ESS - Arrangements for Managing Lone Working
Distribution: This document must be brought to the attention of all Managers
and Employees working for Estate Support Service.
This information can be made available electronically or in large print,
please contact the ESS Health and Safety Officer 0191 222 6847.
These Arrangements have been developed to support and guide ESS Managers
and Employees when managing risks associated with Lone Working.
1.0
Introduction
Health and safety law does not prohibit employees from working alone, however,
health and safety law does place a duty on employers to ensure the health and
safety of employees required to work alone.
Managers must ensure that a risk assessment has been carried out on the
lone working activity, and that suitable control measures have been
implemented to protect their employee’s health and safety.
Many employees work alone and in the majority of cases they do so without a
significant risk to their health and safety e.g. employees working alone in offices
carrying out typical office activities are unlikely to be at significant risk or
increased risk just because they are working alone.
However, some activities do involve a significant risk to health and safety, which
is increased because they are working alone e.g. working alone in a remote part
of a building (plant room). When this is the case managers are required to
implement control measures to protect their employees health and safety, this
must include providing back up and/or assistance should an emergency arise.
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1.2 What is a ‘Lone Worker’?
Definition
People who work by themselves without close or direct supervision.
1.3 Safe Working Procedures for Lone Workers
Establishing safe working procedures for lone workers is no different from
organising the health and safety of other employees. The obvious question
that has to be asked is whether one person can adequately control the
risks associated with the work.
Lone workers should not be exposed to significantly higher risks than others who
work together. Precautions must take account of normal working conditions and
foreseeable emergency situations. All situations where employees may be
working alone should be identified and assessed. (see Appendix A for example
of lone worker monitoring procedure)
1.4 Training
Training is particularly important where there is limited supervision to ensure that
the employee is capable of making the correct decision in abnormal
circumstances. Employees who work as part of a team or with others have the
reassurance of seeking advice from their supervisors/managers/team members.
Lone Workers therefore need to fully understand the risks involved in the work,
the necessary precautions and have sufficient experience to know when to stop
work and seek additional assistance, advice or support.
1.5 Monitoring and Supervision
Although Lone Workers cannot be subject to constant supervision, there is still a
duty on employers to provide appropriate control of the work. Supervision
complements information, instruction and training and helps to ensure that
employees understand the risks associated with their work and that the
necessary safety precautions are carried out. It can also provide guidance in
situations of uncertainty.
The extent of the supervision required depends upon the risks involved and the
skill and experience of the person carrying out the work to identify and handle
safety issues. Persons new to a job or undergoing training etc should be
accompanied to begin with.
The extent of the supervision required is a management decision, it should not be
left to the individual to decide they require assistance.
Managers must endeavour to know where their employees are at all times while
at work, systems which involve the employee advising their manager (or an
appointed person) prior to entering a location where they will be working alone
must be promoted and adhered to.
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The employee must advise their manager or appointed person of:
 Their location
 The type of work to be carried out
 The estimated time that the work should be completed by
Having completed the work safely the employee must advise their manager or
appointed person that the work is complete and that they are safe. Or that the
work is going to take longer than anticipated and that they need to extend the
time allotted for the work.
Should the manager or appointed person fail to hear from the employee at the
allotted time then they must raise the alarm and implement their support systems.
1.6 Illness, accidents and emergencies
Lone Workers should be capable of responding correctly in emergency
situations. Emergency procedures should be established in departments and the
appropriate persons given clear and concise training and instructions on how to
implement them.
Suitable systems should be devised to monitor the condition of Lone Workers
and include at least a check at the end of the working period. In addition, it may
be necessary to consider:



Procedures where a member of supervisory staff periodically visits and
visually monitors Lone Workers.
Procedures where regular contact between the Lone Worker and a
member of Supervisory staff is maintained using an effective means of
communication.
Automatic warning devices, which raise the alarm in an emergency and
are activated by the absence of activity from the Lone Worker.
2.0 Further Advice and Assistance
For further advice or assistance contact the ESS Health and Safety Officer
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Appendix A
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Example of procedure for monitoring lone worker safety
______________________________________________________________
Distribution: This procedure must be brought to the attention of all Section
Name Managers and Employees required to work alone/Monitor Lone
Workers.
1.1 Managers must ensure:

All Lone Workers are issued with the HSE Lone Worker Leaflet.

All Lone Workers are issued with mobile phones or an alternative means
of two way communication.

Spare mobile phones (or an alternative means of two way
communication) are available for Lone Workers to use in the event of
equipment failure.

They monitor the effectiveness of this procedure and use within their
workplace.

Lone Workers and ‘Lone Worker Coordinators’ are trained in the
procedure.

Making available a white board or similar system for recording an
employees whereabouts and expected time of return to the workplace.

Nominating ‘Lone Worker Coordinators’ for the workplace, these people
must be able to monitor the whereabouts of employees and raise the
alarm in the event someone doesn’t return to the workplace at the
expected time.
1.2 Lone Workers are responsible for ensuring:

Their mobile telephone is charged, in good working order at all times and
they report any defect to their Line Manager.

They update the whiteboard or system used to monitor their whereabouts
when they leave workplace detailing where they are going, how long they
will be and what their estimated time of return is.
They have their mobile phone switched on at all times while working away
from the workplace.

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
Advising the Lone Worker Coordinators when they cannot return to the
workplace at the expected time.
1.3 “Lone Worker Coordinators” are responsible for:

Monitoring the status of all Lone Workers working from their workplace by
checking the information regarding their whereabouts and estimated
times of return.

Telephoning the Lone Worker should they fail to return to the office by
their allotted time.

Raising the alarm with the Lone Workers Manager/Security Team in the
event that the Lone Worker does not respond to the telephone call
Finishing on site, starting from home.
NB: when the Lone Worker intends to start work from home they must inform
their Lone Worker Coordinators and request that they record their whereabouts
anticipated time of return etc using the systems in place.
If a Lone Worker wishes to finish work on site without returning to their
workplace, they must inform their Lone Worker Coordinator that they are safe
and have finished for the day. The Lone Worker Coordinator must then remove
the Lone Workers details from the system being usded to record their
whereabouts.
Tips
Lone Workers may want to consider using their mobile phone alarms/alerts to
remind them of the time they need to contact the Lone Worker Coordinator.
Lone Worker Coordinator’s may want to consider using the Microsoft Outlook
Calendar to assist them in the task of Lone Worker Monitoring.
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Example of Procedure for Lone Worker Monitoring
Lone Worker enters details of Locations to be visited and estimated time of
return to the office on the allocated space on the Lone Worker monitoring
system eg White Board
Following a safe and punctual visit
or having requested the Lone
Worker Coordinator amend the
system eg whiteboard on their
behalf the Lone Worker returns
to the office on time and removes
their details from the whiteboard
Lone Worker responds to telephone
call from Lone Worker Coordinator
states they are ok, and requests the
Lone Worker Coordinator amend
the Whiteboard to suit
Lone Worker Coordinator
continues to try and contact
the Lone Worker
Security dispatch officers
to Lone Worker last known
location
Lone Worker does not
return to the office by the
time detailed on the white
board
Lone Worker Coordinator
telephones the Lone Worker to
check on their safety
Lone Worker does not
respond to the telephone call
from the Lone Worker
Coordinator
Lone Worker Coordinator raises the
alarm advising the Lone Workers Line
Manager/Security that a Lone Worker
has not returned to the workplace by the
allotted time. The Lone Worker
Coordinator advises the Manager/Security
of the Lone Workers name, last known
location and their pre arranged estimated
time of return to the office.
Manager dispatches Staff to the Lone
Workers last known location
Manager attempts to contact the Lone
Workers Colleagues/known friends and
family in an attempt to acertain their
whereabouts.
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