Lone workers are those who work alone without close or direct supervision. Anyone who works alone, including contractors, the self-employed and employees, is classified as a lone worker. Here are some common examples of individual work when done by a single employee. When establishing safe work arrangements for lone workers, employers need to be aware of the laws and standards that may apply to their particular work activity. They must then assess whether the requirements of this professional activity can be met by persons working alone. Issues that need to be addressed when planning such secure work arrangements include: Add an identifier to your website or intranet so that your employees can quickly find answers to their health and safety questions. What precautions should apply to lone workers in the event of an emergency? In this article, we`re going to look at what exactly solitary work is and when it`s legal (and when it`s not) to work alone. However, while steps can be taken to reduce the risk to a controllable level, it may be safe, in accordance with the legislation (see below), to allow your employees to work alone after a strong lone worker policy has been implemented. In one case, an employee was injured while working alone in a remote corner of the camp to clean the area for about four hours. He was exposed to moving machinery, electrical equipment, harsh chemicals, excessive noise, heat, and vermin like spiders.
In addition, we learned that this employee has a hearing loss and could not hear the emergency alarm when it sounded. For a lone worker in a remote location, the following factors must be considered: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is managed by the U.S. Department of Labor and was created to ensure safe and healthy working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing workplace standards and providing training, public relations, education and support. Check the regulations in your area. Some jurisdictions have specific laws regarding work alone. Unfortunately, in recent years, there have been several situations of solitary work that have led to the disaster. In 2006, psychiatrist Ashleigh Ewing was stabbed to death by a client at her home, and in 2013, Andrew Locovou was murdered by a customer while he was running a betting shop late at night. As a result of these tragedies, it was decided that the organizations concerned should have carried out stricter risk assessments and that individual work should not be allowed. Although lone workers cannot be constantly monitored, it is still the employer`s duty to ensure their safety and health at work.
Monitoring can help employees understand the risks associated with their work and take the necessary safety precautions. Supervisors can also provide guidance in situations of uncertainty. Safety and health monitoring can often be done when reviewing the progress and quality of work; This can take the form of regular site visits in conjunction with discussions on health and safety issues. OSHA provides guidance on protecting all employees through the use of standards. The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 is the most important federal occupational safety legislation in the United States, from traditional office workers to the self-employed, contractors and lone workers. Lone worker solutions, such as SoloProtect, are designed to provide dedicated support, the fastest possible response, and safety to people working alone. Specially designed as an ID card holder to be easy to carry and discreet to use, the SoloProtectID is equipped with a «red alert», a feature that allows a lone worker to record audio from potentially abusive situations where their safety could be compromised. At the touch of a button, a «red alert» is triggered and a trained operator from the SoloProtect Emergency Dispatch Centre (EDC) listens to a potentially abusive or violent situation on your behalf. If you decide to use a lone worker device, make sure that every lone worker is fully trained and safe to use it.
A device in untrained hands is useless. A report after the murder even stated: «The committee is of the opinion that a robust risk assessment, including consideration of the solitary work policy, had been completed. This individual work would have been abandoned and joint visits would have been carried out. It is important that a registration procedure is in place. Decide whether an oral recording is sufficient or whether the worker should be considered by a visual inspection. Make sure your plan is suitable both during normal business hours and after peak hours. So, yes, solitary work is legal. But only if it is safe and if the hazards and risks have been properly assessed and controlled.
A lone worker policy essentially recognizes risk and provides an employee with the tools to reduce that risk. It should be designed to raise staff awareness of the potential risks of individual work and to inform each person of their responsibilities before, during and after an incident. A detailed policy for lone workers will help reduce the risks faced by lone workers and provide you with a better understanding of appropriate measures to improve staff safety. Employers have a duty to protect their employees from harm.