Lone workers are essential in many industries, yet their unique safety needs are often overlooked. From community workers engaging directly with the public to employees working late shifts alone, these individuals face risks requiring careful management. Employers have a legal and ethical obligation to protect lone workers and ensure they are equipped to handle the challenges of working in isolation.
Here SoloProtect, providers of personal safety solutions, explore the concept of lone working, critical legal responsibilities, and the practical steps you can take to safeguard your lone working people.
What is lone working, and why does it matter?
Lone workers work without close or direct supervision, whether occasionally or routinely. With an estimated 8 million lone workers in the UK and safety-related penalties reaching record levels, ensuring robust protections is more important than ever. Looking after your lone workers is not just a legal requirement; it’s a moral one too. Ensuring safety promotes a supportive work environment, boosts morale, and enhances productivity.
Lone workers can include:
- Employees travelling during work hours.
- Workers in isolated parts of a shared site.
- Staff remaining alone after colleagues leave for the day.
- Working in busy, populated areas, e.g. city centres or stadiums
- Community workers engaging with the public.
- Home-based or remote employees.
As workplace dynamics evolve – accelerated by remote work and emerging risks – employers must adopt modern solutions to safeguard their workforce. Providing robust support for lone workers also demonstrates a commitment to their wellbeing, which can help foster trust, loyalty, and a positive work culture.
Legal responsibilities employers must address
Employers have a duty of care to protect all employees, including lone workers. Businesses are required to:
- Identify potential hazards that could cause harm: this includes considering additional hazards that may arise due to working alone. For instance, lone workers might face an increased risk of accidents or assaults, and these hazards could be amplified without the immediate support of colleagues.
- Assess the likelihood and severity of risks: risks to lone workers can often become more likely or severe. For example, a lone worker may have a higher risk of being injured without quick access to help or medical assistance. The impact of these risks, such as the inability to get help quickly, can be significantly more severe for someone working alone.
- Implement measures to reduce or control those risks: employers must take steps to ensure workplace hazard prevention measures are in place for lone workers, addressing risks such as falls or assaults that may arise when employees work alone. This might include providing training on handling isolated situations or equipping staff with personal safety devices, ensuring they can call for help if needed.
You can read more about specific workplace regulations on the SoloProtect blog: Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999: Your Responsibilities
What is a lone worker risk assessment?
A lone worker risk assessment evaluates the specific dangers faced by employees working alone. These risks may include:
- Increased vulnerability to accidents, such as slips or falls.
- Difficulty accessing immediate assistance during emergencies.
- Higher exposure to harassment or violence.
To ensure employee safety, employers must:
- Identify potential hazards specific to lone working.
- Evaluate the risks and determine their impact.
- Implement tailored control measures, such as providing safety training or equipping staff with personal safety devices.
Completing thorough risk assessments demonstrates a proactive commitment to employee safety and helps businesses comply with legal requirements.
For example, a retail sales associate working a late shift may face risks like theft or aggression from customers or a field rep travelling alone to meet clients might encounter risks such as road accidents or being in an unfamiliar area.
You can download an example of a Lone Worker Risk Assessment for free on the SoloProtect website.
The role of a lone working policy
A lone working policy outlines an organisation’s approach to safeguarding employees who work in isolation. It serves as a framework for promoting safety, establishing clear procedures, and ensuring compliance with legal standards. A well-defined lone working policy should also outline what employees should do to protect themselves while working alone, including safety protocols, emergency procedures, and how to report concerns.
Key benefits of a lone working policy include:
- Reinforcing a culture of safety.
- Reducing the likelihood of incidents.
- Protecting the company’s reputation.
Employers should regularly review their lone working policies to account for organisational changes and lessons learned from past incidents.
Do I need a lone working policy?
There is no specific lone working legislation in the UK; however, employers must protect their employees from risk. Therefore, any company that employs people who work alone or remotely should have a comprehensive lone working policy regularly reviewed and updated in line with organisational changes or incidents.
A comprehensive lone working policy should address the following:
- Specific risks and their mitigation.
- Emergency response protocols.
- Clear roles and responsibilities for employees and managers.
- Regular training and access to safety technology.
What are lone safety devices?
Lone worker safety solutions, including discreet devices and mobile apps, offer protection in high-risk or unpredictable environments. These tools enable workers to call for assistance quickly and discreetly, helping to prevent incidents from escalating.
For example:
- Red Alert Panic Button: this feature allows workers to get help quickly, connecting them to the 24/7 Monitoring Centre at the push of a button. This opens a discreet one-way call during which the operator can verify the seriousness of the incident and, if necessary, request a Level 1 Police response.
- Incapacitation Alert: sometimes referred to as a ‘Man-Down Alarm,’ this feature automatically detects incapacitation due to a slip, trip or fall. A two-way call is opened with an operator who can alert emergency services or escalation contacts to assist quickly.
Safety devices protect employees and provide employers with a means to demonstrate compliance with health and safety regulations. For instance, retail workers have avoided escalation during customer abuse or shoplifting incidents by using discreet panic alerts, enabling authorities or security personnel to respond quickly.
Conclusion
Proactively protecting lone workers aligns with legal requirements and underscores your organisation’s commitment to innovation and employee wellbeing. Whether enhancing compliance, boosting morale, or safeguarding business continuity, investing in the right tools and policies benefits everyone. To find out more about SoloProtect and their lone worker solutions get in touch here.
