Lone working is becoming increasingly common. This is partly to do with the increase in technology that allows fewer people to do specific roles. It is also partly connected to the global pandemic and more reluctance to work in teams.
While there are benefits of lone working, there are also considerable risks.
Injury
One of the biggest risks is an employee injuring themselves while working. This could be an accident with machinery, a fall, or a multitude of other scenarios. The result is an employee that may be incapacitated and unable to call for help. If they are working alone that means they could go unfound for hours, increasing the potential for loss of life.
Violence
Violence against employees seems to becoming increasingly common in all industries. This is concerning, especially as verbal assaults can lead to physical violence that, again, can leave a lone worker incapacitated and unable to call for help.
This is particularly concerning if the worker is alone as they are simply performing a job an,d the employer has a duty of care.
Mental Health
The risks associated with lone working and the lack of companionship can cause mental health problems. This can lead to depression and other issues, creating a downward spiral for the lone worker.
Dealing With The Risks
There are several things an employer can do to monitor lone workers and ensure they stay safe.
- Give Them Alarms
The first step is to provide all lone workers with duress alarms. These can be triggered when something happens to the lone worker. They will make a loud sound, alerting others in the vicinity to help the person.
Modern duress alarms can also alert the employer and the emergency services. In fact, they can be triggered automatically if the employee falls or their heart rate dips below a certain amount. This can help them to get the assistance they need faster, potentially saving their life.
- Regular Check-Ins
Another important aspect of monitoring lone workers is to insist they check in regularly. You set the period and they need to contact you to verify everything is okay. This keeps everyone safe and helps a lone worker get help when they need it. It can also help with mental health issues as they have a chance to talk to someone every hour.
- Risk Assessments
It’s essential that risk assessments are done on every job as this helps to highlight the riskiest parts and makes sure you have procedures in place to reduce or eliminate risk.
- Communication Channels
The above keeps a lone worker safe but you also want to ensure they are happy in their job and mentally healthy. To do this you need to make sure there are plenty of communication channels open, allowing them to report any issues or negative thoughts.
Doing this ensures your employee feels they have someone to talk to and can prevent mental health issues from arising, especially if you listen and act on what they are saying.
