17 October 2024
Lone workers face the same hazards at work as anyone else, but there is a greater risk of these hazards causing harm as they may not have anyone to help or support them if things go wrong.
Employers should provide training, supervision, monitoring and support for lone workers.
A lone worker is ‘someone who works by themselves without close or direct supervision’. They exist in all sectors and include those who:
- work alone at a fixed base, for example in shops, petrol stations, factories, warehouses or leisure centres
- work separately from other people on the same premises or outside normal working hours, for example security staff, cleaners, maintenance and repair staff
- work at home
- work away from a fixed base, such as:
- health, medical and social care workers visiting people’s homes etc
- workers involved in construction, maintenance and repair including engineers, plant installation and cleaning workers
- engineers, assessors and delivery drivers of equipment and supplies who attend construction projects
- service workers, including postal staff, taxi drivers, engineers, estate agents, and sales or service representatives visiting domestic and commercial premises
- delivery drivers including HGV drivers, van driver, couriers and car bike-based couriers
- agricultural and forestry workers
Further information
The leaflet Protecting lone workers: How to manage the risks of working alone (UK HSE website) provides advice for anyone who employs lone workers, or engages them as contractors, including self-employed people or those who work alone.
gov.je