Health and Safety - Lone Working

Policy

The Board of Directors and the Chief Executive of the Society recognise that they have a duty of care to fulfil to all colleagues whilst they are carrying out duties required as part of their employment. From time to time a colleague may be required to carry out lone working. In order to fulfil their obligations, they have adopted the following procedure.

Procedure

Where colleagues are required to carry out lone working as part of their normal daily activities the Society will ensure by way of control measures that the person(s) affected are no more at risk than any other colleague of the business so far as is reasonably practicable.

Control Measures

If a lone worker is based on its premises, they will ensure that telephone or radio contact is possible. Where the work is believed to be physical or a work routine is to be imposed a colleague may also be required in certain circumstances to answer basic questions regarding the condition of their health (for example, information about heart conditions, epilepsy or any dependent medication). This is to ensure that the business is able to extend its duty of care and to carry out further risk assessments where necessary to protect the health & safety of the individual.

Manager’s Responsibilities

Where lone workers are under the direct supervision of a line manager, the manager is responsible for ensuring the following control measures are put in place:

• Instruction and training on lone working and any emergency procedures that are site specific (position of first aid box etc.).

• Where required a risk assessment to highlight any issues with regard to work activities or personal safety of the lone worker – can all plant, substances and goods be handled safely by one person; how vulnerable is the site or the colleague?

• Where required a process for regular supervision to ensure the safety of the lone worker.

• Where required a process to ensure the lone worker is contacted at agreed time intervals.

Mobile Lone Workers

Due to the nature of the business activities that the Society carries out, certain colleagues are required to carry out driving activities on behalf of the business as part of their normal working day.

In such cases, the Society will make available information such as emergency contact information for the lone worker to be able to request assistance in cases such as vehicle breakdown. They will also make provision (via countermeasures put in place through risk assessment) for certain mobile lone workers to have access to adequate first-aid facilities by way of a small first aid kit for treating minor injuries.

Colleague Responsibilities

As with all colleagues the duty to protect their own health & safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions will remain the same.

Specific arrangements for lone working are in place for some trading groups, further information can be obtained within the ‘group specific’ policies or by contacting the Health & Safety Team.