LONE WORKER PROTECTION


GOING IT ALONE


Helen Townley of Percy Hughes & Roberts Solicitors explains the legal responsibilities associated with working alone and how incidents can be avoided.


There is a misconception that working alone is against the law; however, it is perfectly safe to do so. As with any work that is carried out, employers need to conduct risk assessments and take action to reduce hazards to ensure that solo workers are kept safe while they’re carrying out a job. When it comes to lone workers, employers also need to take into account what risks are posed by an employee working on their own.


THE RISKS OF WORKING ALONE According to statistics from the British Crime Survey, as many as 150 lone workers are attacked every day. The findings revealed that some roles are more to prone risk; however, anyone who is working alone is at risk. Sudden illness or injury, violence, threats and abuse, theft, intruders and driving-related accidents are some of the main risks associated with lone working.


ADVICE FOR EMPLOYERS An employer is legally responsible for ensuring that employees are safe in the workplace. If five or more workers are employed by a business, as well as conducting regular risk assessments, employers are required to record any significant risks and list the control measures that have been put in place to reduce the chance of an accident.


What types of jobs involve working alone? Construction - Site workers, managers, surveyors and inspectors can all work alone on a site.


Homeworkers - Many different types of job allow people to work from their home, including writers, sales personnel and the self-employed.


Housing - This can include estate agents, sales personnel in show homes and people who work for housing associations.


Out-of-hours work - Cleaners and security will often be isolated during overnight shifts.


Social and health - Roles such as community nurses, GPs, social workers and probation officers will often have to visit people in their homes.


Transport and logistics - Drivers are one of the most obvious type of lone worker.


Utilities - Workers such as meter readers and maintenance staff will often have to work alone.


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Some industries have specific restrictions in place on which tasks can be carried out by lone workers, so it’s important that you’re aware of these too.


Other steps that employers can take to ensure the health and safety of lone workers includes creating a lone working policy, conducting specific training about working alone, and using personal safety alarms and monitoring software.


ADVICE FOR EMPLOYEES Health and safety in the workplace does not solely fall to the employer. Employees are responsible for their own safety and have a legal duty to cooperate with their employers in meeting their legal obligations. For example, if a procedure is introduced to minimise risks, employees will be expected to follow this.


Lone workers can also improve their safety by making sure that a colleague or family member knows where they are working. Being cautious and sharing incidents with their employer and colleagues are also something that should be considered, as are using lone worker devices and only taking the necessary equipment to complete a job.


DON’T BE CAUGHT OUT Work-related accidents and illness are costing businesses in the UK around £14.9bn per year and result in a loss of 31.2m working days, according to RIDDOR reports from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Furthermore, since the introduction of new sentencing guidelines on 1st February 2016, the value of fines collected has increased by 80%, jumping from £38.8m in 2015/16 to £69.9m in 2016/17. This is also a reflection of the tougher penalties introduced, which include a hefty fine and up to two years’ imprisonment.


www.phrsolicitors.co.uk www.tomorrowshs.com


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