As a safety manager, those late-night calls always bring anxiety and are rarely good news. Has one of your workers fallen down and become unresponsive? Is it just a false alarm from your current safety system? Have they been in touch with emergency services yet? Is help on the way?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2022 Statistics report, slips, trips, and falls resulted in 865 workplace fatalities in the United States, accounting for 13% of all deaths. In fact, slips, trips, and falls are the second cause of death after transportation incidents. These accidents highlight the need for reliable systems to keep your team safe.
This also begs the question: How many workplace fatalities could be prevented with the right safety system in place? Many of these critical situations escalate due to delayed response times, inadequate response protocols, or no alerts being triggered at all. These are the moments when real-time monitoring and immediate response, tied to accurate and reliable fall detection technology, can be the difference between life and death.
Fall detection technology, sometimes referred to as “man down” or “person down” technology, serve as automated safety nets for slips, trips, and falls. Fall detection's basic concept is to identify when a worker falls down and provide necessary emergency help based on an organization's action plan. Typically, the first action is a call to confirm if help is needed.
This technology uses sophisticated algorithms that detect human falls rather than simple motion tracking. They use a combination of acceleration, impact detection, and post-fall movement analysis to ensure fall detection accuracy.
True fall detection technology, such as the one found in Aware360’s safety devices, intelligently distinguishes between genuine emergencies and non-emergency situations. If a worker simply drops their device, the acceleration and impact pattern won’t trigger an alert. Similarly, there wouldn’t be an alert if someone stumbles, yet catches themselves, and continues walking. The system recognizes this recovery movement and maintains normal monitoring, ultimately reducing the number of false alarms.
But what’s most essential and unique about Aware360’s fall detection systems is that they provide protection even when workers can’t respond. While the very first step is always calling the worker automatically as soon as the fall is detected, if someone falls and is incapacitated or unable to speak, there is still an action plan that can be followed. In the words of Julia Howard, AlertGPS’ COO, “No response is a response.” If a worker is non-responsive, unconscious, or dropped the device and can’t confirm that they need help, Aware360 makes sure they still receive timely and adequate emergency support.
We often see these three terms being used interchangeably: fall detection, man-down detection, and no-motion detection. At their core the main goal for all of these terms is the same; detecting whether or not a worker has been impaired by an incident. However, for any safety manager, it’s essential to understand the similarities and differences to choose the appropriate technology for their team.
In the previous section, we covered the basics of fall detection systems and mentioned how these were often referred to as man-down detection systems. However, no-motion technology functions very differently.
No-motion systems only can track whether a worker is moving or not. These systems monitor your workers' movements and alert you when they may need assistance. These devices are particularly helpful in identifying issues like fainting or incapacitation that do not involve a sudden impact.
While no-motion detection monitors motionless workers, fall detection or man-down technology takes worker safety a step further. Rather than just monitoring a worker for lack of motion, fall detection or man-down technology identifies actual fall impacts and subsequent motionlessness. This is a crucial difference for safety managers looking to strengthen their safety protocols.
In short:
Traditional no-motion devices are motion detectors. While it might seem simple in theory, the reality can be far more complex and challenging for your workforce.
These devices can often generate false positives during normal work activities and become a nuisance. Speaking with one of our Account Executives, Andrew McAuley, he suggests that while Aware360 does offer no-motion technology through one of its many device integrations, it is often the very first request from organizations that they remove this functionality. “Imagine using a no-motion device from a user’s standpoint,” he says, “If I needed to move every 5 minutes, and I sat down for a cup of coffee, my device would beep saying 'I'm in trouble' when I'm not."
This is why no-motion devices can be so inconvenient. It triggers many false alarms from any lack of movement— whether it's a worker sitting down, on their break, or simply leaving their device on a desk.
“The risk with false alarms is that eventually, people just stop paying attention,” he continues. "It'll drive people crazy and then they won't use the product," McAuley notes. “Workers may become frustrated with constant false alarms and either disable the device or ignore the alerts altogether. As a safety manager, this creates a lose-lose situation”. So while a no-motion device is useful for detecting a worker in distress without an obvious fall, it can present several operational challenges:
Fall detection technology uses accelerometers, gyro sensors, and advanced algorithms to recognize a fall instantly, allowing for immediate emergency response. The accelerometer is the precise technology that gives fall detection devices the ability to detect a human impact. This proactive approach reduces false alerts, making the system more reliable and improving worker safety.
Let's look at how both no-motion detection and fall detection handle real-world scenarios:
When using no-motion detection:
When using fall detection:
Fall detection technology delivers more accurate alerts by identifying actual fall events through impact detection, while still maintaining the crucial monitoring that helps identify other emergencies. This dual approach means you're not sacrificing any safety features–you're enhancing them.
Granted, fall detection technology significantly reduces false positives compared to no-motion detection, but they can still occur in certain scenarios. If a worker were to wear a device and jump really high, land, and then didn't move at all afterward, that would simulate a fall pretty well, and trigger an alert. However, the system is designed with these scenarios in mind. Aware360’s system includes built-in safeguards: users have time to cancel any false alerts, workers are contacted first via a two-way call, and monitoring teams can follow a careful escalation procedure.
The result? A more reliable safety system that your workers will use because it doesn't interfere with their normal work activities. When you get an alert, you can act with confidence knowing it's more likely to be a genuine emergency requiring your immediate attention.
While industries associated with working at heights or in dangerous terrain —like utility poles, and oil and gas —often prioritize fall detection, the reality is that slips, trips, and falls can happen to any worker in any industry. Think of mobile workers during the icy, winter months or retail employees bustling quickly around busy stores.
From our field experience, we've seen a variety of critical incidents across diverse industries. "We had a trial with a home care agency in New Jersey," Julia Howard recalls, "the home healthcare worker was trying to help a client and the client fell on top of her!" This real-world example demonstrates how unpredictable fall risks can be and how fall detection can protect you and your staff.
When lives are at stake, it's not about whether your industry is traditionally high-risk. It's about ensuring every worker has the protection they need to get home safely.
For safety managers seeking reliable, comprehensive, advanced solutions to protect their lone and at-risk workers, Aware360 offers a suite of advanced fall detection and monitoring tools. Our solutions focus on integrating cutting-edge technology including real-time data connectivity, advanced sensor algorithms, and multi-device support.
Aware360’s fall detection and SOS wearable devices provide peace of mind for workers and their employers. These solutions are designed to provide rapid response during emergencies, maintain continuous connectivity, uphold privacy through intelligent features—and ultimately save lives. Whether your team works at high heights, in remote locations, or within hazardous environments, Aware360’s solutions are built to adapt to their needs.
Aware360 offers two advanced devices designed to ensure worker safety.
The Belle X was designed to detect falls through advanced sensors and algorithms that distinguish between actual falls and normal movement. By integrating the Belle X with Aware360's SafetyAware solution, you have access to:
Automatic emergency response: Initiates help automatically if a worker is unresponsive after a fall
Long-lasting protection: Up to seven days of battery life ensures continuous fall monitoring
Durable design: IPX7 waterproof rating maintains reliable fall detection in wet conditions
Location monitoring: Precise GPS locations for rapid response
24/7 monitoring: Constant connection to monitoring center for immediate fall response
Two-way communication: Direct voice connection with monitoring personnel when help is needed
The Active Halo's sophisticated fall detection system can be uniquely calibrated to each worker's characteristics and working conditions. By integrating the Active Halo with Aware360's AlertGPS solution, you gain:
Customizable sensitivity: Adjust fall detection sensitivity based on individual worker characteristics, ensuring accurate fall detection for every job type
Intelligent response system: Workers can quickly cancel false alerts, or if unable to reach their device, can still communicate verbally with the monitoring center
Two-way communication: Direct voice connection with monitoring center without need to press any buttons–crucial when a worker is injured and their device is out of reach
Flexible monitoring options: Customize privacy settings to match worker needs and preferences
Superior location technology: Location information is updated every five minutes, with 48+ hours of battery life
Whether your team works in traditional high-risk environments or seemingly low-risk settings, Aware360's advanced fall detection solutions provide reliable, real-time protection that could make the difference between a close call and a tragedy.
Request a demo today to see how our technology, 24/7 monitoring, and people-first approach can help ensure every one of your workers makes it home safely at the end of their shift.
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