1. WORKING ALONE Dennis Mac HandS UK Health and Safety Resources

2. WORKING ALONE Is it legal to work alone? Is it safe?

3. HSE says:

4. WORKING ALONE “There is no single answer; it will depend on the findings of risk assessment, but often the answer will be yes".

5. Definitions: "Lone workers are those who work by themselves without close or direct supervision. They are found in a wide range of situations".

6. Definitions: “A worker whose activities involve a large percentage of their working time operating in situations without the benefit of interaction with other workers or without supervision”.

7. Goes with the territory?

8. Taxi Cab Driver Abusive customers, road rage, violence, robbery, road accidents

9. Social Worker, Health Visitor Abusive or violent patients, clients or relatives; lifting hazards

10. Emergency Worker Abuse, violence, robbery, traffic hazards, biological hazards, toxic exposures, falls, burns

11. Maintenance Worker Electric shocks, trips, cuts, slips, falls, confined spaces, biohazards, toxic gases

12. Shop/Service Sector Worker Robbery, violence, abuse, lifting injuries

13. Transport Worker Abuse, road rage, violence, robbery, lifting injuries, road accidents, falling asleep at the wheel, lack of facilities

14. So… Lone working

15. Takes Place When People… work as individuals at a fixed site (shop or petrol station) are separate from others (warehouses, automated plants) work away from their base (construction, repairs, cleaning) work at home work outside normal hours travel as part of their work provide services to the public

16. and Working Alone does not mean that an individual has to work an entire shift to qualify as a lone worker can apply to short periods in a shift, perhaps only 10 or 15 minutes, when people are working alone

17. The Law No legal prohibition Under HSW 1974 and MHSWR 1999, employers have a duty to assess all risks to health and safety, including risks of working alone

18. The Law and to put measures in place to avoid or control those risks…

19. How Do the Risks Differ? Lack of immediate assistance in the case of injury or ill-health Fire Violence against the person Inadequate provision of rest, hygiene and welfare facilities Emotional, psychological issues resulting from a sense of isolation Manual handling activities

20. Consider… Can the risks be adequately controlled by one person? The risk of violence Are women especially at risk? Are young workers especially at risk? Is the worker medically fit and suitable to work alone?

21. Consider… Can plant, substances and goods be safely handled by one person? Is training required to ensure competency in safety matters? Supervision Arrangements for illness, accident, or emergency Arrangements for contact

22. Maximising Safety A satisfactory risk assessment, then, will address three main issues: whether the work can be done safely by a single person arrangements for systematic monitoring of the hazards by qualified supervisors/managers arrangements to ensure the lone worker is at no more risk than employees working together

23. Minimising Risk Where a risk assessment shows that a lone worker cannot carry out the work safely, provisions for assistance or back-up should be put in place. When a lone worker visits the premises of another employer, information on hazards, welfare facilities and emergencies should be exchanged.

24. and Taking Responsibility A lone worker working away at another employer’s workplace is still the responsibility of his or her own employer. Employers have a duty of care to homeworkers and are required to do a risk assessment of the work performed by homeworkers.

25. What, When & Where

26. What Is The Job? Consider the demand on the employee’s physical and mental stamina Individual characteristics Ill-health might preclude exposure to a specific job Disability might preclude exposure to a specific job

27. Consider… Is there a safe means of entry and exit to the workplace? Is there adequate illumination, heating and ventilation? Can all equipment, esp. powered tools and access equipment (ladders) be used safely? Can lifting be safely performed? Are fire precautions adequate?

28. When Is The Job? Working outside of normal hours can increase certain risks: more difficult to summon assistance for illness or injury late at night or after dark, more potential for violence or aggression long hours, on-call and night work adversely effects health; impaired ability to think clearly and reduced response rates

29. Where Is The Job? Some places present special risks: remote locations leave the worker vulnerable some locations may be prone to violence availability of rest, hygiene and welfare facilities premises where hazardous substances are used premises where mechanical handling equipment is used

30. Consider… How long should the job take? How frequently should the employee report in? Is there a safe means of travel to & from the location? Is there access to rest, hygiene, refreshment, welfare and first-aid? Can emergency services reach the location without problems?

31. High Risk Activities

32. High risk activities include: Confined space work Moving equipment or machinery Hazardous substances, electricity or high-pressure systems Services where cash is handled Extreme weather conditions Laboratory work Home visits

33. Consider… Some jobs, such as confined space work and electrical testing, will require a Permit to Work Try to eliminate the use of cash Change routes frequently if valuables are being transported Adequate building security for out-of-hours work

34. Consider… Home visits to provide personal care can involve exposure to infectious diseases as well as other hazards. Premises should be assessed by qualified staff before visits are begun. Arrange visits to clients or patients away from home where home visits are not essential

35. Women Working Alone

36. Facing different risks… Violent or sexual assault Risks need careful assessment and steps introduced to minimise the possibilities Special training and/or Provision of special equipment Regular contact especially important

37. Facing different risks… Training in precautions to take when using public transport and in car parks Fitting of car telephone? Allowed to choose when to use taxi or hire car, knowing that costs will be reimbursed Should never be forced to take risks

38. Safeguards

39. Communications: Telephones and walkie-talkies can be a lifeline in some cases Alarms: Many counter, service and care workers have access to panic buttons. A range of other emergency, personal distress and violent attack alarms are available

40. Buddy system: A second person assigned to work with the first, because the job cannot be done safely alone Electronic and visual monitors: If introduced through proper negotiation, these can offer some protection. Personal alarm security systems (PASS) can also help

41. Get It Right

42. Control the Risks Don’t allow cost cutting exercises to put employees at risk by forcing them to work alone Ensure risk assessments identify lone working on- and off-site and the potential hazards Have employees work in pairs at difficult or out-of-the way sites, including home and community visits. Safe completion of jobs should be reported.

43. Control the Risks Keep records of staff whereabouts Provide information on high risk geographical areas or jobs to staff, particularly new members. Provide personal alarms or two way radios where appropriate. Reassess the necessity for handling cash or dangerous materials

44. Control the Risks Encourage employees to leave a job immediately if they feel vulnerable or at risk Encourage employees to determine when it is appropriate to refuse to make a visit Encourage employees to determine when it is appropriate to request assistance

45. Control the Risks Ensure that suitable training and equipment is provided Ensure that lone workers report accidents, injuries and near-misses Establish emergency procedures and train employees in them. Provide lone workers with access to adequate first-aid facilities and mobile workers with a first-aid kit suitable for treating minor injuries.

46. Control the Risks Re-organise the way jobs are done to provide a safer system of work Review procedures regularly to make sure they are working

47. Working Alone Safely… Can be accomplished if your Risk Assessment can demonstrate that the work can be done safely by a single person …and that your arrangements ensure that the lone worker is at no greater risk than other employees working together

48. Recommended Reading ‘Working Alone in Safety’ - HSE leaflet, INDG73 http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg73.pdf ‘ 5 Steps to Risk Assessment’ - HSE leaflet, INDG163(rev2) http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg163.pdf ‘Homeworking’ - HSE leaflet, INDG226 http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg226.pdf