Lone Worker Safety for Schools & Education

Common Challenges

The risks education workers face after hours

Empty buildings, hazardous maintenance areas, and late-night custodial shifts — education sector lone workers face real risks that most safety plans don't cover.

Maintenance in hazardous areas

HVAC technicians on the roof, plumbers in boiler rooms, electricians in mechanical closets — confined spaces with real fall risks and exposure to gas or chemicals. These workers are out of sight, and when something goes wrong it can be hours before anyone notices.

Increased check-in frequency for hazardous tasks

Workers can increase the frequency of their safety checks to ensure their safety while in hazardous areas. A simple call from any phone — even a facility landline — confirms they're safe.

Staff staying late in empty schools

A principal finishing paperwork at 9 PM. A counsellor meeting a parent after hours. A teacher prepping in an empty wing. Once the building clears out, these workers are functionally alone — with doors unlocked and no security presence.

High-risk check-in mode

Staff activate monitoring when staying late. Operators track their location and check-in status until they confirm they've left safely — turning "I'll text you when I leave" into a real safety system.

Student and parent aggression

67% of Ontario education workers experienced student-initiated force in 2022-23. Teachers alone with aggressive students, administrators confronted by volatile parents — these situations escalate fast and staff need a way to get help without making it visible.

Silent panic alert

One discreet tap on a phone or SOS wearable sends a silent alert to 24/7 operators — no sound, no visible action, nothing that could escalate the confrontation. Operators notify your designated emergency contacts while the situation is still contained.

Coaches alone at late practices and away games

Evening practices on remote athletic fields, travel to away games, early morning facility access — coaches and athletic staff work outside the building, outside normal hours, and often without another adult present.

GPS tracking + dashboard visibility

Administrators see every active worker's location on a live dashboard — whether they're in the building, on the field, or in transit. Check-in schedules keep coaches connected throughout practices and games.

Evening custodial shifts in empty buildings

A custodian alone in a school after 10 PM — mopping stairwells, handling cleaning chemicals, working around heavy equipment. A slip, a fall, a chemical exposure — and no one in the building to notice until morning.

Automatic fall detection

The SOS wearable detects falls and impacts automatically — so if a custodian slips on a wet floor or falls from a ladder, 24/7 live operators are alerted automatically, even if the worker can't press a button.

Built for every education role

From custodians to coaches — everyone who works alone after hours.

ULC 5-Diamond Certified Canadian Owned Since 1968 Working Alone Compliant

Custodians & Janitors

Overnight shifts in empty schools

Maintenance Staff

Rooftops, boiler rooms, confined spaces

Teachers & Professors

After-hours alone in classrooms

School Administrators

Late nights, parent confrontations

Coaches & Athletic Staff

Evening practices, away games

Lab Technicians

Working with chemicals after hours

Groundskeepers

Isolated outdoor work

IT & AV Technicians

Server rooms and wiring closets

"We are regularly in the 99th percentile for check-in accuracy. The Admin portal is simple enough for me to manage. If our staff miss a check-in and don’t answer the follow-up call, CheckMate notifies the appropriate person."

SCHOOL DISTRICT 43, COQUITLAM Alek Rysiewicz, Manager, Facility Improvements, School District 43

Complete Protection

Everything you need to keep lone workers safe

24/7 live operators behind every safety check and alert, with the Safe Alone app, the Smart Button wearable, a live monitoring dashboard, satellite coverage where there is no signal, phone and landline safety checks.

Safe Alone App

One-tap check-ins, a panic button and GPS location from the worker's smartphone, with every missed check-in and alert answered by a live operator, 24/7.

Real-Time Dashboard

See who's active, who's checked in, and who needs attention — all on one screen. Map view with live GPS, status indicators, and compliance reports.

Smart Button

A discreet button for custodians and after-hours staff. One press checks in, press and hold raises the alarm, phone stays in a pocket. Pairs with the Safe Alone app.

Satellite Coverage

For outdoor education programs — athletic training at remote fields, field trips to rural sites, or coaches traveling between venues — an optional satellite communicator keeps check-ins and alerts flowing when cell coverage is unreliable.

Any Phone

Monitored

CHECK-IN CONFIRMED

Phone & Landline Check-Ins

Office phone, personal cell, or any school landline. Workers check in with a simple call — no app required, no special equipment needed.

How CheckMate Works

A simple, proven system that keeps your lone workers connected and protected — every shift, every day.

Check-In Prompt

Staff receive scheduled check-in prompts via the Safe Alone app or a phone call. One tap confirms they're safe.

Alert Triggered

Missed check-in? Our system immediately flags it. No delay, no assumptions — just instant awareness.

Team Notified

Our ULC-certified operators call the worker, then escalate to supervisors. Real humans, real follow-through.

Safety Ensured

Every incident is documented. Every worker is accounted for. Peace of mind — backed by 55+ years of expertise.

Many apps send alerts.
We take action.

Live 24/7 Monitoring Centre

ULC 5-Diamond certified. When someone misses a check-in, our operators are already calling — not sending another notification.

Safety checks in 2026

Real-Time Protection

Over 3.7 million safety checks completed annually across 900+ Canadian organizations.

Since 1968

Over 55 years of security expertise. A proven safety partner for Canadian organizations.

Don't just take our word for it

See all stories →

VANCOUVER ISLAND REGIONAL LIBRARY

"For Vancouver Island Regional Library, we have a complex working alone process with about 450 employees in 39 branches located from Victoria on Vancouver Island all the way to Masset in Haida Gwaii. […] They made it so easy to learn the system and their question response time is amazing."

Janet Watts

FORT ST. JAMES PUBLIC LIBRARY

"The system is easy to use, reliable, and provides peace of mind for employees working alone during evening and weekend shifts. CheckMate is an affordable solution, and their team has been responsive and supportive throughout our experience."

Valerie Crowley

FAQ

Common questions from education leaders

Custodians receive timed check-in prompts throughout their shift via the Safe Alone app or a simple phone call. If a check-in is missed, our 24/7 monitoring centre calls the worker immediately and escalates if there's no response. The SOS wearable adds automatic fall detection — so if a custodian slips on a wet floor or falls from a ladder, live operators are alerted automatically, even if the worker can't press a button.

Yes. CheckMate is built for multi-site deployments. Most school boards roll out across all schools within 2-3 weeks. The app works on smartphones staff already carry, and phone check-ins work from any school landline. The dashboard gives the facilities department visibility across every school from a single screen.

The SOS wearable detects falls using its own sensors, but it relies on the cell network to transmit alerts — so in a true dead zone, an automatic fall alert can't get through on the wearable alone. The best approach is to set a short-interval check-in before entering the basement. The Safe Alone app or a phone call confirms the worker is safe, and a missed check-in triggers operator escalation within minutes. For facilities with persistent dead zones, pairing the Safe Alone app with a satellite communicator like Zoleo — or adding Rogers Satellite service to the worker's phone — provides an alternative path when cell coverage isn't reliable.

Yes. CheckMate is designed to meet or exceed working alone legislation across all Canadian provinces and territories. Every check-in, alert, and escalation is automatically documented with timestamps, GPS data, and operator actions — creating a complete audit trail for compliance with OHS requirements and Bill C-45 due diligence obligations.

Absolutely. CheckMate supports customizable check-in intervals per worker or team. Custodians on overnight shifts might check in every 30 minutes, while a coach at an evening practice checks in at the start and end. Administrators can configure schedules through the dashboard and adjust them as staffing or risk levels change.

Every school has lone workers after the bell rings