Managing Lone Workers
Managing lone workers means taking the same risks as any other worker and adding an extra control layer: the person is working without immediate close support. Lone workers might be home-based staff, mobile workers, drivers, engineers on customer sites, cleaners or security staff out of hours, and anyone else whose work is routinely done without a colleague nearby.
Lone working is not illegal and not inherently unsafe, but it changes how risks need to be assessed and controlled. An incident that would be minor in a staffed workplace can become serious if there is no one on hand to help.
Legal Duties for Managing Lone Workers
In the UK, the general duties in the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 apply in full to lone workers. Specific points include:
- Employers must carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment, which for lone workers will include the risks created by working alone.
- Where risks cannot be adequately controlled, lone working should not go ahead.
- Young people (under 18) should not normally carry out lone working where increased risk cannot be controlled.
- New or expectant mothers may need adjustments where lone working would expose them to specific risks.
The HSE guidance "Working alone" (INDG73) is the standard UK reference. Organisations outside the UK should apply their own equivalent guidance and law.
Assessing the Risks of Lone Working
A lone working risk assessment looks at the task, the environment, the person and the arrangements in place if something goes wrong. Key questions include:
- What hazards would normally be there if the person was not alone, and do they become more serious without close support?
- Are there any specific risks associated with being alone - for example violence from members of the public, vehicle incidents out of hours, or a sudden health issue with no one to raise the alarm?
- Is there an acceptable means of communication (phone signal, radio, lone worker device) wherever the work takes place?
- Is the person competent and trained to carry out the work alone, including what to do if something goes wrong?
- Are there health factors that make lone working unsuitable for this particular person?
Some activities are not suitable for lone working regardless of controls - working in confined spaces, working at height in certain circumstances, high-voltage electrical work, and working with specific hazardous substances are common examples.
Controls for Managing Lone Workers
Typical controls for lone working include:
- Check-in systems - scheduled calls or app-based check-ins at the start, end and at key points of the work.
- Lone worker devices - panic buttons, GPS-enabled apps, or monitored alarm devices for higher-risk roles.
- Dynamic risk assessment - the lone worker trained to re-assess risk if conditions change (for example, an aggressive client or deteriorating weather).
- Clear communication protocols - what to do if a check-in is missed, who escalates, and how.
- Supervisor visits or buddy systems where lone working is regular.
- No-work conditions - scenarios where the lone worker should stop and withdraw rather than continue.
The appropriate mix depends on the specific risks. A mobile engineer visiting familiar sites during daylight will need lighter controls than a social worker doing visits in unknown locations.
Managing Lone Workers and the Management System
Lone working sits within the broader H&S management system. Under ISO 45001, lone working risks should be identified in the hazard identification process, assessed and controlled through the risk assessment hierarchy, consulted on with workers under Clause 5.4, and reviewed in management review. Any incidents involving lone workers (including near-misses) should go through the normal incident reporting process.
The arrangements should also connect to the training and competency matrix - lone working often needs specific training that is not required for the same task when carried out with others present.
Lone working is not the same as unsupervised working. Someone in an office on their own is technically a lone worker, but the risks are typically low. A field engineer visiting an unknown address is a lone worker in a much higher-risk situation. The risk assessment needs to reflect that difference.
Check-ins work best when they are built into normal routines. A call at the start of each job and on completion is harder to skip than a single daily check-in.
Our mobile engineers use a lone worker app that combines GPS, check-in prompts, and a panic button. If a scheduled check-in is missed, the duty manager is alerted automatically. We built the process after an incident where one of our team had a near-miss and no one knew for several hours.
We also built in a simple rule: if a situation feels unsafe, the engineer withdraws and calls in. No questions asked. Removing the pressure to press on has made the biggest practical difference.
For lone working I look at the risk assessment, the controls and the evidence they are being used in practice. A lone worker policy and an app in the drawer is not a control. I want to see that check-ins are happening, that missed check-ins are followed up, and that lone workers have been trained on what to do if things change.
Assess what could go wrong, work out how the person gets help if it does, and make sure the kit and communication to do that actually works on the ground. Do not assume phone signal or radio coverage without checking. That is most of lone working risk management.
Practical Compliance Guidance
Section 3.1 of the IMS1 IMS Manual covers the management of staff, and lone working forms part of the H&S risk assessment and control arrangements.
Several alphaZ documents support a structured approach to managing lone workers:
| alphaZ document | How to use it |
|---|---|
| ISO 45001 Toolkit | The complete toolkit for an ISO 45001 occupational health and safety management system covering lone working within the wider H&S arrangements. |
| P-15 Lone Working and Violence Policy | Policy setting out the organisation approach to lone working, including when it is permitted and the controls that apply. |
| RA-HS04 Lone Working Risk Assessment | Risk assessment template covering typical lone working hazards and the controls needed to reduce risk to an acceptable level. |
| GEN1-1 General Staff Handbook | Consolidated staff handbook covering company policies, the management system and the arrangements for working alone. |
Note - all the above files can be downloaded with an alphaZ subscription.
Frequently Asked Questions
UK Legislation
The following UK legislation is relevant to managing lone workers. Organisations outside the UK should identify the equivalent legislation applicable in their jurisdiction.
- Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
- Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
- Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981
- Health and Safety (Young Persons) Regulations 1997
