Slips, trips, and falls account for 37% of all reported UK workplace injuries, and for someone working alone in a hazardous environment, a fall can quickly become life-threatening if nobody knows it has happened.
The man-down feature on a two-way radio is designed to close that gap. Here’s exactly what it is and how it works.
What Is the Man-Down Feature?
The man-down feature is a built-in safety function available on certain two-way radios. Rather than relying on a worker to press a button or make a call, it works automatically using the radio’s built-in sensors.
Two types of sensors make it possible:
- Accelerometers – detect sudden changes in movement, such as the impact of a fall.
- Gyroscopes – monitor the orientation of the radio, registering when it has tilted or moved into a horizontal position beyond a set threshold.
When either sensor detects a deviation from normal parameters, an automatic alert sequence begins. Importantly, no action is required from the worker.
The sensitivity thresholds for both sensors can be configured to suit different working environments. This is important for reducing false alarms in situations where a worker may be stationary by choice, such as operating machinery or crouching in a confined space.
How Does It Work?
| 1 |
An incident occurs A worker falls, loses consciousness, or becomes incapacitated on-site. |
| 2 |
Sensors detect the change Built-in accelerometers or gyroscopes register that the radio has tilted beyond its configured threshold angle, or has remained horizontal for longer than the pre-set time limit. |
| 3 |
A pre-alert warning sounds Before a full alarm is raised, the radio emits an audible and visual warning, giving the worker a short window to confirm they are safe and cancel the alert, preventing unnecessary responses. |
| 4 |
No response – the alarm triggers automatically If the worker does not respond within the warning period, the emergency man-down signal is sent automatically to the designated channel, control room, or supervisor device without the worker needing to do anything. |
| 5 |
The control room is notified with precise details Where TRBOnet dispatcher software is in use, the alert appears on the control room screen alongside the specific digital ID of the radio user in distress. If GPS is enabled, live location data pinpoints where they are. |
| 6 |
Response is initiated The team can act immediately dispatching a colleague and/or alerting emergency services. |
TRBOnet Dispatcher Software
TRBOnet is the software-based control room solution that brings man-down alerts to life on screen. When an alert is triggered, the TRBOnet Dispatcher displays the specific digital ID of the user in distress alongside real-time GPS location data, giving control room staff the information they need to respond immediately. It also supports real-time GPS/indoor tracking, geo-fencing, voice recording, and text messaging.
If your operation includes lone workers in hazardous or isolated environments, a man-down capable radio paired with TRBOnet dispatcher software gives your team the visibility and response capability to act when it matters most. 2CL has over 50 years of experience designing and supporting systems built around real-world safety needs.
Speak to the 2CL team about lone worker safety → Contact Us