Keeping lone workers safe is paramount because the worker can’t rely on colleagues for backup in the same way one who works with colleagues can. However, ensuring a company adopts the most appropriate safety solutions can seem a daunting task. After all, lone working can involve a worker performing different roles and working in a range of different environments. As such, a one-size-fits-all approach isn’t going to work. Instead, a bespoke approach to lone working is essential for all companies that expect their employees to go it alone on a job. Below, we take a look at five simple steps that will allow any company to keep its lone workers safe.
[Photo by Emma Houghton on Unsplash]
Know The Law
If you have lone workers, you must familiarise yourself with your obligations under the law. In the UK, this means taking into account two important documents:
- Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSWA): This is primary legislation in the UK and the main law all employers should understand.
- Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999: This is secondary legislation and fleshes out the 1974 law.
Carry Out a Risk Assessment
A risk assessment is a key part of any robust lone worker safety regime – if you don’t know the risks, you can’t manage and mitigate them. A risk assessment will help you to establish suitable health and safety procedures, reducing the risks your workers face.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) suggests that employers should be aware of four main types of lone-worker risk:
- Violence in the workplace: There is a risk that an encounter with a member of the public might turn violent, and in such cases, the line worker needs a means of calling for assistance.
- Mental health and stress-related risks: Loneliness and stress-related illnesses are common among lone workers.
- Medical suitability: It's essential to identify any pre-existing medical conditions that might make the worker unsuitable to work alone.
- Workplace geography: In many rural and isolated areas, the risks faced by lone workers are elevated simply because of the terrain and the fact that communications coverage is often patchy in non-urban settings.
Use Technology
Nowadays, technology has an important role to play in keeping lone workers safe. This can be as simple as a two-way radio or a more sophisticated piece of GPS or Wi-Fi-powered technology such as a lone worker app. Apps are useful because they don’t need dedicated handsets or fancy setups to run – the worker just needs a compatible Apple or Android phone. Apps also often come with handy features such as SOS buttons and true man-down detection, which triggers if it suspects a lone worker is injured or incapacitated.
Train Employees
Introducing lone-worker safety technology is all well and good, but if the employee is unsure of how it functions, it’s next to useless. With this in mind, it’s essential to ensure all lone workers have the training to use all safety technology properly. At the same time, lone workers should be trained in how to identify risks on the job and devise mitigation strategies to keep themselves safe. For example, do they know about fire alarm maintenance? As when inside commercial buildings, it’s vital they work, therefore they should be getting someone in to check them regularly, in case of a fire.
Solicit Feedback
Lone worker safety shouldn’t be a one-way street. By adopting a consultative and collaborative approach to lone worker safety, you put the people at the heart of your business in the loop. This will help you keep your risk assessment up to date and continuously refine your lone worker safety regime.
Conclusion
Keeping lone workers safe can be tricky, but it’s not impossible. By following a few simple steps and adopting the appropriate technology, it’s possible to ensure all lone workers are as safe as can be while out on a job.
