Lone Working and the Labour Code: Case Law on Failure to Provide Assistance

Many organisations implement measures to protect lone workers and manage risk. However, it is imperative to ensure that assistance and emergency response procedures will operate effectively in the event of an incident.

A ruling by the French Court of Cassation on 12 November 2020 highlights the importance of selecting a partner certified to the highest standards.

An example of employer liability:

In April 2011, an employee of a surveillance company suffered a stroke and activated his emergency alarm. Due to a fault within the alarm system, assistance did not arrive until three hours later.

The employee subsequently sought to establish his employer's liability. In its defence, the employer argued that an appropriate lone worker protection device had been provided.

The Court of Cassation ruled in favour of the employee, finding that it was the employer's responsibility to ensure that the lone worker alarm system operated reliably and without interruption.

The most effective way to provide reliable protection for lone workers is to choose a trusted and certified monitoring partner. Robust certification demonstrates compliance with stringent requirements for monitoring, response and service continuity.

Certified providers are required to meet demanding performance standards, including rapid alarm handling, resilient business continuity arrangements and appropriately trained personnel. They are also subject to regular audits and must implement measures to ensure the protection and confidentiality of data.

In the event of an alarm, this level of certification helps ensure that alerts are managed quickly and effectively, providing reassurance that assistance can be coordinated when required.

Scutum Premium Services operates to the highest standards of monitoring, security and personal protection. Our innovative teams continuously deliver reliable support and effective response for lone workers and organisations alike.

• Providing lone workers with an alarm system is just one element of our protection approach. Our safety experts manage every essential stage, from assessing requirements through to 24/7 monitoring and response:

  • Identifying your needs and assessing the risks faced by lone workers
  • Selecting devices and solutions suited to the working environment
  • Defining the procedures to be followed when an alert is triggered
  • Training users in the effective use of lone worker protection devices
  • Providing documentation for employees to confirm training and system use
  • Reporting on system usage, including alerts, activations and commissioning activities
  • 24/7 monitoring and response provided by our specialist monitoring centres