A lone worker is an employee who performs an activity that is carried out in isolation from other workers without close or direct supervision. Such staff may be exposed to risk because there is no-one to assist them and so a risk assessment may be required. Lone workers are now often supported by cloud-based automated monitoring systems and specialised monitoring call centres - often referred to as an 'Alarm Receiving Centre' or 'ARC' in the UK, or 'Emergency Dispatch Center' or 'EDC' in the US.
Examples of lone workers
There are different types of lone workers including:
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
The following countries have enacted lone worker legislation:
Australia
Canada
France
Germany
United Kingdom
Spain
In Australia
Australia has legislation regarding lone workers and their employers. As of the 1st of January 2014, it has become compulsory for employers to monitor the health and well being of any of their employees working remotely or in isolated conditions. Control measures are now in place to ensure effective communication and worker monitoring are in place as well as access to assistance of emergency services for isolated or remote workers. Regulation 48 from the Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice 2011 outlines definitions of isolated and remote workers as well as possible control measures and should be read for more information in regard to this law.'
Guidance Note, Working Alone 2009
In Canada
Some of the provinces in Canada have enacted legislation regarding employer's responsibility towards Lone Workers. In these cases, the definition of a Lone Worker is someone who is alone at work or when they are on their own; when they cannot be seen or heard by another person.
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. Other UK legislation relevant to the safety of lone workers:
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. 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 Detectors, Pendant Trackers, GPS based Mobile apps.
