Lone Working Risk Assessments & Lone Working Policy Guidelines

Lone worker risk assessments are an essential part of any business that could have employees working alone and in isolated areas. There are many potential lone-working risks, and the seriousness of lone-worker safety can’t be underestimated. Below are a couple of examples where having a lone worker safety policy could have had a different outcome:

In July 1986, Suzy Lamplugh was a 25-year-old estate agent with Sturgis and Sons based in Fulham, southwest London. At 12:40 pm on July 28th, Suzy left her office to do a house viewing with a man named Mr Kipper. A witness saw a man join her at the empty property on Shorrald’s Road at 1 pm, and then both were seen walking away from the house only a few minutes later. Her manager only reported her missing at 6:45 pm that evening, and Suzy has been missing since. John Cannan has long been suspected of her murder, although never convicted, and Suzy was presumed murdered and declared legally dead in 1993.

Although technology in 1986 was not as advanced as today, with mobile devices and GPS, there are lessons to be learned about having a lone worker risk assessment checklist that could potentially avoid similar situations.

In May of 2006, care worker Ashleigh Ewing was stabbed to death while performing a home visit on a patient—Ronald Dixon, who had been diagnosed as suffering from schizophrenia. Mr Dixon was indefinitely detained in a psychiatric unit in 2007 after admitting to manslaughter due to diminished responsibility. An independent review of the incident found that Mr Dixon should have been detained under the Mental Health Act and that Mr Ewing should not have been sent to the patient’s home alone as it compromised his lone worker’s safety.

A Hemel Hampstead manufacturer got fined £1,000,000 after a lack of lone worker safety was crushed to death whilst moving a CNC milling machine in April of 2015. Colin Reddish, 48, from Lincolnshire, had insufficient experience and training in completing the task, and the centre of gravity of the machinery had not been adequately assessed. The HSE also found other details of moving the machine had been poorly planned. As a result of these factors and working alone, Mr Reddish lost his life, which was entirely preventable had a lone working risk assessment checklist been correctly completed.

Doing an HSE lone working risk assessment to keep employees safe during their working hours is a responsibility that all employers carry. A lone worker could be a health worker, a delivery driver, an engineer, security or cleaning staff, a warehouse worker, or someone working from home.

In light of the pandemic, more employees have been working from home, and lone working risks, you need to consider creating a lone working policy that employees can follow. Employers should carry out a lone worker assessment to keep employees safe from harm in their work environment during working hours. The associated risks of working alone can vary, from an employee with a medical condition to the possible physical threat from another human being.

As an employer, you have the same health, safety, and welfare responsibilities for employees working from home as those working in a physical business location. Health and safety management within their home environment is one of your legal obligations, and you must follow lone working law.

As an employer, once you have created a lone-working policy to keep staff safe, working alone becomes less stressful for you and the employee.

Here are some tips on managing lone working assessment procedures in different environments.

A lone working risk assessment could include creating an emergency kit for your car. A coat, first aid kit, torch, spare change, bottled water, and a mobile telephone charger are all advisable.

When driving to meetings, plan where to park before you set off. Park as close to your destination as possible. Consider what the area will be like then, and try to park near street lights if you return after dark.

Consider as part of a health and safety assessment where the entrances and exits are when parking in a car park. Avoid walking through an isolated car park to get to and from your car.

As part of the lone-working procedure, park away from pillars/barriers. If you can, reverse into your space to drive away quickly.

Be aware of your surroundings when approaching your car. Have your keys ready, and check that no one is inside. Once in, lock the doors.

If you break down, only leave your car when and if you feel safe. Check your surroundings.

Reduce lone-working risks, such as road rage, by not responding to aggression from other drivers.

If the driver of another car forces you to stop and then gets out of their vehicle, keep your engine running, stay in your car with the doors locked and reverse to escape if you need to.

Use well-lit, busy streets and the route you know best. Walk against oncoming traffic to remain visible as part of your company’s lone working risk assessment checklist.

Avoid badly-lit alleyways, subways, isolated car parks and other potential danger spots. On deserted streets, walk down the middle of the pavement.

Act on instinct; if a person or a place makes you uncomfortable, move away before a problem arises.

A lone worker assessment should include the prevention of long waits for public transport. Obtain any timetables and fare information before travelling.

Plan, e.g. What time does the last bus/train leave? As one of your lone working risk assessment steps, think about how you will get home after a working trip.

When waiting for public transport in the hours of darkness, wait in well-lit areas and near emergency call points and CCTV cameras.

A lone working policy should include being discreet with anything that would make you identifiable as an employee of an organisation (e.g. uniforms/ID badges) that could cause you to receive unwelcome attention from the public (e.g. the armed forces).

• A working-in-isolation risk assessment should include having a list of licensed taxi or minicab companies from your local council.
• Carry the telephone number of a licensed taxi or minicab firm, or add a suitable booking app to your phone.
• As part of an HSE lone-working risk assessment, always book your minicab in advance. Un-booked cabs are illegal and potentially dangerous.
• When booking, ask for the driver and car details and check them when the taxi arrives. Also, confirm with the driver under whose name the taxi is booked.
• Ask the taxi to stop in a busy area and let you out if the driver makes you feel uneasy.
• Don’t give out personal details when in the taxi to minimise lone working risks.