Dead man's alarms and dead man's switches are technical safety devices that can detect when a person working alone gets into an emergency situation. In an emergency, predefined emergency contacts are automatically alerted and provided with relevant information such as location and type of alarm to enable rapid assistance.
✅ For iOS and Android smartphones
✅ Easy to use
✅ Quick setup
✅ From €15/month per license
A dead man's switch is a sensor-based function that continuously checks whether there are signs of an emergency - for example, immobility or a fall. Depending on the system, it can automatically trigger an alarm and call for help.
Although the term "dead man's switch" may sound drastic, the system is of course intended to have a preventive effect and protect the lives of people working alone - regardless of gender, of course.
In practice, various terms are used as synonyms: Dead man's switch, dead man's warning device, dead man's button, dead man's circuit or dead man's device. Strictly speaking, "circuit" also refers to systems that also switch off machines, but this distinction is often blurred in linguistic usage.
Dead man's alarms are used where people work alone - i.e. out of call and sight of other people.
Falls, medical emergencies or threatening situations can have serious consequences if help is not provided quickly. According to the Occupational Health and Safety Act (§ 5 ArbSchG), employers are obliged to carry out risk assessments and take appropriate protective measures.
Dead man's systems have established themselves as an effective technical measure - often more reliable and scalable than control calls or video surveillance, for example. These systems not only provide security, but also a peace of mind that both employers and employees appreciate.
Modern dead man detectors use sensor technology and intelligent software to automatically detect and report various scenarios. The following alarm types are common:
The accident detection checks for motionlessness and triggers automatically after a countdown has elapsed.
The dead man's detector requests a response or acknowledgement from the person concerned at regular intervals. If this does not happen, an alarm is triggered.
Accident detection analyzes the acceleration sensors and triggers if the person concerned suffers a fall.
The position alarm is triggered after a predefined time if a certain tilt angle of the device is exceeded.
The loss alarm reports when the device has not been worn for a certain period of time or has been lost.
The escape alarm uses algorithms to detect hectic movement patterns and triggers accordingly.
App-based solutions such as CALIMA can use existing smartphones or smartwatches - saving both investment costs and implementation time. This makes them an attractive option for companies looking for a quick and cost-effective solution.
Dead man's alarms are a proven component of occupational safety in many industries and areas, especially where there is a medium to increased risk potential:
The costs depend heavily on the chosen system. A comparison between classic hardware solutions and app-based solutions shows clear differences:
CALIMA is a modern, scalable solution for companies that want to secure lone working reliably and in accordance with health and safety guidelines:
✔ No additional hardware required
✔ Can be used immediately on company smartphones
✔ GDPR-compliant and hosted in Europe
✔ From €23 per end device/month
✔ Test free of charge - without risk
