Lone working
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Lone Working Procedure
A staff member may, by the nature of their role, be in a position that would deem them to be a lone worker. In instances of lone working it is your responsibility to keep yourself safe. You have been issued with a Health and Safety pack to help you do this. Familiarise yourself with the contents of the pack and take it to all of your sessions. In case of emergency the contact details for the venue are on the risk assessment.
Health and Safety Pack Contents:
1 x Accident Incident Reporting Procedure
3 x Accident Incident Forms
1 x Lone Working Guidance/Procedure
1 x Personal Alarm and Instructions
1 x Small First Aid Kit
1 x PPE pack
If you have not received the pack or need pack replacements for out of date items please contact Business Support on 01604 367119.
1. Scope
This procedure describes how the lone worker system will operate to minimise the risk to staff when operating alone at locations away from the view of the public.
2. Definitions
Lone Worker: A member of staff working alone at any location, or site, where they are out of visual contact.
Example 1: A tutor going to the house of an unknown member of the public is a lone worker as they are out of visual contact, and would be unable to call on passers-by should the need for assistance arise.
Example 2: A tutor is a lone worker in instances where they find themselves alone in a teaching venue whilst setting up or packing away their class.
Named Person: Outside office hours, the named person is a family member or friend who can be trusted to operate the lone working system (see step 3 below). Within office hours (9am-5pm) this is a member of Business Support at One Angel Square (01604 367119).
3. Implementation of the Lone Worker System
3.1 When a member of staff is going into a lone worker situation, they must contact their Named Person before they enter a lone worker situation with:
a) Comprehensive details of their intended location(s) with expected arrival/departure times b) Contact details for the person/people they are due to meet where applicable c) The number of their mobile telephone must be confirmed
d) The time(s) they will call
e) Details of their intended return
It is the lone worker’s responsibility to provide sufficient information to allow all phases of the emergency procedure to be implemented effectively. Stating only the name of the town or village is NOT sufficient.
Members of staff entering into a lone worker situation should take their Health and Safety Pack and a charged mobile telephone with them. The telephone must be switched on during periods of lone working.
It is the responsibility of the lone worker to:
a) Test their personal alarm
b) Ensure their telephone is sufficiently charged and operating correctly
c) Check telephone reception levels before departing for the site and again upon arrival
3.2 During periods of expected absence it will be the lone worker’s responsibility to nominate a named person to report in to. It is the responsibility of the lone worker to be satisfied that the named person is in place before departing.
3.3 Call-ins are for the purpose of acknowledging that the lone worker is safe or, if an agreed call-in is not received, to alert the named person that a problem may exist. It will be the responsibility of the lone worker to ensure the calls are made at the agreed times. The time(s) may be selected at the discretion of the lone worker to suit their schedule.
3.4 Lone worker status will only be concluded when the lone worker calls in to report they are no longer in a lone worker situation.
IMPORTANT: Failure to call in at the agreed time(s) may result in the Emergency Procedure being implemented unnecessarily.
4. Emergency Procedure
4.1 Should the lone worker not call in at the agreed time, the named person should attempt to contact the lone worker
4.2 If they are unable to contact the lone worker after a reasonable amount of time they should contact the emergency services
NOTE: the ‘reasonable amount’ of time should be agreed between the lone worker and named person but should be no more than 15 minutes.