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Lone working

There are health and safety regulations covering people who work on their own with little or no supervision.

This can include people who work by themselves in retail premises such as garages or small shops, those who work outside normal hours such as cleaners and maintenance and repair staff and those who work away form their base such as postal staff, social workers and drivers.

As a result, in the event of an emergency there is no-one to assist or help them.

But health and safety legislation places a duty on their employer to ensure their work is carried out safely.

Employers are expected to carry out a risk assessment and look closely at how a job is done.

They should identify any work hazards, assess the risks involved and make sure adequate measures are put in place to avoid the person carrying out the work being harmed.

Once these risks have been addressed a safe working procedure should be developed.

Safe working procedures include regular checks by a supervisor, another employee or other designated person.

Or periodic telephone contact may be adequate for low-risk work situations.

For more information contact our Food and Safety team.

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