2. Manage the risks of working alone
Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, you must manage the risk to lone workers.
Think about who will be involved and which hazards could harm those working alone.
You must:
- train, supervise and monitor lone workers
- keep in touch with them and respond to any incident
When a lone worker will be at someone else's workplace you must ask that employer about any risks and control measures to make sure they are protected.
Risks to consider
Risks that particularly affect lone workers include:
- violence in the workplace
- stress and mental health or wellbeing
- a person's medical suitability to work alone
- the workplace itself, for example if it's in a rural or isolated area
High-risk work
Certain high-risk work requires at least one other person. This includes work:
- in a confined space, where a supervisor may need to be there, along with someone in a rescue role
- near exposed live electricity conductors
- in diving operations
- in vehicles carrying explosives
- with fumigation
Working from home
You have the same health and safety responsibilities for homeworkers and the same liability for accident or injury as for any other workers.
This means you must provide supervision, education and training, as well as implementing enough control measures to protect the homeworker.
Find out more on homeworking.