Some jobs require employees to work alone and this increases the risk of accidents and injuries. And this underscores the importance of lone worker safety.

Unfortunately, not everyone fully understands the concept of lone worker safety. This explains why some employers have not taken steps to protect employees who work alone. It even keeps employees from taking the ample measures to protect themselves.

So to help you better understand what lone worker security is all about, here are the answers to some frequently asked questions:

Who are classified as lone workers?

As the term suggests, this pertains to employees who work alone. They either work away from the base or those who are on the same premises but are away from their colleagues. They can also be those employees who work in very small operations. Home and mobile workers are considered as lone workers.

The Health and Safety Executive or HSE also defines lone workers as those who work by themselves with little to no close supervision. A lot of people fall under this classification ranging from shop clerks, security staff, freelancers, healthcare professionals, and even public utility vehicle drivers.

All of these people face different kinds of dangers on the job every single day. The fact that they work alone makes things worse as they might not be able to call for help right away without any safety protocols in place.

While there are no specific laws mandating employers to provide special protection to their lone workers, they are still required to ensure their employees’ safety under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act. So even if these solitary workers do not work within the employer’s facilities, the latter is still required to ensure their safety while they’re on the clock.

Why is there a need for lone worker safety?

As mentioned above, a lot of risks come with working alone. The fact that these employees do not have someone else with them while they do their job is already risky as accidents can always occur. The threat of violence is also always there for some lone workers. Then there’s also their health and the work environment that can be detrimental to an employee’s well being.

These factors should be controlled effectively if an employer doesn’t want their employee to get hurt. Such incidents won’t just cost an employee their good health and livelihood but can also have a negative impact on the company they work for, as well. These can easily cause loss of productivity and financial liability, so avoiding them is a must.

What can employers do to ensure that their lone workers are safe while on the job?

Employers can take advantage of various means to ensure their lone workers’ safety. As long as they understand the risks that come with such line of work, they will be able to find a suitable safety measure for their workers on the field.

For one, they can use modern technology in tracking and supervising their lone workers. There are devices and even mobile applications that are designed for this specific purpose. All employers need to do is find the right one to meet their needs and requirements.

Next, employers can also train their lone workers to protect themselves from possible threats. Depending on their line of work, the right safety practices are already enough to help prevent serious safety problems.

At the end of the day, however, lone worker safety depends on how well solitary workers can keep themselves safe. It’s crucial that employees are taught the basics of personal security an absolute must. The HSE recommends the Suzy Lamplugh Trust as a reliable source of personal security advice in such cases.