Case Study

1. Background & Motivation

A significant portion of Central Hudson’s workforce operates independently in the field, often performing tasks that involve high-energy hazards. Many of these roles require employees to travel across large service areas, including remote locations where traditional oversight methods can be difficult to maintain.

As Antonio DeMartino of Central Hudson explained:

“A large portion of our workforce works alone and are exposed to high energy hazards as part of their daily task. Some locations in our service territory are remote and there was no easy way to keep tab on all of our employees without significant logistic hurdles.”

The nature of utility work means technicians may spend long periods working alone on service calls without direct supervision. Leadership recognized that this created potential safety gaps that could delay assistance if something went wrong.

“We are a utility company with a service territory that covers some pretty rural and remote areas. When we have an employee out on service call they could be alone for hours at a time with no one checking in on them.”

When researching possible solutions, the team explored available technologies before discovering OK Alone.

2. Implementation Experience

Central Hudson approached implementation with a strong focus on employee engagement and clear communication. From the beginning, leadership wanted to ensure workers felt heard and supported throughout the rollout. The main goals and hopes for introducing OK Alone were for employees to feel heard, have opportunities to ask questions, raise concerns, and have adequate thorough training.

The implementation process itself proved straightforward. The OK Alone team worked closely with Central Hudson during onboarding, helping address concerns and ensuring the system could be integrated smoothly into existing safety procedures.

As Antonio DeMartino described:

“The rollout process with OK Alone was extremely smooth. They were consistently the most responsive and accessible vendor we worked with when we were shopping for a software based solution. Any time we had questions, whether by phone or email, they answered promptly and made themselves available to support us throughout the entire process.”

This direct engagement helped resolve common concerns around privacy, complexity, and day-to-day usage before the system was fully deployed.

Antonio noted:

“Their willingness to engage directly with our team helped address concerns around privacy, complexity, and day to day use, which made training and adoption much easier.”

3. Embedded in Daily Field Operations

Today, OK Alone supports 250 accounts spread across multiple departments
within Central Hudson’s workforce, helping employees stay connected while working independently across the company’s service territory.

The app is primarily used during higher-risk activities, particularly tasks
involving high-energy systems where the potential for incidents is greater.
By activating the app during these tasks, employees ensure their status is
visible while the work is being completed.

As Antonio DeMartino of Central Hudson explained:

“We require our staff to engage with the app during high energy task. These tasks have the highest risk for events to occur.”

At the same time, employees are encouraged to use the system whenever they feel additional safety support may be helpful during their day.

While the system has not yet been required during a serious emergency, the team sees that as a positive outcome and a sign that operations continue to run safely across the field.

4. Impact on Staff & Safety Culture

Employee response to OK Alone has been very positive. Staff report that both the worker interface and administrative side of the system are intuitive and very easy to understand.

Even without a major incident, the system has already demonstrated its effectiveness through real-world responses to accidental alerts.

Antonio shared:

“We have had a few false alarms and the response time from the 24/7 monitoring service made each individual who set off the false alarm feel that the app and Lone Woker program we set up was actually accomplishing what it was set out for.”

These experiences helped reinforce confidence that the system provides real protection rather than simply another procedural requirement.

Antonio added:

“They appreciated that it wasn’t promises, but real concrete action taken to make sure they were safe.”

More broadly, leadership believes the program is helping to build trust with their workforce and strengthen relationships with employees by reinforcing the organization’s commitment to safety.

Central Hudson is evaluating how to get even greater adoption by celebrating success, with OK Alone's Safety Awards are an option to easily embed this into their teams.

5. Management & Oversight

For Central Hudson’s safety leadership, implementing OK Alone also brought improved visibility into a workforce that often operates independently across a large geographic area. Even though the system has not yet been required for a true emergency, having clearer insight into field activity is already seen as a positive step forward.

When asked whether the platform improved management visibility or coordination, Antonio noted:

“We have not had an emergency yet, but visibility on our workforce is never a bad thing!”

Similarly, some of the system’s investigative features have not yet been required. Tools such as the live map and breadcrumb trail remain available if needed for incident review or operational insight.

Even without a major event requiring investigation, leadership values knowing the capability is there if it becomes necessary. The system provides an additional layer of awareness that can support both safety oversight and operational understanding as the program continues to evolve.

6. Outcomes & Reflections

Since introducing OK Alone, one of the most meaningful outcomes for Central Hudson has been the impact on employee perception and trust. When organizations introduce new safety tools, it can sometimes take time for workers to fully embrace them. In this case, however, adoption across the workforce happened quickly.

Employees recognized that the system was designed to address real risks they encounter in the field, helping reinforce confidence that the safety department is actively working to support them.

Antonio explained:

“Many employees feel that this is a great tool and not something just added to ‘the list’. I knew the app would do what we wanted, but I’m happy how quickly our workforce adopted and accepted it.”

This early acceptance has helped establish OK Alone as a meaningful part of Central Hudson’s safety culture, reinforcing the organization’s broader commitment to protecting employees who work independently in the field.

I knew the app would do what we wanted, but I’m happy how quickly our workforce adopted and accepted it.”

Antonio DeMartino

7. Broader Impact & Advice

When reflecting on their experience implementing a lone worker solution, Central Hudson emphasized that technology alone was not the deciding factor when choosing a platform. During the selection process, the team evaluated a number of vendors and solutions before making their final decision.

What ultimately stood out most was the level of responsiveness and support provided by the OK Alone team.

“You may find an app that has a few features that this doesn’t, or maybe a slightly different lay out that you prefer, but OK Alone’s team was 100% the deciding factor for us to choose them as a vendor for our Lone Worker solution. We interviewed many other companies, none came close!”

That level of support made a strong impression during implementation and continues to influence how the program is viewed internally.

The team also highlighted the role that OK Alone staff played throughout the process. Together, these experiences reinforced Central Hudson’s confidence that they had chosen the right partner to support their lone worker safety program.

Conclusion

For Central Hudson, protecting employees who work independently across a
large and diverse service territory is a critical responsibility. From high-energy utility tasks to remote service calls, many employees operate in environments where immediate assistance may not always be nearby.

By implementing OK Alone, the organization introduced a practical and reliable system designed to support those workers wherever their jobs take them. The platform now provides visibility across multiple departments, supports high-risk tasks, and offers employees a direct way to signal for help if needed.

Just as importantly, the rollout demonstrated that a well-implemented safety solution can strengthen trust across the organization. Employees quickly recognized the app as a meaningful tool rather than an added requirement, reinforcing confidence that leadership is committed to addressing real safety challenges in the field.

Central Hudson’s experience highlights how the right combination of technology, responsiveness, and workforce engagement can transform a lone worker program from a compliance exercise into a trusted layer of protection.

With OK Alone embedded into daily operations, employees across the service territory have the reassurance that support is always within reach when they need it most.