Working alone / after opening hours in the laboratories#

Lone Worker#

Working alone in a laboratory can put you in a difficult situation should an incident or health issue occur. You might be alone because working outside regular working time or simply because your activities are located in an isolated area.

To protect lone workers and secure them in case of accident or health issue, employees are therefore asked to do the following:

• Notify the safety team about their presence in the laboratories in case of work outside usual working hours by sending an e-mail to safety-sb@uni.lu, placing own supervisor in copy
• Carry a Lone Worker device when working alone in a potentiallly dangerous environment (any time)

How should an employee report their presence when working outside of regular working hours?#

The worker must notify the safety team about his/her presence in the laboratories by:

• Sending an email to safety-sb@uni.lu
• Putting his line manager in cc
• Giving approximative timing/location information:
  Example: “I will be working in the open lab 311 and cell culture 313 on Saturday afternoon”.

When must the worker carry the lone worker device?#

If you work alone in a potential dangerous environment in a LCSB lab, you must take a lone worker device with you.
The device (G7C standard, branded BlackLineSafety) is available in BT1, BT2 and BTA. The device allows calling for rescue in case of a problem. It is followed by the Security Center Service of the University (46 66 44 5555) via a web portal.
The call can be triggered voluntarily or automatically, e.g. in the event of a fall.

What is considered a potentially dangerous environment?#

• Working alone in an isolated laboratory.

• Working alone in an area where specific risks are present (work with gas, work with liquid nitrogen, work with hazardous chemicals or biologicals,…).

• Working after opening hours in all the laboratories, on a weekend or during the night. Work taking place outside the hours of 07.00 to 19.00, Monday to Friday or work during bank holidays or closure periods is considered out of hours.

Note: It is forbidden to perform high risk activities during the weekend.
Please contact the safety officer to evaluate the situation.

The lone worker should pick up the device at arrival and place it back when he/she is leaving.

Taking the lone worker device from its storage box#

1. The lone worker devices are stored by the guard stations in both BT1 and BT2.

2. To obtain the lone worker device, place your BT2 badge in front of the lock until the light is green.

Quick user guide#

Description of the System#

Starting to use the lone worker device#

The lone worker device is always charging in the storage box. It is permanently on so it is immediately functional. Unplugging and taking it from the box, will activate it.
A green light means the device is connected.

Note: if the device was turned off, switch it on by pressing the turn on button (for 3 sec). A green light will be flashing during the starting process. Do nothing until the green light stops flashing! When the green light is stable, the device is connected and ready for use.

From this moment, the security services know you have taken the device. The device can be fastened to the lab coat using the clip located in the back of the unit.

Launching alerts#

• Emergency alert launched by the worker

You can start an alert by pulling the latch. Vibrations, sounds and red lights alert will start.

The sound can be stopped by pressing and holding simultaneously the up and down arrows. The alert is still ongoing.
For discrete alert, push on the alert button.

• Pending alarm due to no motion or fall impact detection

If no motion for 3 minutes or a fall is detected, a pre-alarm will be triggered automatically to warn the user. Vibrations, sounds and yellow lights will start.
The yellow pending alarm asks you to confirm you are ok. If you confirm there is no issue: reset the alarm by pushing on the red button.

If this pre-alarm is not reset after 30 seconds, the yellow alarm escalates to red lights alert and notifies the security service.

Contact with the security team#

When the contact starts with the security team, blue light flashes. A voice call will start and you will be able to exchange with the security team via the speakers. In case you are not responding, GPS localization will allow them to find you.

Warning alarm#

Yellow lights and alarms may also start in case of low battery or information message. Please acknowledge the information to stop the lights and sounds alarm by pressing and holding simultaneously the up and down arrows.

This kind of alarm will never end up in a red light alert.

Return the lone worker device#

After use, users must ensure the device is correctly plugged to charge the battery. While reconnecting the device, it remains on but goes into stand-by mode.