Outlined below are some tips for working alone safely. 

Employer Responsibilities 

• Assess the risks. Assess the risks associated with lone working in your organisation. This will help you to identify the specific hazards that lone workers face and develop appropriate control measures. 

• Provide training. Ensure workers undertake regular training on health and safety, including how to identify and assess risks, how to deal with emergencies, and how to use personal safety equipment. 
• Provide equipment. Lone workers should be provided with the personal safety equipment (PPE) they need to do their job safely, such as personal alarms, panic buttons, and torches. 
• Monitor lone workers. Employers should monitor lone workers to make sure they are safe and well. This could involve regular check-ins or using technology such as GPS tracking or video surveillance. Make the employee aware of these procedures beforehand. 

Worker Responsibilities 

• Be aware of the risks. Be aware of the risks associated with their job and take steps to mitigate them. This could include working in well-lit areas, avoiding secluded areas, and being aware of your surroundings at all times. 

• Use personal safety equipment. Use the personal safety equipment provided by your employer. This could include personal alarms, panic buttons, and torches. 
• Report any concerns. Report any concerns they have about your safety to your employer. This could include concerns about the workplace environment, the behaviour of customers or colleagues, or any other issues that make you feel unsafe. 
• Plan ahead. Let someone know where you are going and the approximate time you expect to be back. This could be a colleague, family member, or friend.  
• Take regular breaks. Rest breaks will give you a chance to stretch, move around, and assess your surroundings. If you feel tired or stressed, take a break and return to your work later. 
• Carry a personal alarm or other safety device. If you are working in a secluded area, take extra precautions, such as carrying a personal alarm or pepper spray. This could help to scare off an attacker or alert someone to your need for help.  

• Do not engage in high-risk activities when working alone. This may include but is not limited to, working at height, manual handling, hot-work and operating hazardous work equipment.  

Lone working can be a safe and productive way to work, but it is important to take steps to mitigate the risks. By following these guidelines, lone workers can protect themselves from harm. Employers can also help to protect lone workers by taking steps to create a safe working environment. 

The iProtectU health and safety software provides: 

• An inspection and Audit App which allows for a workplace safety inspection creation and report  
• eLearning on Lone Working 

• Scheduling functionality for managers to send eLearning, risk assessments and documents out to all staff via the software with tracks completion and compliance 
• Risk assessment template covering Lone Working 
• Management system to document control the policy on Lone Working 
• Method Statement module for the creation of work activity working instructions 
• Legal register that provides legislation guidance on working alone 

• Incident investigation module that tracks incidents involving personnel working alone both with an app and also via desktop 
• Hazard observation app that staff can report and record any concerns regarding Lone Working to the organisation 
• Asset management App ensuring assets are recorded in the software