Lone worker

A lone worker (LW) is an employee who performs an activity that is carried out in isolation from other workers without close or direct supervision.^[1] Such staff may be exposed to risk because there is no-one to assist them and so a risk assessment may be required.^[2][3][4]

Examples of lone workers

There are different types of lone workers including:

• People working at home such as telecommuters, affiliated marketers, writers
• Workers in the energy industry or oil and gas Industry including upstream workers like surveyors, land managers, drillers, and midstream or downstream workers such as refinery workers and drivers
• Construction workers
• Mobile workers such as traveling salesmen, truck drivers, health visitors, repair technicians
• People who work in any type of manufacturing facility
• People working outside normal hours such as security guards, cleaners
• Utility workers such as meter readers or technicians
• Self-employed people
• People who work apart from their colleagues such as receptionists, retail clerks, service station attendants

Countries with lone worker legislation

The following countries have enacted lone worker legislation:

• Australia
• Canada (Provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan)
• France
• Germany
• United Kingdom
• Spain

In Australia

Australia has legislation regarding lone workers and their employers.

• Guidance Note, Working Alone 2009^[5]

In Canada

Some of the provinces in Canada have enacted legislation regarding employer's responsibility towards Lone Workers.

Alberta

• Alberta's Occupational Health and Safety Code: An Explanation of the "Working Alone" Requirements 2009 ^[6]
• Working Alone (Part 28 of the Occupational Health and Safety Code) 2009^[7]

Additional Province-issued documents include:

• Working Alone Safely – A Guide for Employers and Employees 2000^[8]

British Columbia

• Working Alone or in Isolation Regulation 2011^[9]
• WorkSafeBC OHS Regulations General Conditions Part 4 2009^[10]

Manitoba

• Code of Practice for Workers Working Alone or in Isolation 2006^[11]
• Workplace Health and Safety Regulation Part 9^[12]

Saskatchewan

• The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 1996^[13]

In France

France has enacted laws protecting lone workers.

• Code du travail - Article R4512-13 2008^[14]

In Germany

Germany has codified laws mandating when it is legal to work alone and how those workers must be protected.

• § 5 Arbeitsschutzgesetz

In Spain

Spain has codified laws governing the protection of lone workers.

• Ley 31/1995 de Prevención de Riesgos Laborales 1995 ^[15]

In the United Kingdom

The UK has a Code of practice relating to the 'Provision of lone worker services' via the British Standard, BS 8484. In August 2016, the standard was republished, and BS 8484:2016 was introduced (This supersedes BS 8484:2011 which will be withdrawn on 28 February 2017).

Other UK legislation relevant to the safety of lone workers:

• The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
• The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
• Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977(a) and The Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996(b)
• The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007
• Fire Act 2005

In November 2015, The Sentencing Council introduced a 'Definitive Guideline for Health and Safety Offences, Corporate Manslaughter and Food Safety and Hygiene Offences', effective in sentencing from 1 February 2016. ^[16] Fines imposed are considered in accordance with a number of factors:

• the culpability of an organisation or individual;
• the likelihood of harm;
• financial information relating to an organisation - i.e. fines can now be directly linked to the turnover of a business or the earnings of an individual

Managing lone workers

Common practices used by companies to manage the personal safety of their Lone Workers are:

• Conducting Risk Assessments
• Documenting a Lone Worker Policy
• Implementation of a Buddy System
• Lone Worker Training
• Conflict Management Training
• Use of monitoring systems and equipment (Panic Alarms, Mandown (fall/impact) Detectors, Pendant Trackers, GPS based Mobile Apps.

See also

• Lone worker monitoring

References

1. , BSIA Lone Workers guide for Employers
2. Phil Hughes, Ed Ferrett (2009). "Lone workers". Introduction to Health and Safety at Work. Butterworth-Heinemann. p. 117. ISBN 978-1-85617-668-2.
3. , NHS Lone Working Guidance Section 3.3
4. , NHS Lone Working Guidance Section 3.3
5. , Guidance Note, Working Alone
6. , Alberta's Occupational Health and Safety Code: An Explanation of the "Working Alone" Requirements
7. , Working Alone (Part 28 of the Occupational Health and Safety Code)
8. , Working Alone Safely – A Guide for Employers and Employees
9. , Working Alone or in Isolation
10. , WorkSafeBC OHS Regulations General Conditions Part 4
11. , Code of Practice for Workers Working Alone or in Isolation
12. , Workplace Health and Safety Regulation
13. , The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations
14. , Code du travail - Article R4512-13
15. , Ley 31/1995. de 8 de noviembre, de Prevencion de Riesgos Laborales
16. , Sentencing Council - Definitive Guideline, Health and Safety Offences, Corporate Manslaughter and Food Safety and Hygiene Offences Nov 2015.

External links

• Health and Safety Executive – Can a person be left alone at their place of work?
• Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety – Working Alone – General