Day-to-Day and Emergency Features to Look for in Wireless Devices for Worker Safety
Digital two-way radios leverage customizable emergency alerts, remote monitoring and automated safety features to protect lone workers and maintain operational continuity.
You already know that two-way radios are economical, durable and easy to use. Two-way radios operate on private networks, so they are not susceptible to cellular network outages. This makes them supremely reliable for emergencies and daily use. That’s why they’re standard in most industrial and commercial settings.
Digital two-way radios can be programmed with advanced safety features to ensure the safety of your most important asset, your workers. While radios are an excellent tool for efficiency, enabling a business to maintain communications and avoid delays, mis-communications and slow-downs, make sure the radio you select has features attuned to protecting worker safety. Kenwood radios combine the superior audio quality that first responders rely on with additional features that are particularly useful to protect worker safety.
These include:
Customizable Emergency Alert. With this feature, you can automatically and immediately send a notification to selected radios or to a response team for faster action in emergencies. With Kenwood radios, there are two modes available: audible and silent.
Audible mode sends an attention-getting tone or alert and automatically opens the microphone for hands-free audio. The user’s voice and ambient sounds can be heard without the worker continuing to press the push-to-talk button, so those listening can monitor the situation.
Silent mode is for threatening or sensitive situations. The emergency alert is silent, so attention is not drawn to the worker activating the signal, enable a response team to discreetly monitor and act on the situation. Note that Silent monitoring should be deployed only under an established company policy and in compliance with applicable privacy and recording laws.
Remote Monitor. This feature allows an authorized radio user or dispatcher to remotely activate the microphone on a selected radio. Supervisors can assess what is happening in real-time near the radio and determine the appropriate response. This can be configured for audible or discreet monitoring, based on company policy and whether or not announcing the monitoring request could put a worker at greater risk.
Lone Worker. Protect employees working alone, after hours, or in remote areas. If no activity is detected after a pre-set amount of time, the radio reminds the worker to acknowledge that they are safe. If the worker does not respond, the radio will initiate a predetermined emergency alert. This feature is essential for workers who perform their duties away from immediate supervision, including maintenance and warehouse personnel, security officers, school and healthcare staff.
Radio Check. Authorized personnel can remotely confirm that an individual radio is powered on and within range. This is useful for employee check-ins and so supervisors can verify that remote workers remain connected without interrupting them with a voice call.
Kenwood NX-P1300NUK/DUK two-way radios have additional safety and security capabilities.
- Individual and Group Calling – Contact a specific employee, security team, management group or the entire staff, facilitating faster responses.
- Call Interruption – Allows an authorized emergency transmission to interrupt routine radio traffic. Urgent communications automatically receive a higher priority.
- Voice Announcement – Channels or radio functions can be announced audibly, so employees can use the radio without taking their eyes and attention away from their surroundings.
- Minimum and Maximum Volume Settings – Critical calls are not missed because a radio’s volume was turned too low, and loud transmissions can be turned down.
- Remote Stun and Kill – Remotely disable a lost, stolen, or unauthorized radio, protecting the radio system from misuse.
- Rugged Construction – Built to withstand a demanding workplace, Mil-Std durability will survive drops and IP-rated resistance prevents damage from dust and water.