The Complete Guide to Health and Safety For Lone Workers

Understanding the importance of health and safety for lone workers

Ensuring the health and safety of lone workers is of paramount importance for several reasons.

Firstly, lone workers face a higher risk of injury, illness, or even life-threatening situations due to the lack of immediate support and supervision. Without the presence of colleagues or supervisors, lone workers are more vulnerable to accidents, medical emergencies, or even violence and harassment.

Secondly, employers have a legal and ethical obligation to safeguard the well-being of their employees, including those who work alone. (As an aside, employers often do not realise that hybrid and remote workers are considered lone workers too.) Failure to protect these employees can result in significant financial and reputational consequences, as well as potential legal liabilities.

Moreover, promoting a culture of health and safety for lone workers can have a positive impact on employee morale, productivity, and retention. When workers feel valued and protected, they are more likely to be engaged, motivated, and committed to their roles, ultimately benefiting the organisation as a whole.

“Whether you have one lone worker or a thousand, it’s important you, as an employer, do everything you can to ensure their safety.”

Suzy Lamplugh Trust

Legislation and regulations

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 are the primary legislative frameworks that govern the health and safety responsibilities of employers towards their lone workers.

These laws stipulate that employers must:

1. Conduct risk assessments to identify and mitigate the risks associated with lone working.
2. Implement appropriate control measures to protect lone workers, such as providing suitable means of communication, training, and emergency response procedures.
3. Ensure that lone workers are competent to carry out their duties safely and have access to relevant information, instruction, and supervision.
4. Regularly review and update their lone worker policies and procedures to ensure they remain effective and compliant with evolving legal requirements.

Failure to comply with these legal obligations can result in significant fines, legal penalties, and reputational damage for organisations.

Identifying and assessing risks for lone workers

A lone working risk assessment should be undertaken to identify the risks associated with an employee’s job role when working alone.

Some common risk factors to consider include:

• Physical hazards: Exposure to dangerous equipment, machinery, or environmental conditions (e.g., extreme weather, isolated locations).
• Psychological hazards: Stress, anxiety, and the potential for violence, harassment, or abuse.
• Medical emergencies: Sudden illness, injury, or the inability to access immediate medical assistance.
• Communication and isolation: Working alone often means employees find it more difficult to get support when they need it.

Once the risks have been identified, employers must implement appropriate control measures to eliminate or mitigate them. This may involve providing PPE, establishing clear communication protocols, offering mental health support, and ensuring that lone workers have access to emergency assistance.

By regularly reviewing and updating your risk assessments, you will ensure that the control measures remain effective and responsive to any changes in the work environment or lone worker activities.

Good practice for homeworkers

With the rise of remote work, an increasing number of lone workers are now based in home office environments. Ensuring the health and safety of homeworkers requires a tailored approach that addresses the unique challenges of this setting.

Employers should consider the following good practices for homeworkers:

1. Ergonomic assessments: Conducting assessments of the homeworker’s workstation to ensure proper ergonomic support and prevent musculoskeletal issues.
2. Home office setup: Providing guidance and, if necessary, financial support for the setup of a dedicated, safe, and comfortable home office space.
3. Regular check-ins: Establish regular check-ins and contact with colleagues or supervisors, such as video calls or instant messaging, to maintain communication and monitor the well-being of homeworkers.
4. Mental health support: Offering access to mental health resources, counselling, and employee assistance programmes to address the potential isolation and stress associated with remote work.
5. Providing technology: Solutions such as geofencing and lone worker alarms contribute to the safety of lone workers.
6. Emergency preparedness: Ensuring homeworkers have access to emergency contact information, first aid kits, and clear instructions for responding to incidents or medical emergencies.

By implementing these good practices, employers can help lone workers maintain their health and safety, while also fostering a sense of connection and support.

Technology and tools for lone worker safety

Technology solutions for lone workers focus on ensuring safety, communication, and efficiency. These solutions can significantly enhance the safety and efficiency of lone workers, providing peace of mind to both the workers and their employers.

Here are several options:

• Wearable devices: Devices like smartwatches or pendants with GPS tracking, fall detection, and emergency buttons.
• Panic buttons: Discreet buttons that send an alert to a monitoring centre when pressed.
• Automated check-ins: Systems that require periodic check-ins from workers and trigger alerts if a check-in is missed.
• GPS tracking and geofencing: Allows employers to track their employees and see their location in real-time. Where it is important to know an employee is in a specific location, a geofence can be set up to send an alarm if they deviate.
• Mental health apps: Apps providing support, counselling, and stress management resources.

Training and awareness

Effective training and awareness programmes are crucial for ensuring the health and safety of lone workers. Employers must provide comprehensive training that equips lone workers with the knowledge and skills to identify and manage risks, respond to emergencies, and maintain their well-being.

Key elements of a robust training and awareness programme include:

1. Hazard spotting and risk assessment: Educating lone workers on the potential hazards and risks associated with their roles, and how to recognise and mitigate them.
2. Personal safety strategies: Where appropriate, such as using PPE if required based on the nature of their job, or learning conflict avoidance techniques for instance, when an employee visits clients’ homes.
3. Emergency procedures: Providing clear instructions on emergency response protocols, such as how to summon assistance, administer first aid, and evacuate safely.
4. Communication and reporting: Ensuring lone workers understand the communication channels, reporting mechanisms, and escalation procedures for incidents or concerns.
5. Mental health and resilience: Offering training on stress management, self-care, and techniques to maintain mental well-being while working alone.
6. Ongoing support and refreshers: Regularly reviewing and updating training programmes to reflect changes in legislation, best practices, and the evolving needs of lone workers.

By investing in comprehensive training and awareness initiatives, employers can empower their lone workers to take an active role in safeguarding their own health and safety.

Case study

Incident involving lone working and fall from height injury

A worker at a roofing company suffered severe injuries after falling five metres onto a concrete patio. Through a HSE investigation, it was discovered that the worker had been allowed to work alone on multiple occasions without any supervision. The company was found to be in violation of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 as they had failed to properly plan the work, provide adequate supervision, and ensure safe execution. The case was prosecuted by the HSE.

Deficiencies in health and safety included:

1. No risk assessment and no planningfor working at height, with no identification or implementation of safety control measures.
2. A failure to establish safe working procedures and methods.

To reduce the risks, the following measures should have been identified:

1. Conducting a thorough risk assessment to identify the potential risks associated with the task(s) such as working at height, working alone, manual handling, and other task-related risks, taking into consideration both the individual and the working environment.
2. Identifying anyone who may be affected by the risks, including the injured worker and potentially those who came to assist following the incident.

Resources for lone workers:

• Empower lone working staff to set up and assess their own workstation with our DSE Set-Up and Self Assessment Workshop.
• See HSE for advice for employers on lone-working
• See Suzy Lamplugh Trust for advice on lone worker safety and lone worker apps