UK Lone Workers: Navigating the Rising Risks in 2026
20/01/2026
For many businesses across Britain, lone working is no longer the exception—it is the rule. From estate agents conducting viewings to night-shift security guards and community nurses, an estimated 9 million people in the UK now work solo. That is over 20% of the entire working population.
However, as the number of lone workers grows, so too does the complexity of the risks they face. Recent data paints a sobering picture of the challenges facing our "invisible" workforce and highlights why traditional "check-in" calls are no longer enough.
The Growing Threat: What the Statistics Say
Recent reports from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and industry bodies have highlighted a sharp increase in workplace incidents. If you are managing a team, these figures are essential reading:
A 132% Rise in Physical Attacks: Over the last three years, physical violence against lone workers has surged significantly.
Weapon-Related Incidents: There has been a 104% increase in weapon-related incidents involving lone workers since 2022.
The Perception Gap: While 91% of managers feel they are doing enough to protect their staff, only 49% of lone workers feel truly safe while on the job.
Proactive Protection with TRBOCALL
Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, UK employers have a legal "duty of care" to manage the risks faced by staff working alone. Relying on a worker’s ability to reach for a mobile phone is often unrealistic; in a high-pressure conflict or after a fall, a smartphone can be difficult to unlock or lack a signal.
This is where the TRBOCALL system transforms safety. By leveraging the power of MOTOTRBO™ digital two-way radios, TRBOCALL provides a robust, resilient safety net that functions even where mobile networks fail.
1. Instant SOS and Panic Buttons
When a situation escalates, speed is the priority. TRBOCALL-enabled radios feature dedicated, easy-to-press panic buttons. One touch sends an immediate emergency alarm to a central dispatch point, providing a "silent" lifeline when verbal communication is impossible or dangerous.
2. Automatic Fall Alert Detection
Accidents happen, and sometimes a worker cannot call for help. The TRBOCALL system includes sophisticated Man Down sensors. By detecting a change in the radio's angle or a lack of movement, the device can automatically trigger an alert to supervisors, ensuring a rapid response to falls or medical emergencies.
3. Lone Worker Timers
The system is designed to be proactive. With the Lone Worker feature, the radio requires the user to press a button at pre-set intervals. If the worker fails to respond, the system assumes there is an issue and automatically initiates an emergency alarm, ensuring that even if a worker is incapacitated, they are never truly alone.
4. Indoor and Outdoor Tracking
Knowing a worker is in trouble is only half the battle; knowing where they are is what saves lives. TRBOCALL integrates GPS for outdoor tracking and iBeacon technology for indoor location, allowing responders to pinpoint a worker’s exact position within a warehouse, hospital, or office complex.
The Bottom Line
With workplace violence on the rise and the UK’s regulatory landscape becoming more stringent, "hoping for the best" is a high-risk strategy. Protecting your lone workers isn't just a legal checkbox—it’s about ensuring that every member of your team returns home safely at the end of every shift.
Is your business prepared for the evolving risks of 2026? Explore how the TRBOCALL system can secure your teams via our dedicated Lone Worker Safety Solutions page.
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“Eemits Communications has been a long-time partner of Whitby Seafoods. Their single-site conventional digital repeater system has driven daily efficiency and given us greater on-site access control. We appreciate their continued commitment to customer satisfaction and look forward to what the future holds.”
"We have a great and longstanding working relationship with Eemits and they have always ticked every box. They offer an excellent, friendly and reliable service.
Eemits have a great understanding of the park and its needs for the customer and our retailers. With a positive can-do attitude, they never say no."
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Eemits is a professional, friendly and reliable company."
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Eemits is a great company."
"The service offered by Eemits is second to none, we have a great working relationship with them and the contract we have is good value for money."
"We needed two-way radios for the guys on the test track and something that was scalable. The solution Eemits provided was far superior in comparison to other competitors offerings.
Everything is done in-house and the service and sales department is particularly good. As masters in their field they are extremely knowledgeable."
"Eemits dedicate a lot of time to us as a customer - we feel like we get a personal touch. They're excellent and go above and beyond. They'll put the work in - i.e. training users.
Good quality, good people, good team, all of who are positive about their company. They demonstrate real passion."
"The quality of service that Eemits provides is excellent. The team is very knowledgeable and they offer high quality products. The TRBOCALL solution fitted meets our site requirements and upgrades our technology.
Lone worker function is particularly useful allowing us to monitor our staff ensuring they are safe at all times."
"Eemits Communication is friendly, professional and competitive. They are excellent and their workmanship and knowledge is great.
Eemits attitude sets them apart - no problem is too big"
"Prior to the installation of our current system onsite communications were poor. Eemits Communications offered us guidance and advice on the different technologies available and delivered a highly effective system on time and within our budget. Its success has led to other departments using the system."
"Eemits Communications Ltd have been involved in work at Hartlepool Power Station for over 10 years now. During this time they have installed an Aerial network through our buildings to enable more efficient internal radio communications.
I have found the staff highly professional at all times and willing to provide help whenever they can, I would have no hesitation in recommending this company."
"Having previously worked with Eemits, we knew that we were dealing with a supplier that we could trust and one that could help us to significantly increase the safety of our lone workers with its unique solutions.
The equipment supplied by Eemits is excellent. We have been greatly impressed by the knowledge and skills of their engineers who have carried out the onsite surveys and installation of the system.
Eemits came up with an innovative approach to overcome challenges that we had with installing a system with the structure of our building, and as such, the quality of radio frequency is outstanding."
"The service delivered by Eemits has been excellent and we have developed a very good working relationship over the years.
As a local business to Falck Fire Services they can respond to faults or general requests very quickly - which is very important in our line of work - whereas similar suppliers have a greater response time.
TRBOCALL is an overall platform that has made a massive improvement to our communications in comparison to the analogue system that we had been using for many years. It provides us with many different applications that can be utilised across the business.
Since introducing TRBOCALL we have seen significant improvements related to safety and in our communications itself, which is critical to our operations."