Lone Worker Safety Checklist: How to Build a Complete Safety Program

Why a Lone Worker Checklist Matters

Across Canada, employers are legally required to protect employees who work alone, whether they are in maintenance, utilities, health care, or remote field operations. The Canada Labour Code and provincial OHS regulations (including CNESST, WorkSafeBC, and WSIB) define clear employer obligations : assess hazards, implement preventive measures, and ensure rapid assistance in emergencies.

However, many organisations deploy lone worker devices without a structured plan — focusing on equipment rather than process. A panic button or mobile app is useful only if integrated into a clear safety program : risk identification, communication procedures, and escalation management.

The Neovigie Lone Worker Safety Checklist provides a practical framework to help Canadian safety professionals design, deploy, and maintain a complete lone-worker safety system that aligns with regulatory expectations and privacy obligations under the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and Québec’s Law 25.

A Structured Approach for Compliance and Prevention

This checklist outlines eleven key steps to create an end-to-end safety program :

1. Identify lone workers — determine who might work out of sight or sound of others.
2. Assess specific hazards — height work, night shifts, public exposure, chemical handling, confined spaces, or remote areas.
3. Evaluate risk levels — rank by frequency and severity to prioritise resources.
4. Define operational needs — features such as fall detection, motion loss, SOS button, GPS tracking, and automatic connection loss alerts.
5. Select the right device — choose hardware or smartphone-based solutions that match tasks and environments.
6. Test network coverage — verify cellular or satellite availability in all locations.
7. Plan deployment — schedule pilots and ensure IT validation for data protection.
8. Establish emergency protocols — assign who responds, how, and within what timeframe.
9. Train employees and supervisors — confirm everyone understands how alerts and responses work.
10. Communicate company-wide — explain benefits and reassure staff about privacy and monitoring practices.
11. Review and update regularly — maintain equipment, analyse incident logs, and adjust policies annually.

This method transforms compliance from a legal burden into a proactive prevention tool.

An Operational Tool for Canadian Safety Managers

The checklist is designed for OHS coordinators, field supervisors, and HR departments seeking a reliable framework to audit their current systems or prepare a new safety plan. It can be used :

• as an internal audit form, to verify compliance across sites ;
• as a specification document, before purchasing new devices ;
• as training support, for new safety managers or contractors.

By following these eleven steps, organisations ensure that every lone worker — from mobile technicians to health-care professionals — can send an alert that triggers a verified and traceable response.

Aligning Technology with Human Response

Effective lone worker protection is not only about technology; it’s about communication and accountability.
A checklist helps connect the two : devices generate alerts, but trained teams interpret them and act.
Neovigie’s approach combines certified safety devices with a centralised management platform, allowing real-time supervision, alarm escalation, and compliance reporting.

The checklist helps you ensure that your chosen solution — whether smartphone-based, wearable, or satellite — fits your operational reality and respects Canadian privacy frameworks.

Download the Complete Lone Worker Safety Checklist

You can now structure your lone worker safety program with confidence.
Download Neovigie’s free checklist to :

• identify and assess all lone-worker situations ;
• evaluate technical and human-response needs ;
• confirm legal and privacy compliance across provinces.

👉 Download the complete Lone Worker Safety Checklist

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