Having nearly two decades of experience in the Lone Worker Safety market gives us a unique perspective on its evolution. We’ve seen the era of nearly free mobile apps, outdated alert devices repackaged as “connected,” and now, we’re witnessing the era that we call the “Security Blanket” era.

A Look at Lone Worker Safety Trends

Every few years, a new wave of lone worker safety tools hits the market—some exciting, some are wildly over sold. However, these tools often fall short in real-world use.

As a result, lone workers may stop using them altogether, and health and safety teams eventually grow skeptical about what really works. When we talk with Health and Safety leaders at these organizations, we often find a need to rebuild trust—even in the most basic functions of a safety system.

So, what do we mean by a “security blanket”? Much like a child’s blanket that provides comfort and a sense of security, some safety tools today are designed more for reassurance than actual effectiveness. They feel safe but often lack the functionality needed to respond to real emergencies.

The Security Blanket’s Illusion of Safety

In industries where employees frequently work in remote or off-grid areas, safety measures need to work no matter the situation. That’s why 14 years ago we pioneered—and continue to improve—a method where the worker sets a check-in timer before going off-grid. If they don’t return to an area with coverage to check back in, the system triggers an alert. It’s simple, dependable, and proven.

However, many modern tools—the “security blankets”—promise ease of use and innovation but fail under pressure. Some rely on networks that don’t work in remote areas.

Others use features like no-motion detection, which was useful two decades ago but may be inadequate today.

Any dependable Lone Worker Solution must be able to detect a distress situation and trigger an alert. This type of detection works by monitoring the worker’s body position and using built-in motion sensors—like the ones found in most smartphones and specialized safety gear.

From analyzing over 20,000 lone worker alerts, we’ve found that the most common scenario is a worker on the ground needing help:

• With man-down alerts, help is triggered within one minute.
• With no-motion detection, the system requires the user to stop moving—usually by losing consciousness—before it activates.

In this use case scenario, we can observe that no-motion detection is a less-than-ideal solution. While some “security blanket” users may prefer less intrusive tools, the truth is that these systems can give a false sense of safety without providing meaningful protection.

The Real Risk of Comfort-First Solutions

When at-risk companies choose a solution that’s easy and non-disruptive for their user base, it can initially seem like a win-win. Employees like it, adoption appears high, and leadership feels they’ve checked the box on safety and put the issue to bed.

However, over time, these tools are often underutilized, ignored, or abandoned. The initial comfort then becomes the “safety blanket”: the more comfortable and non-intrusive the tool is perceived to be, the less likely it is to be effective when it matters most.

What Products Fall into the Security Blanket Category?

Products that often fit this pattern include:

• Lone worker smartwatches
• Lone worker apps relying solely on no-motion detection
• Apps with only safety check-ins or call-back routines
• Connected wearables like shoes
• Devices with multi-operator SIM cards but limited actual use.

Moving On from the Illusion of Safety to Real Impact

Health and Safety leaders often make decisions with the best intentions and think that providing “security blanket” solutions are the way to go. Yes, choosing tools that are easy to adopt and deploy can be a great first step, but it’s important to recognize when a solution is no longer providing real value.

If your current system resembles one of the examples above, don’t worry—it means you’ve already taken the first step toward improving safety by identifying lone workers and trying to protect them. Now, it might be time to explore tools that offer both ease of use and reliability when it counts.

My advice

If you’re relying on any of these 5 solutions, consider it a warning to re-assess your team’s safety posture.

• Lone worker smartwatches
• Mobile apps relying solely on no-motion detection
• Apps with only safety check-ins or call-back routines
• Connected wearables like shoes
• Devices with multi-operator SIM cards but limited actual use

Furthermore, if you’ve noticed minimal adoption, missed alerts, or a solution that’s more passive than protective—consider it an opportunity to make real impactful change in your organization. By acknowledging the gap between comfort and effectiveness, your organization can move toward a solution that truly safeguards your people.

In short: “security blanket” solutions are a great start, but not an effective long term strategy. Let’s build on the insights from this article and take the next step toward a more effective solution built for the needs of lone worker safety today.