The shocking disappearance of Suzy Lamplugh in July 1986 highlighted the dangers of lone working - an issue that had previously received little attention.
The estate agent arranged to meet the mysterious ‘Mr. Kipper’ to show him round a flat in South London. She was never seen again.
In 1994, Police declared her dead - presumed murdered. We wonder how Suzy's story would have changed if her employer had been able to track her movements...
It's easy to keep an eye on your employees in the office with a CCTV system but what about your staff who work remotely, travel on business trips or work late shifts?
Although Suzy's disappearance was over thirty years ago, lone workers are still vulnerable in the 21st century. As a responsible business owner, you and your staff should err on the side of caution.
So, how can you make sure your workforce is safe when they're not under your supervision?
Mobile tracking applications offer employers and their lone worker staff peace of mind.
As intrusive as it sounds, it could save a life when used correctly in a potentially dangerous situation.
The mobile app for employees provides a 'quick dial' feature - just like the 'speed dial' function on smartphones. It:
Imagine how different the Suzy Lamplugh story could have been if the tracking technology had been available and deployed back in 1986...
Suzy's work day begins. She logs into her mobile tracking app and presses no. 1 on her dial pad to let her boss know that she has clocked in for the day.
Her appointment with Mr. Kipper is in 30 minutes. She has to leave now to get there in time, so presses no.2 on her dial pad to send an "Amber Risk" notification to her boss and the monitoring station.
An Amber Risk is not the same as a call for immediate help. It's a warning to a third party - her boss and the live monitoring station - that she may encounter a risk. This could be an unfamiliar location or a meeting with a client she has never met before.
The "Amber Risk" setting gives Suzy a total of 60 minutes. By the end of the 60 minutes, Suzy can either extend her Amber Risk time or end it by pressing no.2 again. This signals to her boss and the monitoring station that she is safe and well.
But what if her 60 minute Amber Risk time is over and she hasn't extended or terminated it on her mobile app?
Did she simply forget, or has something unexpected or dangerous happened?
Her mobile app automatically sends a reminder notification because meetings sometimes over run...
5 minutes after the automatic reminder, the Amber Risk has still not been extended or terminated - this is worrying.
The 24hr monitoring station step in to track Suzy's whereabouts and can see that her phone is no longer at the apartment she was showing to Mr. Kipper.
The authorities are called to attend the new location. They rescue Suzy and arrest Mr. Kipper.
Unfortunately, Suzy didn't have the smart tracking technology to save her life back in 1986 - but today's lone workers do.
After this terrible tragedy, Suzy's parents, Diana and Paul Lamplugh, founded Suzy Lamplugh Trust and travelled the country for many years raising awareness of personal safety.
Blake's design, install and maintain commercial security systems to NSI Gold standard for businesses across the South East of England.
Click the green button below to enquire about mobile tracking apps with 24hr monitoring - or any other commercial security system. One of our friendly team will get back to you as soon as possible!