What is a Lone Worker

Lone worker

A lone worker is an individual who works in an environment where help may be unavailable. This can include work in a remote location, working in confined spaces where help is limited and working with members of the public without a safety network.

The dangers of working alone are numerous. Some of the most common risks include slips, trips and falls, workplace accidents and injury in general.

Depending on the industry, a lone worker can be located anywhere from a remote jobsite in the countryside to a cell tower site miles away and even a convenience store at 2 am.





lone worker devices When assessing whether a person fits the definition of a lone worker it's important to consider a number of things, including duration of the shift, frequency of check ins and communication methods. Does this employee have a phone, walkie-talkie or personal assistant device on their person that they will use to communicate with their supervisor if needed?

For a lone worker to be protected, they need a policy that outlines the arrangements that have been put in place to protect them. The policy should clearly outline what control measures are in place and who is responsible for implementing them.

An organisation should have a 'Monitor' who is regularly contact with lone workers during their shifts and would receive any 'check in' or 'help' requests throughout the day. This could be by phone call, text message, app or personal assistant device. The 'Monitor' should also be connected to a call centre that is manned 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.