"The ID device is easy to wear, simple to use, and looks like something that an engineer might be wearing anyway, meaning clients are unlikely to question its purpose."

With the help of a SoloProtect lone worker device, a worker at N+ Controls, who was recently diagnosed with epilepsy, has been able to get back to doing the job he loves.

In 2021, Ami’s colleague suffered a seizure whilst on-site in a plant room and was subsequently diagnosed with epilepsy. Unfortunately, this meant that, due to safety concerns, he was unable to remain in the role he loved as a Commissioning Engineer.

Instead, he had to switch to a desk-based job at home which massively impacted his physical and mental health.

Now, with the help of a SoloProtect ID Touch device, he’s returned to a practical, on-site role, safe in the knowledge that a SoloProtect operator will be available to help if he suffers a seizure.

We chatted to Ami Makin, Director at N+ Controls, about the benefits of the SoloProtect device to workers with epilepsy...

It sounds like your engineer has been through a tough time. What made you consider a lone worker safety device as an option for keeping him safe?

After he suffered a seizure at work, the changes that were made to his role with a previous employer were very difficult for him to accept. He enjoyed being out and about; a home-based role simply wasn’t for him.

He’s an incredible engineer with a remarkable history, and so we were keen to take him on and use his valuable skills - even though we knew it wouldn’t be safe for him to work alone on-site. It was at this point we started to search for a solution.

The lone worker safety devices from SoloProtect seemed to be a great fit. The nature of his epilepsy means that he may or may not know that a seizure is imminent, and so the features provided such as the Incapacitation Alert (“Man Down Alarm”), as well as the Ready2Talk function, are perfect for the different situations he might be in.

A combination of him working with his neurologist and having a lone safety device has given us the confidence to allow him to be on-site by himself, and we are confident that if something were to happen, the appropriate action would be taken.

Had he not been given a lone worker safety device, what do you think the impact would have been?

When our engineer had his original seizure, he suffered head and facial injuries from hitting a concrete floor, with no understanding of what had happened. He also received inappropriate medical treatment due to nobody witnessing the incident.

Following this, aside from the recovery time needed, if he didn’t have a SoloProtect safety device, he would either have had to remain in a desk-based role or have someone always accompany him on-site. This would mean double the work for me in terms of getting site clearance, DBS checks, site sign-off etc. It would also be extremely costly to the business and very annoying for him to be followed around by someone when he just wants to get on with his work. It would be very boring for the ’supervisor’, too!

When he was unable to go on-site, his mental health spiralled; he felt like everything he had worked towards had been ripped from under him. His job means everything to him, he is an incredibly hard worker, and being able to actively take part in work on-site and meet with clients is extremely important.

You mentioned our Incapacitation Alert and Ready2Talk features. Why are these particularly beneficial for your colleague?

If he suffers from an unexpected seizure, he is very likely to fall and hit the ground. Therefore, the Incapacitation Alert would detect this fall and an escalation process can be initiated, getting help to him as quickly as possible. This speed is vital because he may suffer physical injuries and, after a seizure, there is often a period (which can last up to several hours) where people are very confused and can’t take care of themselves.

Moreover, people with epilepsy can sometimes experience ‘auras’ (medically termed ‘focal aware’ or ‘focal unaware’ seizures) before a tonic-clonic seizure (‘fit’). They can also experience these without a tonic-clonic and, although they retain some control over their physical actions, their mind does not work properly. If our engineer suffers from a focal seizure, he can activate SoloProtect’s Ready2Talk feature and have someone proactively chaperone him in case it develops into a tonic-clonic.

The Monitoring Timer feature is also extremely helpful in areas such as plant rooms where there isn’t always a good phone signal; I was worried that a lone worker safety device would be redundant in this type of location. However, the Monitoring Timer provides a fantastic solution. Our engineer simply sets the timer before going into a plant room and, if he doesn’t manually cancel it before the timer expires, operators in the Monitoring Centre will be alerted and will take appropriate action to confirm his safety.

Are these features the reason you choose the SoloProtect ID over other devices on the market?

Yes, partly. Aside from the Incapacitation Alert, Ready2Talk and Monitoring Timer features, the device is easy to wear, simple to use, and looks like something that an engineer might be wearing anyway, meaning clients are unlikely to question its purpose.

Also, the Lone Worker Risk Assessment template and example Lone Working Policy provided on the SoloProtect website were extremely useful for us when we created our new lone working documentation. It took a lot of the thinking out of the process which was great!

Finally, what reassurance does it give you knowing your engineer has support available at the push of a button?

It’s a massive relief to have a system in place that provides mitigation for the challenges that he faces, from both a company and an individual perspective. Epilepsy can be such a scary condition for those who go through it and for those who witness it and knowing that someone is available to help him is reassuring. In particular, it also guarantees that appropriate medical attention would be given following a seizure because the SoloProtect operators would pass this vital information on to the paramedics.

It’s also great to know that it’s a solution he feels comfortable and safe using, as we wouldn’t want to be putting him in a situation with a service that he couldn’t trust. The SoloProtect Alarm Receiving Centre has been there every time he has needed them, without hesitation, and has followed up in instances where communication couldn’t be made, which has been brilliant.

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