Safety - Working Alone
Safety - Working Alone
Safety - Working Alone
Working alone
Introduction
This leaflet provides guidance on how to keep lone workers healthy and safe. It is aimed at anyone who employs or engages lone workers, and also at self-employed people who work alone. Following the guidance in the leaflet is not compulsory, but it should help employers understand what they need to do to comply with their legal duties towards lone workers under:
the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974; the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
A person working alone in a small workshop, petrol station, kiosk or shop People who work from home other than in low-risk, office-type work (separate guidance covers homeworkers doing low-risk work see the end of the leaflet for details) People working alone for long periods, eg in factories, warehouses, leisure centres or fairgrounds People working on their own outside normal hours, eg cleaners and security, maintenance or repair staff
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Workers involved in construction, maintenance and repair, plant installation and cleaning work Agricultural and forestry workers Service workers, including postal staff, social and medical workers, engineers, estate agents, and sales or service representatives visiting domestic and commercial premises
involving workers when considering potential risks and measures to control them; taking steps to ensure risks are removed where possible, or putting in place control measures, eg carefully selecting work equipment to ensure the worker is able to perform the required tasks in safety; instruction, training and supervision; reviewing risk assessments periodically or when there has been a significant change in working practice.
being aware that some tasks may be too difficult or dangerous to be carried out by an unaccompanied worker; where a lone worker is working at another employers workplace, informing that other employer of the risks and the required control measures; when a risk assessment shows it is not possible for the work to be conducted safely by a lone worker, addressing that risk by making arrangements to provide help or back-up.
Risk assessment should help employers decide on the right level of supervision. There are some high-risk activities where at least one other person may need to be present. Examples include:
working in a confined space, where a supervisor may need to be present, along with someone dedicated to the rescue role; working at or near exposed live electricity conductors; working in the health and social care sector dealing with unpredictable client behaviour and situations.
Employers who have five or more employees must record the significant findings of all risk assessments. Employers also need to be aware of any specific law that prohibits lone working applying in their industry. Examples include supervision in diving operations, vehicles carrying explosives and fumigation work. Further information about controlling risks can be found on the HSE website at: www.hse.gov.uk/toolbox/. Further sources of information are listed at the end of the leaflet.
Working alone: Health and safety guidance on the risks of lone working
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Does the workplace present a specific risk to the lone worker, for example due to temporary access equipment, such as portable ladders or trestles that one person would have difficulty handling? Is there a safe way in and out for one person, eg for a lone person working out of hours where the workplace could be locked up? Is there machinery involved in the work that one person cannot operate safely? Are chemicals or hazardous substances being used that may pose a particular risk to the lone worker? Does the work involve lifting objects too large for one person? Is there a risk of violence and/or aggression? Are there any reasons why the individual might be more vulnerable than others and be particularly at risk if they work alone (for example if they are young, pregnant, disabled or a trainee)? If the lone workers first language is not English, are suitable arrangements in place to ensure clear communications, especially in an emergency?
Lone workers are unable to ask more experienced colleagues for help, so extra training may be appropriate. They need to be sufficiently experienced and fully understand the risks and precautions involved in their work and the location that they work in. Employers should set the limits to what can and cannot be done while working alone. They should ensure workers are competent to deal with the requirements of the job and are able to recognise when to seek advice from elsewhere.
Monitoring
Procedures must be put in place to monitor lone workers as effective means of communication are essential. These may include:
supervisors periodically visiting and observing people working alone; pre-agreed intervals of regular contact between the lone worker and supervisor, using phones, radios or email, bearing in mind the workers understanding of English; manually operated or automatic warning devices which trigger if specific signals are not received periodically from the lone worker, eg staff security systems; implementing robust system to ensure a lone worker has returned to their base or home once their task is completed.
Working alone: Health and safety guidance on the risks of lone working
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Further information
For information about health and safety, or to report inconsistencies or inaccuracies in this guidance, visit www.hse.gov.uk/. You can view HSE guidance online and order priced publications from the website. HSE priced publications are also available from bookshops. This guidance is issued by the Health and Safety Executive. Following the guidance is not compulsory, unless specifically stated, and you are free to take other action. But if you do follow the guidance you will normally be doing enough to comply with the law. Health and safety inspectors seek to secure compliance with the law and may refer to this guidance. This leaflet is available at: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg73.htm. Crown copyright If you wish to reuse this information visit www.hse.gov.uk/ copyright.htm for details. First published 05/13.
05/13
INDG73(rev3)
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