Worker tracking for safety
Benefits
Why worker tracking matters for safety
Ensuring worker safety is a critical priority in industries such as construction, mining, oil and gas, manufacturing, warehousing and logistics. In these environments, people are often exposed to hazardous conditions or operate alone, making it harder to respond quickly in emergencies.
Real-time tracking systems improve situational awareness by showing where each worker is and what they are doing. They help organisations protect their teams, comply with Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) regulations and build a culture of safety across operations.
Challenges faced by high-risk industries
Protecting lone and remote workers
Many workers operate alone or in remote areas where supervision is limited. In an emergency, calling for help or confirming their location can take valuable minutes, increasing the risk of serious incidents.
Limited site visibility for HSE managers
Large or multi-building sites make it difficult for HSE managers to monitor everyone’s safety in real time. Manual checks and CCTV coverage are often insufficient for complex environments.
Controlling access to restricted zones
Sites often contain hazardous or sensitive areas where only trained or authorised personnel are allowed. Without accurate access control, it is difficult to prevent accidents or detect unauthorised entry.
Managing emergencies and evacuations
During an incident, workers may move to the nearest muster point rather than their usual one. This makes it challenging to confirm who has reached safety and who may still be at risk.
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An oil and gas construction company improved safety and efficiency with RFID Discovery’s smart tracking system.
Read the full case study
How RFID Discovery’s system improves safety
Real-time protection for lone workers
RFID Discovery’s system uses wearable tags and smart badges with built-in emergency call buttons and motion sensors. The devices track location, movement and impact using technologies such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and LoRaWAN.
If a worker stops moving or signals distress, the system automatically triggers an alarm and notifies safety personnel via a real-time monitoring dashboard. This rapid alert process helps teams respond immediately and reduce risk.
Site-wide monitoring for HSE managers
The platform can track thousands of workers across multiple indoor and outdoor sites using a hybrid mix of BLE, Wirepas, Sigfox, NB-IoT, LTE-M and GPS technologies.
Managers can visualise live worker positions, monitor movements, and analyse historical data through an intuitive interface. This insight allows HSE teams to identify unsafe behaviours, improve training, and strengthen compliance across operations.
Geofencing and controlled access
RFiD Discovery’s geofencing capability lets managers define virtual boundaries around sensitive or high-risk areas. Each worker’s access level is linked to their wearable tag or badge.
If someone without authorisation enters a restricted zone, the system instantly issues an alert and logs the event for reporting. This reduces accidents and strengthens site security.
Emergency and evacuation management
During an evacuation, the system provides live headcounts of workers and contractors at muster points. Geofenced safe zones show who has reached safety and who remains at risk.
The platform also displays their last known positions on a virtual site map to guide rescue efforts and support post-incident analysis.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
What is worker tracking for safety?
Worker tracking uses connected wearable devices to monitor the real-time location and wellbeing of employees in high-risk environments.
How does RFID Discovery’s system work?
Wearable tags send location and sensor data via BLE, LoRaWAN or GPS networks to a cloud-based platform. The system analyses this data and alerts managers to incidents or access breaches in real time.
Which industries benefit most from worker tracking?
Construction, mining, oil and gas, manufacturing, warehousing, logistics, and other sectors where safety and compliance are critical.
What happens during an emergency?
The system automatically counts personnel at muster points and shows their positions on a virtual site map, helping HSE teams coordinate evacuation and rescue efforts.
Is worker tracking data secure and compliant?
Yes. All data is encrypted and handled in compliance with GDPR and relevant privacy regulations.
How LoRaWAN supports outdoor worker-tracking in high-risk environments
