Rules on working alone in safety
It is acceptable to have your staf working alone in the workplace but as a responsible employer you should consider whether:
- your place of work presents a special risk to the staff who are working alone
- there is a safe route in and out for one person if they are working alone. For example can any temporary access equipment which is necessary, such as portable ladders or trestles, be safely handled by one person?
- all the plant, substances and goods involved in the work can be safely handled by one person when they are working alone
- the work involves lifting objects too large for one person
- more than one person is needed to operate the equipment safely
- there is a risk of violence
- women or young workers are especially at risk if they work alone
- the individuals concerned are medically fit and able to be working alone
- you can implement effective procedures for if the person becomes ill or has an accident, or if there is an emergency
For more information and a free leaflet: Working Alone in Safety visit the Health and Safety Executive website.
Protection of lone workers
If you have staff who work alone you may be interested in new guidance from the British Standards Institute BS 8484. The new Code of Practice gives recommendations for the provision of services based on lone worker devices (LWD).
If your staff work alone, either away from your place of business, at home or during abnormal hours it can create additional health and safety risks. Lone worker devices (LWD) are personal security devices that transmit location, identity and voice to a monitoring centre so lone workers can request assistance.
Patrick Dealtry, Chairman of the BSI committee responsible for developing BS 8484, said: “Employers have an obligation to ensure the health and safety of their workforce whether they are in an office or working at home, working nine to five or through the night. Lone worker services enable lone workers to transmit their location and be confident someone is working on their behalf to request assistance when they are in trouble. BS 8484 makes recommendations for this increasingly used service, which will establish best practice in helping employers to look after vulnerable staff.”
Rules on working alone in safety
It is acceptable to have your staf working alone in the workplace but as a responsible employer you should consider whether:
- your place of work presents a special risk to the staff who are working alone
- there is a safe route in and out for one person if they are working alone. For example can any temporary access equipment which is necessary, such as portable ladders or trestles, be safely handled by one person?
- all the plant, substances and goods involved in the work can be safely handled by one person when they are working alone
- the work involves lifting objects too large for one person
- more than one person is needed to operate the equipment safely
- there is a risk of violence
- women or young workers are especially at risk if they work alone
- the individuals concerned are medically fit and able to be working alone
- you can implement effective procedures for if the person becomes ill or has an accident, or if there is an emergency
For more information and a free leaflet: Working Alone in Safety visit the Health and Safety Executive website.
Protection of lone workers
If you have staff who work alone you may be interested in new guidance from the British Standards Institute BS 8484. The new Code of Practice gives recommendations for the provision of services based on lone worker devices (LWD).
If your staff work alone, either away from your place of business, at home or during abnormal hours it can create additional health and safety risks. Lone worker devices (LWD) are personal security devices that transmit location, identity and voice to a monitoring centre so lone workers can request assistance.
Patrick Dealtry, Chairman of the BSI committee responsible for developing BS 8484, said: “Employers have an obligation to ensure the health and safety of their workforce whether they are in an office or working at home, working nine to five or through the night. Lone worker services enable lone workers to transmit their location and be confident someone is working on their behalf to request assistance when they are in trouble. BS 8484 makes recommendations for this increasingly used service, which will establish best practice in helping employers to look after vulnerable staff.”