Understanding & Setting up an Escalation Procedure

What you’ll learn

• What an Escalation Procedure is and why you need one

• Key focus areas for an effective procedure

• Differences between Company, Group, and Worker procedures

• Step-by-step guide to building your Escalation Procedure

• Important best practices and considerations

 

1. What Is an Escalation Procedure?

An Escalation Procedure is a clear, step-by-step set of instructions that a monitor or call-center operator follows when a lone worker:

• Sends a Help alert

• Misses a check-in

• Triggers a Man/Worker Down or High-Risk check-in

Note: This is not an automated workflow. For automated follow-up, use Worker Reminders or Alert Loops (part of our Comms Plan).

 

2. Escalation Procedure Scenario

John, a health worker, was due to check in at 3:00 PM but didn’t. His procedure unfolded as follows:

1. Step 1 – Call John
   An independent call-center operator calls John three times, leaving a voicemail each time:
   “Hello John, you have missed a check-in. Please check in immediately or phone us to confirm you’re okay.”

2. Step 2 – Call Supervisor
   No response from John, so the operator calls John’s supervisor (Lisa) three times, leaving voicemail:
   “Hello Lisa, John has missed a check-in. Please investigate further.”

3. Step 3 – Dispatch Manager
   Still no response: the operator phones Katie (John’s manager) once, instructing her to proceed to John’s last known location.

   – Katie arrives at 3:30 PM and finds John injured, enabling rapid medical assistance.

Without this procedure, it might have taken hours to locate John.

 

3. What to Focus On

For fastest, most reliable escalation, ensure your procedure addresses:

• Monitor Delay Time – How long to wait before contacting the next person

• Repeat Attempts – How many times each contact is tried

• Contact List Size – Keep it concise (3–5 roles)

• Clarity – Use simple, easy-to-follow instructions

 

4. Company, Group, or Worker Procedures

You can define Escalation Procedures at three levels:

• Company-Wide – Applies to all workers by default

• Group – Overrides Company for workers in that group

• Worker – Overrides both Company and Group for an individual

More specific procedures always take precedence.

 

5. Setting up an Escalation Procedure

5.1 Company Procedure

1. Go to Settings > Escalation Procedure.
   

5.2 Group Procedure

1. In Workers & Groups, click Edit on your group.

2. Click Add Group Escalation, then Build.
   

5.3 Worker Procedure

1. Go to Workers, click Edit on a worker.

2. Select the Escalation Procedure tab, then Build.
   
   

 

6. Using the Build Wizard

1. Make a Phone Call → Call a Worker

   • Click Make a Phonecall > check Call the worker who has missed a check in.

   • Enter your voicemail script.

   • Choose Call Count (1–5) and Step Wait Time (minutes).

   • (Optional) Check Use alternative number if available.

   • Click Save.

2. Call a Monitor or Other Person

   • Click Make a Phonecall, enter the contact’s name and number.

   • Add voicemail script, call count, and wait time.

   • Click Save.

3. Visit the Last Known Location

   • Click Send to Location.

   • Enter the responder’s name, number, and any gear or access notes.

   • (Optional) Check Visit the last known location to auto-populate coordinates.

   • Click Save.

4. Add a Custom Step

   • Click Custom Step, enter your instructions (e.g., contact HR).

   • Click Save.

5. Review & Finish

   • Steps appear on the right–hand pane as you build.

   • Edit any step via the pencil icon.

   • Click Finish Editing the Escalation when complete.
     

 

7. Important Best Practices

• Don’t instruct operators to call emergency services directly.
  Your internal contacts (supervisors, managers) have site-specific knowledge.

• If authorities are needed, include that instruction in your voicemail script for your last internal step, e.g.:
  “Hello Katie, Worker X has missed a check-in. Please investigate immediately or call emergency services—provide them with site details.”

• Test regularly by simulating a missed check-in to verify each step triggers correctly.

• Update your procedure whenever roles or contact information change.