Overcoming Lone Worker Privacy Concerns

9 July 2020

Craig Swallow

Privacy and Data Protection is an ever-increasing concern for both individuals and organisations. Most recently, these concerns have been highlighted with the roll-out of various government-led COVID-19 tracking applications. Whilst some people are amenable to being tracked, others find it an infringement of their privacy and even as far as a breach of human rights. Vismo takes the privacy of its customers seriously; maintaining your trust is paramount to us. This article explains how Vismo has overcome Lone Worker privacy concerns without compromising the security of personal data.

What is the purpose of a Lone Worker App?

A Lone Worker App is a tracking solution designed to protect employees who work without close or direct supervision.  If there is an emergency, Lone Workers are able to alert their employers who can assess the situation and follow the required escalation process. A Lone Worker App enables organisations to meet their legal and moral Duty of Care responsibility in protecting employees’ health, safety and welfare while at work.

How does the Vismo Lone Worker App work?

The Vismo Lone Worker App is compatible with Smartphones and Tablets operating on iOS and Android systems. Using GPS and other technologies from the device allows Vismo to accurately determine a Lone Workers’ location and this information automatically is sent to the Vismo Secure Portal for monitoring purposes.

What Information Does Vismo Collect About You?

To operate correctly, the only information that is required is location data; all other information is optional. Vismo generates a unique anonymised identifier for each device and this identifier may then be associated with certain personal information in accordance with the data handling policy of the individual customer. Registration information will be subject to and protected as per our Privacy Statement. Our Privacy Statement and our practices are designed to provide a globally consistent level of protection for personal information all over the world, even in countries whose laws provide less protection.

Is My Data Secure?

Security and data protection are the upmost importance concern and maintaining your trust is paramount to us. Vismo is hosted by Microsoft Azure Cloud to protect personal information and to maintain its accuracy, encrypting sensitive personal information when transmitting such information over the Internet. Vismo and Microsoft Azure are both ISO 27001 certified; the gold standard for Information Security Management Systems. Vismo adheres to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which is the EU law on data protection and privacy policies.

What Happens If a Lone Worker Doesn’t Want to Use a Tracking Device?

Organisations can only encourage Lone Workers to use a tracking app and they must voluntarily consent to be tracked as part of their personal safety and organisational Duty of Care obligations.

To encourage acceptance of tracking devices by Lone Workers, Vismo has integrated Privacy Mode capabilities into the Lone Worker app to protect Lone Workers personal privacy without compromising safety. Privacy Mode allows Lone Workers to choose when to be tracked, whilst keeping the Panic Button feature. If a Lone Worker faces an emergency or situation of duress, they can activate the Panic Button from within the Lone Worker App and this will notify monitoring teams while revealing their location to provide peace of mind for employees as they work alone.