The RCT Source

Yes – a lone worker is more vulnerable when an incident occurs and extra control measures may be necessary, so when carrying out a risk assessment you should ask such questions as:

• does the workplace present a special risk to a lone worker?;
• is there a safe way in and out for one person?;
• can all the machinery and goods in the workplace be safely handled by one person?;
• are there any hazardous substances being used that may pose a risk to the worker?;
• does the work involve lifting objects too large for one worker?;
• is more than one worker needed to safely operate machinery or workplace transport?;
• is there a risk of violence?;
• are young, pregnant or disabled people particularly at risk if they work alone?;
• are there any other reasons why the individual may be more at risk (e.g. if a trainee)?;
• is there adequate access to first aid?;
• can the emergency services gain access if necessary?;
• is there a means for the lone worker to communicate with someone should the need arise?;
• is there a medical condition that makes it unsuitable for the person to be working alone?;
• has the person been provided with suitable training to enable them to recognise the risks involved and the precautions that need to be taken, and to ensure that they are competent to carry out the task and deal with both foreseeable and unusual circumstances?;
• is a written permit to work necessary whereby strict requirements are imposed on the way the work is carried out, start and finish times, safety measures etc. (e.g. hot work)?;
• are there procedures in place to check that the lone worker is healthy and safe (e.g. periodic visits or telephone calls by a supervisor, checks that the lone worker has arrived home safely when due or automatic warning devices that operate if specific signals are not received periodically from the lone worker)?

Lone working is not in itself against the law, except for some high risk work activities where at least one other person may need to be present, such as some electrical work and work in high risk confined spaces.

Apart form such instances, whether or not an employee can work alone will depend on the findings of a risk assessment.

Although it will not always be safe to work alone, for example when carrying out some electrical work or when working in high risk confined spaces, it will often be safe to do so.

To determine whether or not it will be safe will require a risk assessment to be carried out.

Whilst employees have responsibilities to take care of themselves, it is employers who are responsible for the health, safety and welfare of their employees at work, and those responsibilities cannot be transferred to any other person, including people who work alone.

It is therefore the employer’s duty to assess risk to lone workers and to take steps to avoid or control risks where necessary.

Yes – in the Council’s document Health and Safety Guidance Sheet GS2 - Lone Working and Risk Assessment.

Yes, in the following documents:

• the Council’s Policy HS22 – Lone Working;
• the Council’s Health and Safety Guidance Sheet GS2 - Lone Working and Risk Assessment;
• the Health and Safety Executive’s Working Alone – Health and Safety Guidance on the Risks of Lone Working.

• whether or not the work can be done safely by an unaccompanied person;
• what arrangements will ensure that an individual is not exposed to greater risks than employees who work together.

The Health and Safety Executive defines lone workers as ‘those who work by themselves without close or direct supervision’.

They may be found in a wide range of situations, for example:

In fixed establishments where:

• only one person works on the premises;
• people work separately from each other;
• people work outside normal working hours.

Mobile workers working away from a fixed base, such as:

• construction workers;
• maintenance workers;
• social workers;
• care workers;
• drivers;
• planning officers/building inspectors;
• environmental health officers.

The relevant employee’s line manager, in consultation with the relevant employee.

However, in addition to the risk assessment by the manager, there will be instances where, due to the nature of the work, it will be necessary for the lone worker to undertake their own ‘dynamic’ risk assessment whilst working and the manager should ensure that the employee is competent to do so.  For example, before a building inspector uses any scaffolding on a site they should assess the scaffolding to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that it is safe for them to do so.