Lone working
Some of your staff may work on their own as part of their normal day to day work. But working alone can sometimes put people in a vulnerable position because it may be more difficult for them to summon help if things go wrong or if their health and safety is at risk.
People who work alone face the same hazards in their daily work as other workers. However, for lone workers the degree of risk of harm is often greater than for other workers. It is therefore essential that the risk of lone working is taken into account when risk assessments are carried out. If the risk assessment shows that it is not possible for the work to be done safely by a lone worker, then other arrangements must be put in place.
Lone workers can face hazards such as accidents or emergencies arising out of the work and lack of first aid equipment; fire; inadequate provision of rest, hygiene, and welfare facilities; and violence from members of the public.
In their guidance Working Alone in Safety the HSE suggest that the following should be considered when assessing the risks to for staff who work alone:
- Can one person adequately control the risk of the job?
- Does the workplace present a special risk to a lone worker?
- Is there a safe way in and out for one person?
- Can one person safely handle equipment, substances and goods involved in the work?
- Is there a risk of violence?
- Are women and/or young workers especially at risk if they work alone?
- Is the person medically fit and suitable to work alone?
- What training is required to ensure that staff are competent to deal with anything relating to safety?
- How will the person be supervised?
- What happens if a person becomes ill, has an accident or there is an emergency?
Steps should be taken to monitor staff who work alone to ensure that they remain safe. These can include regular contact with the lone worker; warning devices that operate manually or automatically by the absence of activities and checks that the worker has returned to their base or home at the end of their shift/session.
Additional procedures will be needed if the work of your staff include visiting clients away from their work base. You may find the following checklist produced by the HSE helpful.
Home Visiting: Checklist for managers etc
ARE YOUR STAFF WHO VISIT -
1. Fully trained in strategies for the prevention of violence?
2. Briefed about the areas where they work?
3. Aware of attitudes, traits or mannerisms which can annoy clients etc?
4. Given all available information about the client from all relevant agencies?
HAVE THEY -
5. Understood the importance of previewing cases?
6. Left an itinerary?
7. Made plans to keep in contact with colleagues?
8. The means to contact you - even when the switchboard may not be in use?
9. Got your home telephone number (and you theirs)?
10. A sound grasp of your organisation's preventive strategy?
11. Authority to arrange an accompanied visit, security escort, or use of a taxi?
DO THEY -
12. Carry forms for reporting incidents?
13. Appreciate the need for this procedure?
14. Use them?
15. Know your attitude to premature termination of interviews?
16. Know how to control and defuse potentially violent situations?
17. Appreciate their responsibility for their own safety?
18. Understand the provisions for their support by your organisation?
Have you got an up to date safety policy?
