A lone worker app, also called a working alone app, turns a worker's phone into a safety device: it checks in on them at set intervals, detects a fall or an emergency, and alerts the right people when something goes wrong. VigieApp does this on iPhone and Android, with one-click setup thanks to Click&Protect, so you can run your check-in procedure without chasing anyone.
“Neovigie has become essential for managing our night and weekend teams. We would have liked to have it 10 years ago! I highly recommend this solution.”
Richard H, Operations Manager, Marion Security Agency
“I recommend Neovigie for a lot of reasons: easy to install, inexpensive to save a life, it works everywhere and it's easy to use.”
Steve R, Foreman, City of Sainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier
Most provinces, including Alberta and British Columbia, expect employers to check on lone workers at regular intervals, to have a procedure when a worker does not respond, and to give workers a way to call for help at any time. VigieApp helps you put all three in place, automatically.
The app handles up to 10 types of alarm events. Each one is configured separately to fit the job of every lone worker.
A panic button in the app raises an alarm in one press. The VigieTouch Bluetooth button also raises it without unlocking the phone.
The Neovigie platform checks the status of each phone continuously. If the connection is lost, an alarm is raised automatically.
An AI algorithm uses the phone's accelerometer to detect a fall, with three sensitivity levels and a pre-alarm the worker can cancel.
The app detects when the phone has not moved for a delay you set. This completes fall detection.
Draw zones on a map or floor plan and trigger an alarm when a worker enters one.
Draw zones on a map or floor plan and trigger an alarm when a worker leaves one.
Before a task, the worker starts a countdown. If they do not reset it in time, the alarm goes off. The Lifeline is recorded on the Neovigie server as soon as it starts: if the phone is broken, flat or out of coverage, the server raises the alarm when the countdown expires. It is the most reliable way to run timed check-ins.
A low battery alarm can be raised when the phone is not charging and its battery drops below a threshold set by the administrator.
When a worker misses a check-in or raises an alarm, Neovigie sends it on several channels at once, so no emergency goes unnoticed.
Key features:
Stay connected, stay safe.
Neovigie alerts reach your team on every channel, so your response procedure works even when the first supervisor is unavailable.
Up and running in minutes:
VigieApp can be installed on your workers' phones as soon as your account is created. It is free to download from the Apple App Store and Google Play. Two features remain Android only because of Apple restrictions: the SOS button on the lock screen and the automatic start of protection from a work schedule (iPhone users get a reminder instead). Automatic answer on alarm verification calls works on both.
Shared phones:
VigieApp is tied to a user, not to a phone. Each worker signs in with a login and password at the start of their shift, so several workers can share the same phone.
Not tied to one device:
If a phone fails, the worker signs in on any other phone and stays protected, with no reconfiguration.
Protection anytime, anywhere.
Simple to deploy, flexible to use, reliable when it counts.
Neovigie fall detection runs on an AI algorithm that sharply reduces false alarms, so workers keep trusting the app and supervisors only get called out for real incidents.
Neovigie uses AI to make detection more accurate and to trigger only the alarms that matter. The result: fewer false alarms and a working alone app your teams actually keep switched on.
Driving mode shows how AI improves protection on the road.
Smarter automation means a solution that fits the real needs of employers and lone workers, with less effort on both sides.
A working alone app must not intrude on your employees' privacy. What Neovigie puts in place:
You protect your lone workers while respecting their privacy, which is also what makes them accept the app.
Need a starting point? Our team can share a working alone procedure template adapted to your province.
Supervisors can confirm an alarm by calling the worker directly. In alarm mode, the call is answered automatically.
Call the worker on the app to check what is happening before sending help. In alarm mode, the call is answered automatically.
Neovigie can route alarms to a professional 24/7 monitoring centre, which handles follow-up and dispatch. Available across Canada, except in Quebec.
Alarms appear on the VigieControl® web supervision platform. Supervisors are also notified by SMS and phone call, following the escalation chain you set.
Manage all your apps from one place and update settings in real time.
See every alarm to act fast and get help to lone workers.
Get detailed reports on how lone workers use the app.
Dedicated key on rugged phones:
On Crosscall and Samsung XCover phones, use the dedicated key to raise an alarm.
Shake the phone
Raise an alarm by shaking the phone when danger is imminent. Off by default, switched on by the administrator.
The Neovigie platform works with phones (VigieApp), Wear OS watches and satellite messengers, so you can choose by job and by site. The watch is discreet and fast, ideal where assaults are a risk. The phone app fits in without changing habits. In areas with no cell signal, the Bivy Stick keeps workers connected.
Neovigie works with large international organizations such as L'Oréal to protect their staff. L'Oréal uses Neovigie for workers on night shifts, on weekends and in remote areas of its plants.
How Neovigie helps L'Oréal:
Fast response:
With Neovigie built into its safety procedures, L'Oréal responds quickly to emergencies and improves overall staff safety.
Let Neovigie help you build a safer workplace.
A Neovigie expert answers your questions
Lone worker safety expert
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Léonie Labit is an expert in security and risk management, specializing in lone worker solutions. At Neovigie, she supports companies in the integration of connected protection technologies, combining risk prevention and innovation to guarantee the safety of isolated workers.
Her motto “Safety is not a constraint, but a commitment to those around us.”
VigieApp is designed to protect workers without draining the phone. Actual consumption depends on the smartphone model, the features enabled (fall detection, GPS location, Lifeline) and network conditions. During setup, the app asks to be excluded from battery optimization so the phone never stops it in the background.
VigieApp runs on Android smartphones with Android 8.0 or later and on iPhones with iOS 12.4 or later (iPhone 6s and newer).
Here's why businesses and employees value these mobile solutions:
1. Simplicity for Everyone
2. No Need for Additional Hardware
3. Immediate Operational Readiness
A man-down app is a digital safety tool that automatically detects critical situations putting a lone worker in danger, such as loss of consciousness, a sudden fall or prolonged immobility.
These apps run on smartphones, connected wearables or dedicated lone worker devices. They send an automatic alert to supervisors or designated responders when something abnormal is detected, ensuring a fast response.
Man-down apps rely on advanced technologies such as:
In Canada, the Canada Labour Code and provincial OHS legislation require employers to protect the health and safety of their employees, including those who work alone. A man-down app helps meet this requirement while actively protecting your team.
To see how modern solutions fit into a worker protection strategy, explore our lone worker safety app page.
VigieApp detects emergencies automatically, gets the alert to the right people and helps them reach the worker fast.
Before a task, the worker starts a countdown. If it is not reset in time, the alarm goes off. The Lifeline is recorded on the Neovigie server, so the alarm is raised even if the phone is broken, flat or out of coverage.
Go to the Google Play Store (Android) or the Apple App Store (iOS) and download the lone worker app recommended by your employer.
Once the app is installed, open it and sign in with the credentials provided by your company, or create an account if needed.
On first use, the app will request certain permissions to work properly:
Before you start using it, run a test alert to check that:
Once these steps are complete, the safety app is ready to protect you if an incident occurs.
A safety app uses the sensors built into the smartphone to analyze movement and detect any abnormal situation. The effectiveness of the system relies on algorithms that limit false alarms while guaranteeing a fast response to real danger. Based on the sensitivity settings, the lone worker app adjusts its detection threshold to avoid nuisance alerts while keeping the worker reliably protected.
| Criteria | Working alone app | Dedicated device (watch, satellite messenger) |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | App on an Android or iPhone | Wear OS watch or satellite messenger |
| Incident detection | Fall, no movement, lost connection via the phone's sensors | Fall and no movement on the watch |
| Raising an alarm | SOS button in the app or VigieTouch Bluetooth button | SOS on the watch or on the messenger |
| Alarm verification | Call answered automatically during an alarm | Depends on the device |
| Location | GPS with the alarm, indoor beacons optional | GPS, satellite position for the messenger |
| No cell coverage | Lifeline: the server raises the alarm if the countdown expires | Satellite messenger keeps the link |
| Deployment | Download and one-click setup | Device to buy and hand out |
| Battery | The phone's (about a day) | Varies by device |
| Cost | Subscription only, uses existing phones | Device plus subscription |
| Best for | Field staff, technicians, home care, municipal workers | Assault risk (watch), remote areas (satellite) |
It is designed for workers who carry a company smartphone and for organizations looking for a simple solution that is easy to deploy.
For some industries, a hybrid approach combining the safety app with dedicated devices is possible. For example, a maintenance technician can use the app with GPS for day-to-day tracking, and carry a dedicated device when working in a hazardous area.
A working alone app should collect only what is needed to protect the worker. With VigieApp, the worker's position is shared only when an alarm is raised, never during normal work.
Neovigie has carried out a privacy impact assessment and a data protection officer monitors how the solution handles personal information. Ask our team for details on how your data is stored and protected.
The best lone worker app is the one that truly detects falls without false alarms, deploys with no technical intervention and delivers the alert to someone who can act. VigieApp combines AI fall detection with three sensitivity levels, one-click setup with Click&Protect and multi-channel supervision through VigieControl. The most reliable test is a free trial with your own workers, counting the false alarms.
Some free versions exist with reduced features, usually without centralized supervision or escalation. For professional use, the employer remains responsible for organizing the emergency response, which an app that simply texts a coworker cannot guarantee. VigieApp offers a free trial so you can test it with your own team before committing.
Hardly. The value of a lone worker app lies in what happens after the trigger: a server relaying the alarm, escalation to supervisors, verification calls. These services run around the clock, hence a per-user subscription with no hardware to buy. Request a quote for pricing adapted to your team size.
The app uses the smartphone's accelerometer to detect a fall, prolonged immobility or loss of verticality, and GPS to locate the worker when an alert is raised. A pre-alarm with sound, vibration and flash gives a few seconds to cancel. Without cancellation, the alarm goes to supervisors by phone call, SMS, push notification or email, with the position on a map. The worker can also trigger manually with the SOS button or the VigieTouch Bluetooth button.
