Keeping lone workers safe

Safeguard your employees who work alone, for legal compliance and an easy conscience. Here are steps to take to keep them safe, and keep you legal. 

Two-way street
As employer, identify hazards to lone workers, assess risks and set up procedures to avoid or control them, to stay on the right side of the law. If you have five or more employees, record your findings. 

It's a two-way street and your lone workers need to know they have legal obligations too. They must take reasonable care of themselves, and co-operate with you – and they're the best people to tell you about hazards and risks, so include them in your process. 

Avoid or control
Think about procedures, training, monitoring and the right equipment. Staff working alone in shops, leisure centres, petrol stations or factories, and outside normal hours, like security staff or petrol station attendants, need to know what to do in emergencies. They need secure premises - entry, monitoring or alarm systems and restricted areas. And they need to know back-up and support will be available when they need it, and how to call for it. 

Mobile workers, like cleaners, vehicle recovery, and maintenance staff working on other premises, need more. Add special training, regular and agreed contact, supervisor inspections, automatic warning devices and first aid equipment to your shopping list. If your lone worker is off-site, tell the other employer when your lone worker is on their premises, so they can take care too. 

Special cases?
Special care is needed if: 

• The work they are doing means new, young, female or less mobile workers are more at risk.
• Cash or portable equipment make your workers a target.
• They deal with complaints or bad news.
• They are alone in one-to-one situations in someone else’s home.  

Continual assessment
Regularly ask your lone workers if they feel safe, and how you can improve. Check their records for tell-tale absenteeism or other stress-related signs. Also check the trade press, specialist resources like the Suzy Lamplugh Trust guidelines, and information on the Health & Safety Executive website. What's more important than covering all the worker safety bases? 

If in doubt, take legal advice.