Page 294 - IGC BOOK

8.4 Lone Working

Introduction

Lone workers are those who work by themselves without

close or direct supervision. Anybody who works alone,
including contractors, self-employed people, and employee,

is classed as a lone worker.

Typical examples include

• Fixed establishments where only one person works on the premises, e.g. in small
workshops, kiosk, petrol pumps.
• people work separately from others, e.g. in factories, warehouses, some research and
training institutions, leisure centres.
• people who work outside normal hours, e.g. cleaners, security, special production,
maintenance, or repair staff.
• people who work working away from their fixed base, e.g. on construction, plant
installation, maintenance and cleaning work, electrical repairs, lift repairs, painting and
decorating.
• agricultural and forestry workers
• service workers, e.g. rent collectors, postal staff, social workers, home helps, district nurses

Hazards that a lone worker might be exposed to

• accidents or emergencies arising out of the work

• sudden illness

• inadequate provision of rest, hygiene, and welfare facilities
• physical violence from public or burglars

The risk assessment should recommend control measures to be implemented to
eliminate/minimise the identified risks as well as to develop a safe system of work.

They include

• avoid lone working for high risk activities

• remote supervision arrangement including periodic visits
• logging in worker location.

• Use of communication system is indeed important such as radio, mobile phones.

• Automatic warning devices to raise alarm, for example panic alarms, no movement alarms
etc.,

ENSIGN | General Workplace Issues 27