TSSA Rep s Bulletin Ref: H&S/008/FEB2001 WORKING ALONE SAFELY

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1 WORKING ALONE SAFELY TSSA Rep s Bulletin Ref: H&S/008/FEB2001 The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) are often asked the question, is it legal to work alone and is it safe?. 1 The HSE conclude that there is no single answer; it will depend on the findings of risk assessment but often the answer will be yes. 2 This rep s bulletin will outline the HSE s guidance 3 and draws on other health and safety advice in relation to working alone. 4 DEFINING WORKING ALONE The HSE suggest the following definition Lone workers are those who work by themselves without close or direct supervision. They are found in a wide range of situations. Working alone is a common feature in the travel trade and rail industry where it is not unusual to have a ticket office, railway station or travel agency shop staffed by a single individual either permanently or temporarily.! Another definition, that may be of greater use to TSSA H & S reps widens the scope to include job specific criteria: 1 HSE IND [G] 73 (rev) C600 3/98 Working 2 HSE IND [G] 73 (rev) C600 3/98 Working 3 HSE IND [G] 73 (rev) C600 3/98 Working 4 Working alone Guidance for MSF members and safety representatives (MSF H&S information No. 32 A person is working alone when the person works alone in any environment where there are no other workers present who have knowledge of the work and workplace, and who are available to respond effectively to unusual occurrences or emergencies. This definition does not mean that an individual has to work an entire shift to qualify as a lone worker. It can apply to short periods in a shift, perhaps only 10 or 15 minutes, when people are working alone. THE LEGAL POSITION Establishing safe working for lone workers is no different from organising the safety of other employees. The employer needs to know the law and standards that apply to their work activities and then assess whether people working alone can meet the requirements. The Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSWA 1974) and Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations (MHSW 1996) apply. These require the employer to:! identify the hazards of the work! assess the risks involved! devise and implement safe working arrangements to ensure that the risks are eliminated or adequately controlled If there are five or more employees an employer must record the significant findings of a risk assessment.

2 Where it is not possible to devise arrangements for a person to work alone in safety then alternative arrangements providing help or back up have to be devised. The employer should not require an employee to work alone unless:! the process outlined has been pursued in consultation with employees! safe working arrangements have been devised! necessary training has been provided for all relevant employees. In some companies specific policies will be required to control the risks, e.g. where there is a likelihood of violence. There are some circumstances when the law requires at least two people to be participating in the work. These include:! work at or near any live conductor (The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, Regulations 14 & 18)! entry into a confined space e.g. a storage tank (Factories Act 1961, Section 30)! work on a ladder which requires footing (Construction [Working places] Regulations 1966, Regulation 32)! young people working at prescribed dangerous machinery must be supervised by a person with thorough knowledge and experience of the machine (Factories Act 1981, Section 21; Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act 1963 and Woodworking Machines Regulations Act 1974) There exist other specific obligations that effectively prevent working alone where there are clearly identifiable risks e.g. supervision of vehicles carrying certain explosives. The HSE quite rightly emphasise that it is important to talk to employees and their safety representatives as they are a valuable source of information and advice. This will help to ensure that all relevant hazards have been identified and appropriate controls chosen; consultation with employees and their representatives on health and safety matters is a legal duty anyway. According to the HSE control measures may include;! instruction! training! supervision! protective equipment Employers should take steps to check that control measures are used and review the risk assessment periodically to ensure it is still adequate. A lone worker working away at another employer's workplace is still the responsibility of his/her own employer The TSSA advises reps to apply the broader definition of working alone as the Association believes the criteria mentioned are factors relevant when conducting a risk assessment. WHAT OTHER FACTORS NEED TO BE CONSIDERED? Some of the issues which need special attention when planning safe working arrangements include:! access to and from the premises (including the use of card entry systems e.g. to computer suites) - Is there a safe way in and a way out for one person? Can any temporary access equipment which is necessary, such as portable ladders be safely handled by one person?! Foreseeable emergency situations e.g. fire, illness, accident, equipment failure etc! The process or work being performed - Does the workplace present a special risk to the lone worker? Can all the plant, substances and goods involved in the work be

3 safely handled by one person? Consider whether the work involves lifting objects too large for one person or whether more than one person is needed to operate essential controls for the safe running of equipment.! Is there a risk of violence is cash held on the premises, is there likely to be contact with people who may become violent? Is there contact with people whose access cannot be carefully controlled?! Are women especially at risk if they work alone?! Are young workers especially at risk if they work alone?! What level and type of supervision is required (see over)?! The fitness and medical history of the person (see below)! The operation of dangerous machinery! The use of flammable, toxic or explosive substances! The use of electricity! The length of the working shift! The provision of facilities for meals and drinks! The presence of automatic fire systems e.g. deluge systems! Reporting systems for problems! Training required e.g. for emergencies in unusual situations! Provision of first aid kits for mobile workers! Safe transport to and from the workplace Is the person medically fit and suitable to work alone? The employer needs to check that lone workers have no medical conditions which make them unsuitable for working alone. Medical advice should be sought if necessary. The employer needs to consider both routine work and foreseeable emergencies which may impose additional physical and mental burdens on the individual. What happens if a person becomes ill, has an accident, or there is an emergency? Lone workers should be capable of responding correctly to emergencies. Risk assessment should identify foreseeable events. Emergency procedures should be established and employees trained in them. Information about emergency procedures and danger areas should be given to lone workers who visit the premises. Lone workers should have access to adequate first-aid facilities and mobile workers should carry a first-aid kit suitable for treating minor injuries. Occasionally risk assessment may indicate that lone workers need training in first aid. What training is required to ensure competency in safety matters? Training is particularly important where there is limited supervision to control, guide and help in situations of uncertainty. Training may be critical to avoid panic reactions in unusual situations. Lone workers need to be sufficiently experienced and to understand the risks and precautions fully. The employer should set the limits to what can and cannot be done whilst working alone. They should ensure employees are competent to deal with circumstances that are new, unusual or beyond the scope of training. DEALING WITH THE THREAT OF VIOLENCE Employers have a legal responsibility to prevent violent assaults on their employees under the HSWA. Employers, should have developed policies for addressing the problem of workplace violence. These must include those who work alone in the course of their employment. The HSE advises that the best way to tackle violence is for employers and employees to work together to decide

4 what to do. The HSE propose a seven point action plan 5 : 1. Find out if there is a problem 2. Record all incidents 3. Classify all incidents 4. Search for preventive measures 5. Decide what to do 6. Put measures into practice 7. Check that the measures are effective The TSSA believes that an employer does not need to wait and record incidents that have occurred before taking preventative action what is important is to determine whether there is a potential for violence to employees during the course of or as a result of their employment. During the course of their employment those who work alone are clearly at risk, particularly if they handle or have access to money. The risk of someone with violent or criminal intent finding out their home addresses must also be considered. All employers should develop policies on the prevention of violence to staff in full consultation with trade union safety representatives. There should be clear procedures for incident reporting, including near-misses and suspicious occurrences, and training and instruction for all employees who may be at risk. Such policies must include provision for aftercare services to address the longterm consequences of workplace violence. WOMEN WORKING ALONE Many women work alone and they may face risks of violent assault. These risks need to be carefully assessed by the employer and steps must be introduced to minimise the possibility of assault. These could include special training and/or the provision of special 5 VIOLENCE AT WORK [HSE] IND (G) 69L (Rev) 2/97 C750 equipment. The need for regular contact with those working alone is especially important in such cases. Where women travel alone in the course of their duties employers should ensure that they have been trained in the precautions to take when using public transport and car parks. In some cases the fitting of a car telephone or emergency device may be necessary. Women should be advised by their employer that they can exercise their discretion on when to use a taxi/hire a car etc, in the knowledge that the cost will be reimbursed by their employer. Women should not be forced to take risks during the course of their employment. MONITORING & SUPERVISION OF PEOPLE WORKING ALONE Supervision can help to ensure that employees understand the risks associated with their work and that the necessary safety precautions are carried out. Supervisors can also provide guidance in situations of uncertainty. Supervision of health and safety can often be carried out when checking the progress and quality of the work; it may take the form of periodic site visits combined with discussions in which health and safety issues are raised. The extent of supervision required depends on the risks involved and the ability of the lone worker to identify and handle health and safety issues. Employees new to a job, undergoing training, doing a job that presents special risks, or dealing with new situations may need to be accompanied at first. The level of supervision required is a management decision that should be based on the findings of risk assessment. The higher the risk, the greater the level of supervision required. It should not be left to individuals to decide whether they require assistance.

5 Procedures will need to be put in place to monitor lone workers to see they remain safe. These may include:! supervisors periodically visiting and observing people working alone! regular contact between the lone worker and supervisor using either a telephone or radio! automatic warning devices which operate if specific signals are not received periodically from the lone worker, e.g. systems for security staff! other devices designed to raise the alarm in the event of an emergency and which are operated manually or automatically by the absence of activity! a check that a lone worker has returned to their base or home on completion of a task. In every situation there must be an appropriate means of ensuring that at some stage contact with a person working alone can be made. It should also be possible for the lone worker to initiate contact. TSSA safety reps should make sure that any of their constituents working alone know how to contact them to express any concerns they may have. WHAT TSSA SAFETY REPRESENTATIVES SHOULD DO 1. Check that the employer has clearly identified work that is done by people working alone and where possible ensure that work is organised so that working alone is unnecessary. In particular, those H & S reps representing railway employees engaged in maintenance, renewal or engineering work should be seeking written confirmation from their managers on how they are observing railway specific regulations. 2. Check that the employer has identified hazards, assessed risks and developed strategies for controlling the risks 3. Check that people working alone have received adequate training 4. Check that people working alone do receive monitoring and supervision 5. Check that there exists a procedure for those working alone to raise queries and concerns and that this has been communicated to the relevant people 6. Check that the work conducted by those working alone is not allowed to change without proper risk assessments 7. Check that accidents, dangerous occurrences and near misses of those working alone are properly reported, recorded, investigated and monitored 8. Check that working alone is not being encouraged with some sort of special payment when there may be important safety issues to consider 9. Check that the employer has suitable policies where there are specific hazards - e.g. violence FURTHER INFORMATION Health & Safety Executive s Information line It is a very useful source of information and you can ask for clarification of HSE regulations, discuss health and safety issues or order leaflets and other literature. HSE IND [G] 73 (rev) C600 3/98 Working alone in safety controlling the risks of solitary