WORKINGALONEINSAFETYControllingtherisksofsolitaryworkIsitlegaltoworkaloneandisitsafe?TheHealthandSafetyExecutive(HSE)isfrequentlyaskedthesequestions.Thereisnosingleanswer;itwilldependonthefindingsofriskassessmentbutoftentheanswerwillbeyes.Thisleafletwillhelpanyonewhoemploysorengagesloneworkers.Theleafletgivesgeneralguidanceonworkingalone.ItoffersadviceonhowtocomplywithdutiestowardsloneworkersundertheHealthandSafetyatWorketcAct1974(HSWAct)andtheManagementofHealthandSafetyatWork(MHSW)Regulations1999.Employershaveresponsibilitiesforthehealth,safetyandwelfareatworkoftheiremployeesandthehealthandsafetyofthoseaffectedbythework,egvisitors,suchascontractorsandself-employedpeoplewhoemployersmayengage.Theseresponsibilitiescannotbetransferredtopeoplewhoworkalone.Itistheemployer’sdutytoassessriskstoloneworkersandtakestepstoavoidorcontrolriskwherenecessary.Employeeshaveresponsibilitiestotakereasonablecareofthemselvesandotherpeopleaffectedbytheirworkandtoco-operatewiththeiremployersinmeetingtheirlegalobligations.Thisleafletmayalsohelpself-employedpeoplewhoworkalonethemselvesorengageloneworkers.2Whoareloneworkersandwhatjobsdotheydo?Loneworkersarethosewhoworkbythemselveswithoutcloseordirectsupervision.Theyarefoundinawiderangeofsituations;someexamplesaregivenbelow.Peopleinfixedestablishmentswhere:Gonlyonepersonworksonthepremises,eginsmallworkshops,petrolstations,kiosks,shopsandalsohomeworkers;Gpeopleworkseparatelyfromothers,eginfactories,warehouses,someresearchandtrainingestablishments,leisurecentresorfairgrounds;Gpeopleworkoutsidenormalhours,egcleaners,security,specialproduction,maintenanceorrepairstaffetc.Mobileworkersworkingawayfromtheirfixedbase:Gonconstruction,plantinstallation,maintenanceandcleaningwork,electricalrepairs,liftrepairs,paintinganddecorating,vehiclerecoveryetc;Gagriculturalandforestryworkers;Gserviceworkers,egrentcollectors,postalstaff,socialworkers,homehelps,districtnurses,pestcontrolworkers,drivers,engineers,architects,estateagents,salesrepresentativesandsimilarprofessionalsvisitingdomesticandcommercialpremises.3Canpeoplelegallyworkalone?AssessingandcontrollingtherisksAlthoughthereisnogenerallegalprohibitiononworkingalone,thebroaddutiesoftheHSWActandMHSWRegulationsstillapply.Theserequireidentifyinghazardsofthework,assessingtherisksinvolved,andputtingmeasuresinplacetoavoidorcontroltherisks.Itisimportanttotalktoemployeesandtheirsafetyrepresentativesastheyareavaluablesourceofinformationandadvice.Thiswillhelptoensurethatallrelevanthazardshavebeenidentifiedandappropriatecontrolschosen;consultationwithemployeesandtheirrepresentativesonhealthandsafetymattersisalegaldutyanyway.Controlmeasuresmayincludeinstruction,training,supervision,protectiveequipmentetc.Employersshouldtakestepstocheckthatcontrolmeasuresareusedandreviewtheriskassessmentfromtimetotimetoensureitisstilladequate.Whenriskassessmentshowsthatitisnotpossiblefortheworktobedonesafelybyaloneworker,arrangementsforprovidinghelporback-upshouldbeputinplace.Wherealoneworkerisworkingatanotheremployer’sworkplace,thatemployershouldinformtheloneworker’semployerofanyrisksandthecontrolmeasuresthatshouldbetaken.Thishelpstheloneworker’semployertoassesstherisks.Riskassessmentshouldhelpdecidetherightlevelofsupervision.Therearesomehigh-riskactivitieswhereatleastoneotherpersonmay4needtobepresent.Examplesincludesomehigh-riskconfi...
