LONEALERT September Newsletter

Why have a Lone
Working Policy?
Employers have a legal duty to
carry out risk assessments of any
work-related activities which present
a risk to personal safety. This
policy should identify who might be
harmed, the dangers they face and
any measures that can be taken
to prevent and reduce the risk of
injury. Currently, there is no specific
legislation relating to lone working
but, due to increasing national press
coverage about the issue, employers
are becoming more and more
aware that it is their responsibility to
provide a duty of care for their staff
or face the consequences of a hefty
fine, damaged reputation - or even
tragedy - should the worst happen
with no effective lone working policy
in place.
Every organisation needs a policy
to inform lone workers about the
arrangements that are in place to
protect employees, which clarifies
roles, responsibilities and procedures.
As well as covering preventative
measures, the policy should also
state the actions that will be taken
in the case of incidents. The policy
should be communicated to all lone
working staff and anyone else who
has a part to play.
What is a Lone
Working Policy?
Lone Workers are under increased
threats from certain risks associated
with their particular job. A Lone
Worker Policy helps the business asses
any health and safety risks to an
employee which can be relevant to a
number of different situations in the
workplace. The assessment is essentially
in the form of a risk assessment
and can help decide whether
the employee requires a lone worker
device or something similar.
LONEALERT has created a lone
working policy template containing
many useful resources and advice,
including guidance on how to create
your own lone working policy to
keep your people safe.
Download our lone
worker policy
template here
Lone workers shown
they are never alone at
Health & Safety Show
The LONEALERT team exhibited at the Health and Safety Event at Birmingham’s NEC
from April 9th-11th.
Hundreds of visitors flocked to our stand during the event to learn more about the
latest developments in the lone worker industry, as well as our unparalleled range of
devices and solutions to protect lone workers.
We were given the chance to interview a range of visitors, exhibitors and customers
during the event to gain a greater insight into their thoughts on the world of lone working
and the solutions available. Here’s what they had to say:
WATCH: Rebecca of Maidstone Council shared her thoughts regarding desirable
lone working interface features
WATCH: Kevin of KSH Safety spoke to us about his own experiences with
LONEALERT
WATCH: Sophie of JCB Group spoke to us about a previous incident, in which a
LONEALERT device was used
Why the law is a low bar to aim
for when it comes to effectively
protecting your lone workers
Nicole was asked by LONEALERT’s James Lippett what
her views were regarding the current legislation regarding
protection of lone workers.
Nicole said:
“There is no specific
legislation relating to lone
working and that is potentially
one of the challenges
for organisations to understand
why they should
take it seriously. But I think
what businesses have
to recognise is that lone
working is just one of the
factors that can have an
impact on risks that come
under the Health & Safety
legislation that they absolutely
have a duty of care
to manage. And by that, it
means to manage in a way
It is about
understanding
the business
benefits of managing
lone
workers - their
safety, security
and wellbeing -
efficiently
that they feel comfortable,
their workers feel comfortable
and everyone can
get the business benefits
of managing lone workers
- safety, security and wellbeing
- really efficiently
In the last few years,
some businesses have
started to recognise that
it isn’t just about security
in terms of violence
and aggression, it is also
about Health & Safety impacts.
If you think about
an ageing population
and an ageing workforce,
there are particular sorts
of health concerns that
you might have with oler
lone workers, but also
A chat with:
Nicole Vazquez:
Nicole Vazquez, Director
of risk management
training consultancy,
Worthwhile Training, has
become somewhat of a
guru in the lone working
world. Renowned
for her encyclopaedic
knowledge and practical
experience, Nicole
supports many clients
through the whole risk
management process.
She has developed countless training solutions
and is a popular speaker at national conferences
and a contributor to many magazines.
people going out and
about who may be using
equipment, machinery, or
may have slips, trips and
falls - there’s health and
safety stuff there as well.
There’s also been a lot of
work done recently on
isolation and the impact
of lone working on stress,
and therefore the wellbeing
and mental health
issues as well. Therefore,
I think legislation is one
thing, and maybe we
could look at regulations
and think if they could be
tightened up, but from my
point of view I’d rather
businesses recognise the
benefits of getting this
right.”
LONEALERT to showcase its services and
solutions at Lone Worker Safety Expo 2019
We are delighted to be exhibiting at the Lone Worker
Safety Expo 2019, which will be held at the King’s Fund,
in Central London, on October 15th.
As a proud sponsor of the event, we are looking forward
to showcasing our lone worker protection solutions,
whilst networking with fellow industry experts and professionals,
and liaising with visitors to learn more about
their lone worker needs. Mathew Colley, LONEALERT’s
Sales & Marketing Manager, said: “The event is a perfect
opportunity for people to gain practical advice on
minimising risks, take part in practical workshops relating
to the health and safety of workers, and increase knowledge
and awareness about the personal safety, security
and wellbeing risks to lone and vulnerable workers in a
variety of sectors. We are looking forward to another informative
event which will allow us all to work together to
make positive strides in the world of lone worker protection.”
Click here to learn more about the event.
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