An unconscious worker cannot press a button, and a threatened worker may not fall.
Whether your team is operating in the Australian Outback or the New Zealand bush, relying on only one type of alert leaves a critical gap in your safety net. Under the WHS Act 2011 in Australia and the HSWA 2015 in New Zealand, your duty of care requires you to manage the risks of isolated work with tools that actually work when the worst happens.
Your liability depends on effective risk mitigation, not just a policy
In Australia, the WHS Act 2011 mandates that PCBUs provide a safe system of work for remote employees. In New Zealand, the HSWA 2015 requires you to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that workers are not exposed to health and safety risks. A policy document that says “workers should call for help” is not a system; it is a liability.
The dangerous gap between “having a device” and being protected
What we consistently see is organisations relying on mobile phone apps or single-function devices that fail in real-world conditions. A mobile phone app cannot be worn on the body and is useless in a fast, unexpected emergency. Similarly, treating a one-way PLB as a lone worker solution is a failure of duty, as these beacons offer no check-in capability and no way to signal a medical emergency without total incapacitation.
Real protection requires both active and passive triggers
A duress alarm is an active trigger—the worker intentionally presses an SOS button because they are in danger. Fall detection (or a no-motion alert) is a passive trigger, automatically alerting monitoring centres when a worker is incapacitated and unable to move. Genuine protection integrates both cellular and satellite hardware via API to a 24/7 monitoring station, ensuring that whether the alert is triggered by a button or by a fall, help is dispatched immediately.
Guardian Angel Safety: Turning Policy Into Real Protection
For over 12 years, we have helped organisations across Australia and New Zealand move beyond “paper compliance” to working infrastructure. We combine professional 24/7 monitoring with SAR-certified wearable hardware to ensure that when a worker is in trouble, they aren’t just sending a signal—they are getting a response. We focus on the technology and the process so you can focus on the worker.
Content prepared by Guardian Angel Safety — lone and remote worker protection across Australia and New Zealand.