Lone Working

August 2008, Review August 2010

Lone Working

Tigh a’Chomainn accepts its responsibility for the health and safety of lone workers. When lone working is anticipated, a risk assessment will be carried out and action will be taken as necessary to remove or minimise the chance of harm occurring.

Lone working may be defined as a work activity which is carried out in isolation from other workers. The work activity should normally last for some time.

Lone working can take place when co-workers:
• Work on their own (with or without residents present) in Tigh a'Chomainn.
• Work on their own (with residents) outside Tigh a'Chomainn, e.g. accompanying a resident to an official appointment or taking one or more residents out on a leisure activity.

Hazards which lone workers might encounter include:
• accidents or emergencies arising out of the work including inadequate provision of first aid
• sudden illnesses
• resident’s challenging behaviour

A risk assessment should consider:
• whether the work can be done safely by a single person
• what arrangements are required to ensure the lone worker is at no more risk than co-workers working together

Specific issues that may need to be considered when carrying out a risk assessment include:
• whether a resident is known to present a risk and the agreed plan for working with them  
• availability of supervision and monitoring for lone workers
• whether proper training has been provided
• whether the risks of the job can be controlled by an individual working on their own
• contingency plans in case the worker falls ill or has an accident, or there is an emergency such as a fire or hazardous spillage
• whether the job imposes any extra demands on the lone worker's physical or mental stamina
• whether the lone worker suffers from any illness that might increase the risks of the job

Communications and personal alarms
Appropriate communications should be maintained with the lone worker. Whether inside or outside Tigh a'Chomainn, the lone worker should have access to a telephone in order to be able to contact colleagues if there is a difficulty or emergency.

Information and training
Sufficient training and information must be provided to the lone workers to enable him/her to identify hazards and take appropriate action to avoid them.