Lone Working

A lone worker is an employee who performs an activity that is carried out in isolation from other workers without close or direct supervision. Such staff may be exposed to risk because there is no-one to assist them and so a risk assessment may be required.

A lone worker policy is designed to alert staff to the risks presented by lone working, to identify the responsibilities each person has in this situation and to describe procedures which will minimise such risks.

It is designed to give staff a framework for managing potentially risky situations.  However, a great deal depends upon the Risk Assessment which should be undertaken as part of broad duties under The Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) and The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (1999).