Does your business utilize lone workers? Lone workers are workers who aren’t always (or even often) working with other team members. These people work jobs on their own and are often isolated.
There are benefits to being a lone worker. Many people enjoy the isolation, they prefer to do jobs as they see fit without negotiating with coworkers, and they’re able to work at a pace that works for them.
That said, lone worker safety is a huge problem for people who don’t work in a group.
A lone worker doesn’t have the security of a normal worker. When an accident happens on a worksite or in the office with other workers, everyone has quick access to care. If a lone worker is injured, especially if they’re far away from other people and emergency services, it’s a problem.
We’re here to help you protect lone workers. Read on to learn more.
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Adequate (and Frequent) Safety Training
Safety training is crucial for all workers, regardless of whether they work alone or in groups. Even workers who think that they’re already working to their best ability should take frequent safety courses.
Safety training is going to vary depending on your industry. For most lone workers, safety training gives workers an understanding of physical risks and how to mitigate them (as well as what to do if something happens).
Most employers only do the bare minimum as far as safety training goes. When you have lone workers, however, this isn’t an option. You need to make sure that each worker has the knowledge and preparation needed to keep themself safe.
It’s also helpful to offer a few basic first aid courses.
Hire lone worker safety consultants to offer safety courses if you want to make sure that your workers are getting the best possible training.
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Lone Worker Safety Devices and Tools
There are so many tools that lone workers can use to their advantage while they’re on the job.
On the higher-tech end, make sure that lone workers have access to WiFi-enabled communication devices. This way, even if they’re out of phone service, they can communicate with you, other workers, or emergency services if something happens.
It’s helpful to have a GPS-enabled device for your workers.
Some lone workers like having an emergency device that can contact emergency services for them even if they’re unable to dial a phone call. These devices are great if a worker experiences a serious injury.
Look into a variety of lone worker devices to see which ones align best with your team.
We also suggest that each lone worker travels with an emergency kit. This can be as basic as a standard first aid kit but can include flashlights, emergency blankets, or emergency snacks.
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Identify On-Site Risks
Before any job begins, make sure that you and your workers have assessed the situation and identified any potential hazards and dangers. This is a key part of the planning process.
Your worker won’t be able to avoid all of the risks, but by identifying them first, they’ll be able to prepare themself and work around potential problems. This will also help them determine which tools and devices they should bring to the job site.
It’s always better to be safe than sorry. If you’re not sure whether or not something is a risk, note it anyway.
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Restrict Certain Activities
While many workers feel confident about all tasks, even if they work alone, there are a few tasks and activities that you should consider prohibiting.
Decide which tasks are the riskiest for lone workers. When you see that a job requires that task, move around schedules until you’re able to have two or more workers on-site at the same time.
This will be inconvenient sometimes, but it can also save a life.
For risky activities that you want to continue allowing, make sure that workers get sufficient training and guidance before they’re able to work alone. Newer workers should “shadow” more experienced workers and use the buddy system for a few jobs before they should be allowed to work on their own.
You should also keep the workers’ feelings in mind. If someone doesn’t feel they’re capable of completing a job safely on their own, don’t force it (or punish them for telling you this).
In this case, either assign the task to another worker or give them a companion.
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Provide “Supervision” and Monitoring
Lone workers are not unsupervised workers. You should still be monitoring them while they’re on the job.
Develop a communication system with your workers. You can check in via text or phone call every hour to ensure that everyone is safe and accounted for. Don’t worry about “hovering,” this will keep your workers secure.
If your workers have GPS devices, don’t be afraid to check on their locations. Make sure that your employees know that you’re using their locations for their safety, not to track their work.
If a worker is on their first lone job, consider sending a more experienced worker with them for supervision purposes. This way, the more experienced worker will correct any unsafe behavior and make the lone worker feel more secure.
Improve Your Lone Worker Safety
Use this lone worker safety checklist to keep your lone workers as safe as possible while they’re on the job. Lone worker safety is critical, so don’t be afraid to put extra time and money into training. Your workers deserve to work safely.
Remember, use the right training, the right tools, and the right monitoring practices to create a safe work environment for lone workers.
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