Lone working is common across many industries in the UK, from healthcare and retail to construction and security. While working alone can offer flexibility and autonomy, it also presents unique risks that employers must assess and manage. A lone working risk assessment is essential to ensuring you understand the risks facing employees and meet legal obligations under UK health and safety laws.
What is a Lone Worker?
Let’s start briefly by explaining what a LONE WORKER is. The HSE (Health, Safety and Environment) states that a Lone Worker is someone who works by themselves without close or direct supervision, even for a short time.
Understanding Lone Working Risk Assessments
To identify hazards, we use a structured process specifically for employees who work without direct supervision. It helps employers recognise potential dangers, implement safety measures, and comply with legal requirements. Without a proper risk assessment, lone workers may find themselves in vulnerable situations where help is not readily available.
Why Lone Working Risk Assessments Matter
Lone workers face higher risks. This is due to the absence of immediate support in an emergency or when helping to manage an incident. Conducting a thorough risk assessment enables employers to identify specific hazards. Both in the organisation’s control and “uncontrolled” (eg the working with the general public or cleaning a different company’s office). You can then introduce protective measures and ensure you fulfil your duty of care. This not only improves workplace safety but also gives employees confidence and moral in their working environment.
Lone Working Risk Assessment
The first step in assessing risks is to identify the roles that involve lone working. Even if it is just for a short time or occasionally. Once established, the next stage is to evaluate the hazards they may encounter.
Physical hazards such as slips, trips, falls, and accidents involving equipment or machinery are common. Customer-facing roles, such as retail workers or security staff, may be at risk of verbal abuse or physical aggression. Medical emergencies, whether due to pre-existing conditions or sudden illness, are another concern. Environmental factors, including adverse weather conditions and working in remote or isolated locations, can further increase risk.
You can help prioritise issues and determine the controls needed by categorising hazards as low, medium, or high via a simple matrix.
Employers Need to Mitigate Hazards Identified in a Risk Assessment.
Providing lone workers with personal safety devices, such as alarms or GPS tracking systems, can help them feel more secure. Regular check-ins, whether through scheduled phone calls, app-based monitoring like MyTeamSafe or a buddy system, ensure that lone workers remain in contact with their employer or a designated colleague.
Training is another crucial element of lone worker safety. Employees should be equipped with the knowledge and skills to handle varied and challenging situations. Inncluding conflict de-escalation, emergency first aid, and clear procedures for reporting incidents. In some high-risk scenarios, such as working with hazardous substances, additional precautions may be necessary, or lone working may need to be restricted entirely.
Keeping Risk Assessments Up to Date
Lone working risks can change over time, particularly as businesses evolve and new hazards emerge. Risk assessments should be regularly reviewed. Following an incident or a significant change in working practices. Ensuring that any new risks are identified and addressed. This ensures that lone workers continue to receive the necessary support to work safely.
Key Considerations for Lone Working Risk Assessments
When carrying out a lone working risk assessment, employers should consider the following:
- Which employees work alone, and in what circumstances?
- What is their level of experience?
- What hazards do they face, and how severe are the risks?
- What elements of the work environment can you control, and what is “uncontrolled”?
- What existing safety measures are in place, and are they sufficient?
- How will lone workers be monitored and supported?
- How often will the risk assessment be reviewed and updated?
A well-executed lone working risk assessment is vital for ensuring employees can carry out their duties safely and with confidence. By identifying risks, implementing control measures, and maintaining regular reviews, businesses can fulfil their legal responsibilities while fostering a safer and more supportive working environment.
MyTeamSafe® award-winning lone-worker App & supporter of the Suzy Lamplugh Trust