Workplace Safety: Man-Down, Lone-Worker and DMR/TETRA Radios

Protecting workers in isolated or hazardous environments

In many industries — oil and gas, transportation, security, infrastructure — workers operate in remote, isolated, or hazardous environments. Technologies such as Man-Down, Lone-Worker, and GPS location, integrated into DMR and TETRA radios, protect personnel and reduce response times in emergency situations.

Man-Down and Lone-Worker: automatic worker protection

The Man-Down function detects critical events such as a fall or loss of consciousness. Built-in sensors monitor device tilt: if the radio stays beyond a set angle for a defined period — indicating a fall or incapacitation — it automatically sends an alarm that includes the GPS position, enabling an immediate response.

The Lone-Worker function adds a further layer of protection by monitoring periods of inactivity. If the device records no activity within a defined interval, it emits a pre-alert; if the worker does not respond, a full alarm reaches the control center or other connected devices.

These capabilities are designed for high-risk environments: construction sites, industrial plants, underground infrastructure.

GPS: real-time positioning

GPS location integrated into radios enables real-time tracking of workers — particularly useful where rapid location can save lives, such as accidents on offshore platforms or in remote areas.

Geofencing adds virtual boundaries: if a worker enters or leaves a defined area, the system sends an alert. This provides a practical means of preventing unauthorized access to hazardous zones.

DMR and TETRA: reliable communications in critical environments

DMR and TETRA radio networks deliver clear, continuous communications even in demanding environments — tunnels, large buildings, areas without cellular coverage. Key safety capabilities include:

• Emergency priority — urgent calls pre-empt all other traffic on the channel, ensuring critical messages always get through.
• Integration — Man-Down, Lone-Worker, and GPS functions operate over the same radio network, with no additional devices required.
• Scalability — systems that scale from small teams to large organizations.

Three implementation levels

Lone-worker protection technologies are deployed at progressively higher levels of automation, depending on organizational requirements:

1. User-activated — the worker controls the functions directly from their device. Maximum flexibility; suited to small teams or lower-risk situations.
2. Centralized management — monitoring is handled in real time from a control room, with the ability to activate or deactivate devices remotely. Suited to professional emergency management and large teams.
3. Intelligent automation — activation is triggered by geofencing (when a worker enters or leaves a specific area), by time-based scheduling for defined hours and days, and by integration with environmental sensors that react to temperature changes or the presence of harmful gases.

Additional safety functions

• Emergency button — sends an alarm with a single press, with absolute priority on the network.
• Remote monitoring — supervisors can listen in real time to the audio environment around a radio in emergency state.
• Remote disable and re-enable — lost or stolen devices can be locked remotely (stun function) and safely re-enabled once recovered.

Why deploy these technologies

Implementing Man-Down, Lone-Worker, GPS, and professional radio networks means meeting safety standards, protecting personnel, and improving operational efficiency. Workers are safeguarded in critical situations, operational risk is reduced, and fast, reliable communications increase productivity.

Teleproject designs DMR and TETRA networks with integrated safety functions — Man-Down, Lone-Worker, GPS location — tailored to each customer's operational requirements.