As a leading provider of Health & Safety eLearning, our experts are often asked about Lone Working. We’ve collected some of those questions and answered them for you below…
In the UK, lone working is legal. While there is specific legislation for some industries of higher risk regarding lone workers, generally speaking, it is allowed as a sufficient risk assessment has been conducted and recorded for these workers.
A lone worker can be simply defined as anyone who works by themselves, without direct or close supervision, even if it is only for certain aspects of their job or during certain periods of the working day.
One of the main things that a lone worker needs to consider is what they do before they leave for work. Here’s a few things they can do to be prepared:
Make sure their phone is fully charged
Plan their journey
Ensure essential items are packed
Ensure they’ve checked in with someone to let them know they are leaving
A lone worker safety policy is a written document that details everything that both employees and employers need to know to keep staff safe when they’re working alone.
There’s no legal requirement to create a standalone document for lone workers, as long as all the key elements are covered somewhere and made known to staff.
This policy should be unique to your organisation and the tasks that need to be carried out. However, the following areas can be used as a starting point:
Why the policy is in place
When formal risk assessments will be carried out
When workers will receive relevant safety training
What support is available if workers experience an accident, injury, illness, or assault while working alone
What communication methods will be used for situations related to lone working
What technology and monitoring systems are to be used to aid lone worker safety
