8.4 Lone Working

Lone workers and typical examples

A person is alone at work when they are on their own and cannot be seen or heard by another person. According to the HSE, lone workers are those who work by themselves without close or direct supervision. They exist in every sector and include people who:

• work alone at a fixed base, for example in shops, petrol stations, factories, warehouses or leisure centres
• work separately from other people on the same premises, or outside normal working hours, for example security staff, cleaners, and maintenance and repair staff
• work at home
• work away from a fixed base, such as:
  • health, medical and social care workers who visit people's homes
  • workers in construction, maintenance and repair, including engineers, plant installation and cleaning workers
  • engineers, assessors and delivery drivers of equipment and supplies who attend construction projects
  • service workers, including postal staff, taxi drivers, engineers, estate agents, and sales or service representatives who visit domestic and commercial premises
  • delivery drivers, including HGV drivers, van drivers and couriers, and car- and bike-based couriers
  • agricultural and forestry workers
• are volunteers working alone for charities or voluntary organisations

Particular hazards of lone working

One of the biggest hazards of lone working is what happens if an accident takes place. This hazard exists wherever a lone worker is and whatever the job, although those doing manual labour are definitely more at risk.

When you work with others, an accident can be responded to quickly and lasting damage kept to a minimum. When you are alone and cannot get help, you may have to wait a long time for it to arrive. Worst-case outcomes are rare, but they can be serious. For example, if you fall while working, you may have to wait until you are found before you can get any medical help.

People who work remotely from home are also at risk of accidents, especially if they live alone. If you have an accident anywhere in your house while working, you may not be found, or may not be able to get help, particularly if you have little contact with other employees and nobody realises you are missing.

• Medical emergencies. As well as injuries at work, a lone worker could have a heart attack, a stroke or a severe allergic reaction. With nobody to help, this is extremely dangerous.
• Lack of supervision. This ties in with the two situations above. With nobody else around, you have no one to help if you need it. It also matters because, if you are new to a job or unsure of the safest way to do something, there is nobody to assist, and you may get into difficulty or hurt yourself because nobody pointed out a hazard.
• Assault. Many lone workers are victims of assault. A lone convenience store worker or truck driver can be an easy target for criminals, and a lone utility worker sent to disconnect a service could be attacked by an angry homeowner. Lone workers most at risk of violence and assault are those who are:
  • giving a service
  • caring
  • teaching
  • handling cash
  • delivering or collecting
  • controlling
  • representing authority
• Limited or no connectivity. All these risks multiply if lone workers are outside mobile coverage. There is nobody around, and it is also harder to reach someone if help is needed. This is common for many lone workers, such as field service workers and truck drivers.
• Inadequate hygiene and welfare facilities. This can be the case for some occupations such as drivers, postal workers and utility engineers.
• Isolation and wellbeing. Lone workers may lack practical and social support. Agree regular contact, opportunities to discuss concerns and access to help. Changes in wellbeing need a supportive response; lone working does not by itself establish a particular mental-health diagnosis.
• Overworking. Without the supervision of colleagues and the routine of arriving at and leaving a workplace, overworking is easy for a lone worker. Employees may become stressed and burned out and fail to keep a good work-life balance, which can lead to health conditions and affect the rest of their lives.
• Mental wellbeing. A general risk of lone working is a harmful effect on mental health, as the points above show. Many people are more productive on their own or enjoy not having to commute, but being totally remote and never seeing colleagues or managers can make a role harder and much less enjoyable and can affect mental state. A lack of socialising, scenery and routine may lead to low energy and bad moods, along with the other conditions already described.

Summary notes for Element 8 · Cheat sheet · Glossary. A study aid, not published or endorsed by NEBOSH.