Lone worker

A lone worker (LW) is an employee who performs an activity that is carried out in isolation from other workers without close or direct supervision. Such staff may be exposed to risk because there is no-one to assist them and so a risk assessment may be required.

There are different types of lone workers including:

The following countries have enacted lone worker legislation:

Australia has legislation regarding lone workers and their employers. As of the 1st of January 2014, it has become compulsory for employers to monitor the health and well being of any of their employees working remotely or in isolated conditions. Control measures are now in place to ensure effective communication and worker monitoring are in place as well as access to assistance of emergency services for isolated or remote workers. Regulation 48 from the Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice 2011 outlines definitions of isolated and remote workers as well as possible control measures and should be read for more information in regard to this law.'

Some of the provinces in Canada have enacted legislation regarding employer's responsibility towards Lone Workers.

Additional Province-issued documents include:

France has enacted laws protecting lone workers.

Germany has codified laws mandating when it is legal to work alone and how those workers must be protected.

Spain has codified laws governing the protection of lone workers.

The UK has a Code of practice relating to the 'Provision of lone worker services' via the British Standard, BS 8484. In August 2016, the standard was republished, and BS 8484:2016 was introduced (This supersedes BS 8484:2011 which will be withdrawn on 28 February 2017).

Other UK legislation relevant to the safety of lone workers:

In November 2015, The Sentencing Council introduced a 'Definitive Guideline for Health and Safety Offences, Corporate Manslaughter and Food Safety and Hygiene Offences', effective in sentencing from 1 February 2016. Fines imposed are considered in accordance with a number of factors:

Common practices used by companies to manage the personal safety of their Lone Workers are:

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