Legal Requirements for Employers Regarding Lone Worker Safety

Lone worker safety is important to employers. They must implement a duty of care program to protect employees from injury, illness, or death, as well as safeguard their business in the event of a lawsuit or workers’ compensation claim.

One of the ways they can do this is by creating a risk assessment that covers the locations and environments their lone workers will be operating in.

General Duty Clause

A lone worker is an employee who works alone on a regular basis or away from the typical work location. Lone workers may be found in many industries, such as construction, utilities, maintenance and repair, transportation, agriculture, and more. Regardless of industry, employees who are often working alone need to know how to protect themselves from dangers while on the job. Developing policies, providing training, and using technology to track employee location are just a few ways that employers can help protect lone workers.

Lone worker risk assessments are a legal requirement for employers, according to OSHA regulations. These safety assessments should include identifying any potential risks and creating procedures to mitigate those hazards. Additionally, lone workers should be trained on how to communicate with coworkers and how to call for help if they are ever unsure of their safety.

The General Duty Clause of the OSHA Regulations states that all employers must offer work environments free of dangerous workplace hazards. Those hazards include anything that could cause employees to become seriously injured or killed at the workplace. For example, workplace violence is a recognized hazard that should be eliminated by employers, according to the OSHA Act of 1970.

However, OSHA cannot issue a standard for every workplace hazard that exists. That’s why the General Duty Clause is so important—it acts as a catch-all for situations that don’t have an official OSHA standard.

If an inspector finds a serious hazard at a workplace, they can cite the employer under the General Duty Clause. The citation must show that the workplace has a recognized hazard, that the hazard caused an injury or illness, and that there is a feasible way to abate it.

There are a few different ways that an inspector can identify a workplace hazard, including observing an employee, reviewing injury and illness logs, or hearing an employee’s complaint. However, an inspector can’t cite an employer for violating the General Duty Clause if they are already in violation of another OSHA regulation. This includes having an improperly labeled chemical or a seatbelt that isn’t worn on a forklift, according to OSHA’s Field Operations Manual.

OSHA

As a business owner, you’re likely aware of your legal obligations regarding employee safety. However, it’s also important to consider the wellbeing of individuals who aren’t your direct employees. This includes family members, friends, and acquaintances, as well as those who work alone. Prioritizing their well-being should be a part of your company culture and reflected in your lone worker policies. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulates workers in all industries across the US, including those who work by themselves. The agency’s regulations on working alone provide a set of standards that employers must follow to protect lone workers.

In addition to following OSHA guidelines, companies must also comply with specific laws that apply to individual industries and situations. This includes conducting a risk assessment and establishing procedures for employees who will be working alone. Additionally, you must determine how you’ll monitor your employees and whether they will have access to emergency services.

You should be aware that if you fail to meet any of these requirements, you could face fines or other penalties. If you don’t know if your business meets these requirements, it’s essential to consult OSHA’s website for information about the agency and specific guidelines that pertain to your industry.

The General Duty Clause of the OSH Act requires employers to provide a workplace free from serious recognized hazards. This includes a safe environment for workers and the necessary training and equipment to perform their duties. If you have employees who will be working alone, it’s crucial to carry out a full risk assessment before assigning them tasks. This should include both routine tasks and foreseeable emergencies such as natural disasters, fires, or violence. It should also take into account any medical conditions that may affect an employee’s ability to work alone.





Once you’ve identified the risks, implement safety measures and update your policy to reflect best practices and changes in technology and the industry. This is critical to ensuring the safety of your lone employees, and it will help your company avoid costly penalties and improve your reputation by building a strong culture of safety.

Occupational Safety and Health Act

Employers must follow safety and health laws to protect their employees and avoid liability. Failure to follow regulations can result in employee injury, illness, and death as well as lawsuits, worker’s compensation claims, and government investigation. A comprehensive duty of care program can protect your organization from liability and prevent costly legal issues by focusing on understanding foreseeable risks and incidents and developing corresponding employee training, prevention, and response strategies. While the specific requirements of your program will vary depending on your industry, size, location, common risks, and other factors, implementing a comprehensive program for lone workers is an important step in protecting your team.





duress alarm To comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Act, employers should develop a lone working policy that includes best practices for assessing and mitigating hazards that may arise during work alone. It should also include a clear description of what happens in the event of an incident. The policy should be communicated to all lone workers and updated regularly.

While the General Duty Clause applies to all employees, lone workers face unique risks and challenges. For example, a potentially dangerous situation such as an angry client at a customer’s home can have a much more severe impact when the employee is alone and unable to call for help.

When implementing your lone working policy, make sure your staff understand that it is not a suggestion but a requirement. This will give your staff a better sense of comfort and security while working alone, and will also encourage them to take precautions when facing unforeseen circumstances.

A strong lone working policy should be supported by an effective monitoring system. This could include GPS tracking, video monitoring, or regular check-ins, and should be customized for the needs of your lone workers. It is also important to provide a means for employees to report incidents and accidents to management as soon as possible.

Lone workers often carry out their duties in remote locations where it is impossible to get assistance quickly in the event of an emergency. It is therefore essential for employers to conduct a risk assessment for each of their lone worker locations and develop detailed protocols for addressing potential hazards.

Health and Safety at Work Act

The Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974 requires that employers make a reasonable effort to keep all employees safe. This includes those who work alone. In order to do so, companies must have a system in place that checks in with employees regularly and provides them with the proper equipment and training for their roles.

Lone worker safety is a serious concern for many businesses that need to hire employees who travel between locations or work in remote areas. This can include workers in the transportation industry, construction, utilities, maintenance and repair, and agriculture. These workers often need to be on site alone for extended periods of time and face a variety of hazards while they are working. The extent of the supervision required should be determined based on the findings of a risk assessment, but it must always be a management decision, not left to individual employees to determine whether they need help.

Companies should create a lone worker policy that addresses specific procedures for when an employee might need assistance, emergency contact details, and how to report any accidents or incidents. They should also conduct regular safety hazard assessments to identify and document potential risks that could impact the health and well-being of lone workers.

In addition to meeting their legal obligations, prioritizing lone worker safety can also benefit a company’s reputation and bottom line. By providing a safe environment for their employees, companies can reduce the costs of injuries, lost work time, and workers’ compensation claims.

The simplest way to comply with the General Duty Clause is to develop and implement a risk assessment that clearly identifies any foreseeable emergencies that may affect lone workers. This should be done regularly and should incorporate any new or evolving hazards that may be encountered. Developing user-friendly communication and reporting protocols, and updating risk assessments and lone worker policies to reflect these changes can further help to ensure that employers are meeting their legal obligations.

Companies should also offer a range of personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect lone workers from workplace hazards, such as hard hats, high-visibility clothing, and even technology like a wearable panic button. Employers should provide a lone worker safety policy and ensure that all employees are trained on the procedures for checking in, using their PPE, and what to do if they feel threatened or in danger during a lone working situation.