There’s a Better Way to Protect Lone Workers in Hazardous Environments
If you’ve ever stepped onto a site where people are working alone in hazardous or ATEX-rated environments, you’ll notice one thing straight away: everyone is loaded up with kit.
A gas detector on one shoulder.
A lone worker device clipped somewhere else.
And depending on the company, either an ATEX tablet or a business smartphone.
Three different devices.
Three different chargers.
Three different units to manage.
And somehow, we’re still expecting people to remember all of them, every single day, even when the job gets hectic.
Meanwhile, managers are expected to trust that the right device is on, charged, connected and ready to protect someone in an emergency.
It’s a lot.
It’s too much, really.
And it creates the very risk we’re trying to avoid.
Why So Many Devices in the First Place?
In most organisations the setup evolved gradually:
- The gas detector is essential — no discussion there.
- The ATEX lone worker device was added later to help people raise an alarm.
- The ATEX tablet or smartphone arrived when digital job management, compliance recording and workflow apps became necessary.
Each device solves a genuine problem.
But together, they create a new one.
Ask workers privately and many will tell you the same thing:
“It's difficult to carry them all...all the time! So...something always gets left behind.”
Often it’s the tablet — “too bulky.”
Sometimes it’s the lone worker device — “forgot it in the van.”
And occasionally it’s the gas detector — “only needed it for part of the job.”
None of these scenarios are ideal.
Some are dangerous.
And all of them are avoidable.
The Real Issue Isn’t the Devices — It’s the Experience
People don’t forget equipment because they’re careless.
They forget because we’ve given them a collection of tools that don’t fit naturally into the flow of their day.
Imagine trying to squeeze a rugged ATEX tablet into your overalls while climbing down a ladder into a confined space.
Or managing a gas detector, lone worker device and tablet while jetting, sampling, inspecting, repairing, or doing any of the hundreds of tasks lone workers handle daily.
The more awkward the device is to carry, the more likely it is to be left behind.
And when that device is the one they need to call for help… the risk becomes real.
What If One Device Could Replace Two?
Swap the lone worker device and ATEX tablet for one ATEX smartphone and our Atlas SoS lone worker app. Pair it with a Dräger gas detector.
And you’ve gone from three devices to two, without losing any functionality.
In fact, you gain more than you lose.
Let’s look at why this works.
1. ATEX Smartphones Do Everything ATEX Tablets Do
Modern ATEX smartphones aren’t just phones — they’re powerful work tools.
Everything people normally do on their tablet can be done just as effectively on a smartphone:
- Receiving new jobs
- Updating progress
- Taking photos for reports
- Accessing documents
- Completing compliance checklists
- Communicating with supervisors
And because a smartphone clips neatly to a belt or fits into a pocket, workers actually take it with them instead of leaving it in the van “until they need it.”
In other words: the work device becomes part of their routine — not an extra burden.
2. The Smartphone Also Becomes the Lone Worker Device
This is where things really start to make sense.
Instead of carrying a separate lone worker unit, the ATEX smartphone runs our Atlas SOS app, which handles:
- SoS alerts
- Man-down detection
- Check-in timers
- GPS location
- Alarm updates
And because ATEX smartphones have integrated SOS buttons, workers don’t have to unlock screens or navigate menus during a critical moment. One press — that’s it.
Better still, they use the device so often for their normal tasks that raising an alert becomes second nature.
3. Real-Time Gas Alerts Don’t Stay Local — They Reach the People Who Can Act
Dräger make some of the best gas detectors in the world.
We don’t replace them — we enhance them.
When it detects a dangerous atmosphere, the alert doesn’t just sound locally at the worker’s side. Because it’s paired with the Atlas SOS and smartphone, the alarm travels instantly through our cloud platform to:
- Local mobile responders
- Operators in central control rooms
- Off-site managers
- Mobile supervisors
Everyone sees the same live information — gas readings, location, time — all within seconds.
And they can collaborate in real time to decide what to do next.
No siloed alarms.
No waiting for someone to notice something’s wrong.
No relying on the worker being conscious to raise a second alert.
You get a joined-up, coordinated response from the moment the gas detector activates.
4. This Setup Saves Money Too
This often isn’t the first reason organisations adopt the solution……but it usually becomes one of the most appreciated.
Replacing ATEX tablets with ATEX smartphones typically saves £1,000–£1,500 per device.
Replacing dedicated lone worker units saves around £700 each.
Across tens or hundreds of workers, that’s a significant operational saving — but without compromising on safety.
In fact, safety improves because people are using the devices properly and consistently.
5. Workers Stop Fighting Their Equipment
When equipment feels natural, people actually use it.
Most lone workers don’t want to lug tablets everywhere.
They don’t want extra devices, extra chargers or extra straps.
They just want something that works and fits their day.
Two devices — a gas detector and a robust smartphone — are simply easier to live with than three especially if one is bulky.
And that alone increases safety, because the best safety system is the one that people willingly carry with them.
The Future of Lone Worker Protection Isn’t More Devices — It’s Smarter Ones
The combination of a Dräger gas detector, our Atlas SoS with an ATEX smartphone and our automated platform gives workers everything they need:
- A familiar, comfortable work tool
- The ability to manage tasks and communication effortlessly
- Automated gas alerts that reach responders in seconds
- Lone worker protection built into the device they always have with them
- A joined-up view of every incident, stored in the cloud
Fewer devices.
Fewer gaps.
Fewer chances for something to go wrong.
For many organisations, this shift is a moment of real clarity — the first time their safety, compliance and operational tools all sit neatly in one place instead of being scattered across systems and pockets.
And for lone workers, it means something even more important:
A day at work where they feel protected, not overloaded.
If you’d like to see how our Lone Worker solution using ATEX smartphones could improve your safety processes, cut costs, and streamline communication across your sites, get in touch. We’d love to show you what’s possible.
