations protect employees who work alone or in remote locations.

About SoloProtect

SoloProtect helps organizations protect employees who work alone, remotely or in higher-risk situations. For more than 20 years, SoloProtect has provided lone worker safety solutions that combine technology with 24/7 professional monitoring to help workers access assistance when they need it.

From dedicated safety devices to mobile solutions, SoloProtect offers flexible options designed around different roles, working environments and risk profiles. With features including emergency alerts, Man Down detection, periodic location updates and professional monitoring, SoloProtect helps organizations strengthen their lone worker safety programs while giving employees confidence that help is available when it matters.

Learn more about SoloProtect's lone worker safety solutions: