Fall detection for lone workers: protection that triggers when they can't

  • Fewer false alarms
  • Detects real falls, not work postures
  • AI algorithm from European research

A worker who is knocked out can't press a button. Neovigie's fall detection spots the incident and raises the alarm for them, with an AI algorithm built to tell a real fall apart from an ordinary work movement.

A missed detection is an alert that never comes, or one that never stops

Falls are among the leading causes of fatal workplace injuries in the US, and the number one cause of death in construction. For a lone worker the danger doubles: after the fall, no one is nearby to raise the alarm.

The worker can no longer raise the alarm

A blackout, a slip, an impact: after a fall, the worker is often stunned or unconscious. An SOS button is useless if no one is able to press it.

Too many false alarms, and no one trusts them

Crude detection fires every time a worker crouches or works on the ground. Supervisors get ten false alerts for every real one and eventually tune them out.

Real falls that slip under the radar

A slow collapse from a blackout, a slide from a seated position: single-criterion detection lets them through. The device is in place, but it saw nothing.

Everything rests on a single criterion

A single acceleration threshold can't tell a fall from a work movement. That's exactly where multi-factor analysis changes things.

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An algorithm that recognizes a real fall, not just any motion

Neovigie's fall detection goes beyond a simple acceleration threshold. Its AI algorithm combines several factors (acceleration peak, abrupt stop, short stillness, body-mass factor) to tell a work posture apart from an accident. It comes out of the European research project SAIFFER (H2020 program), developed with the Fraunhofer institute.

Three sensitivity levels, a cancellable pre-alarm

You set detection to fit the role: Low, Medium or High. Before escalating, the device warns the worker with a sound, vibration and light. On a false detection they cancel with one action; otherwise the alert goes out with their GPS location.

What fall detection changes day to day

Three situations where multi-factor analysis makes the difference.

No more posture false alarms

A worker who crouches or works on the ground no longer triggers an alert. Your supervisors handle real events only.

Real falls detected

Impact fall, slow collapse from a blackout: multi-factor analysis covers scenarios a simple angle tilt misses.

Tunable role by role

Three sensitivity levels adjust to the context, from office to worksite, with no complex reconfiguration.

What the algorithm analyzes

Detection doesn't rest on a single criterion, but on several factors measured together by the accelerometer.

The factors analyzed

  • The acceleration peak
  • The abrupt stop of movement
  • A short consecutive stillness
  • A body-mass factor

The sensitivity levels

  • Low sensitivity
  • Medium sensitivity
  • High sensitivity

A duty of results, not just equipment

Under OSHA's General Duty Clause, employers must provide a workplace free from recognized hazards, and that extends to lone workers. A device that is never activated protects no one. Where a fall can leave a worker unconscious, reliable automatic detection becomes the logical way to meet that duty, since a manual alarm is useless when the worker can't act.

FAQs

You often ask us about lone worker protection. Here are our answers to the questions we hear most.

A Neovigie expert answers your questions!

Benoit Pauillac

Expert in Lone Worker solutions

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Benoît Pauillac is in charge of customer support at Neovigie. An expert in lone worker solutions, he supports companies in optimizing the protection of their workers by ensuring responsive monitoring and an optimal user experience.

“Above all, good support is attentive listening and a quick response.”

How does fall detection work for a lone worker?

The device continuously analyzes its accelerometer data. When the signature of a fall is recognized (acceleration, abrupt stop, stillness), a pre-alarm triggers on the device. Without the worker cancelling it, the alert goes to supervision with the GPS location.

Which sensor is used to detect a fall?

Only the device's accelerometer, never a gyroscope. The Neovigie algorithm combines several factors measured by that sensor to avoid false detections caused by work postures.

Does fall detection cause a lot of false alarms?

That's the weak point of basic detection. Neovigie's multi-factor algorithm tells a job movement apart from a real fall, and three sensitivity levels let you tune it to the role. The cancellable pre-alarm cuts unnecessary escalations further.

Is fall detection mandatory?

No US standard mandates this specific technology. OSHA's General Duty Clause requires a safe workplace. Where a worker can fall and lose consciousness, automatic detection becomes the fitting way to meet that duty, since they can no longer trigger the alarm themselves.

Which devices support fall detection?

The lone worker app (smartphone), the standalone DATI device and the safety watch. The choice depends on your teams: a phone already in their pocket, a rugged dedicated device, or a discreet wrist unit that keeps hands free.

Can the detection sensitivity be adjusted?

Yes. Three levels (Low, Medium, High) are set in the safety profile by the administrator. Higher sensitivity detects more but can raise false alarms, which is why it should match the context of each role.