Lone Working

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.

The location that the lone worker is working in:

• Jobs with higher authority can cause resentment and cause people to be aggressive
• The emotion of a client or customer
• Members of the public or animals that are encountered on the job
• Carrying things of value

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
• Ensure all other risks have been considered

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.