Ensure the safety of lone workers

Introduction

Increasing numbers of people work alone, either some or all of the time.

Many people who travel for work, who work at night or who work from home, are lone workers, for example. Small businesses frequently employ people who work alone - from shop assistants to warehouse staff. And many self-employed people work alone, too.

Developments in communications technology are also allowing many more people to work from home or away from the workplace. This shift from traditional office-based working has introduced different risks for businesses.

Working alone can create extra health and safety risks. If you employ lone workers, or if you're self-employed and you work alone, you'll need to manage these risks.

This guide outlines the legal requirements associated with lone working. It also highlights the special risks faced by lone workers and how you can control them.

Subjects covered in this guide

• Introduction
• What is a lone worker?
• Your responsibilities to lone workers
• The health and safety responsibilities of people who work alone
• Carry out a risk assessment for lone workers
• Checklist: assessing possible risks for lone workers
• Security for people working alone
• Special considerations for lone workers who deal with the public
• People who work alone from home
• Reducing the risks of remote working
• Monitoring lone workers' health and safety effectively
• Here's how we ensured the safety of a lone worker (Flash video)

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