Maintaining Your Lone Worker Safety and OSHA Regulations
Table of Contents
What is Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)? ?
Why does OSHA exist?
Key OSHA regulations
Beyond OSHA regulations: How organizations can practice duty of care
How do employers satisfy duty of care for lone workers?
Who is covered by OSHA and the OSH Act?
Where does OSHA operate?
Lone worker safety requires unique safety measures
Looking for Canadian lone worker legislation?
Tools to help you stay OSHA compliant
Are you meeting OSHA lone worker requirements?
SafetyLine FAQs
OSHA has helped protect millions of workers over the decades. Since President Richard Nixon signed the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act on December 29, 1970, the resulting Occupational Safety and Health Agency has put in regulatory protections for countless of US workers over 55 years of its operations.
What is Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)?
OSHA is a federal agency with about 2,000 inspectors responsible for the health and safety of roughly 130 million workers at more than 8 million worksites across the U.S. OSHA plays a crucial role in workplace safety across the U.S., particularly for high-risk industries such as home healthcare, manufacturing, and remote fieldwork.
Why does OSHA exist?
OSHA’s mission is is “to ensure safe and healthful working conditions for workers by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance.”
The agency enforces these safety standards and regulations “by conducting inspections based on priority such as an imminent danger situation, fatality, or a worker complaint.”
Looking to connect with OHSA? Call 800-321-6742 (OSHA)
Key OSHA regulations
Not only do employers and companies have a moral obligation to protect their workers and employees, but they also have a legal one. For example, provisions 1915.84 address the hazards associated with employees working alone in shipyards. While this regulation may not be applicable to all industries, it remains crucial to consider the safety and well-being of solitary employees across all work environments. OSHA regulations regarding lone worker safety in shipyards are predominantly guided by two primary safety standards:
OSHA 1915.84: Working alone
1915.84(a) Except as provided in § 1915.51(c)(3) of this part, whenever an employee is working alone, such as in a confined space or isolated location, the employer shall account for each employee:
Throughout each work shift at regular intervals appropriate to the job assignment to ensure the employee’s safety and health; and at the end of the job assignment or at the end of the work shift, whichever occurs first.
1915.84(b) The employer shall account for each employee by sight or verbal communication; maintaining lone worker safety is an important employer responsibility to protect lone workers properly; organizational leadership must consider OSHA regulations, lone worker safety best practices, and employee needs and expectations.
This standard is important because it requires employers to ensure that their lone team members are accounted for by sight or verbal communication, including safety check-ins or accessible means to connect with their manager, monitor, or office. Most importantly, lone workers must have an accessible way to request immediate help in case of an emergency or work accident. OSHA 1915.84 requires employers to monitor lone workers through regular check-ins. These lone worker safety protocols help ensure compliance and emergency readiness.
Source: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1915/1915.84
OSHA Section 5(a)(1): General Duty Clause
Additionally, employers and organizations are responsible under OSHA’s General Duty Clause. Specifically, the clause says each employer:
• (1) shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment that are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees;
• (2) shall comply with occupational safety and health standards promulgated under this Act.
(b) Each employee shall comply with occupational safety and health standards and all rules, regulations, and orders issued pursuant to this Act which are applicable to his own actions and conduct.
The General Duty Clause is significant because it makes employers accountable to provide and maintain environments and conditions free of dangerous occupational hazards. However, in order to identify and document these hazards, employers must conduct regular safety hazard assessments of the environment.
Source: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/oshact/section5-duties
Beyond OSHA regulations: How organizations can practice duty of care
Beyond federal OSHA regulations, employers must also practice a duty of care, which, according to tort law, is a legal obligation that requires compliance with safety practices and protocols that keep people safe, such as their hard-working employees.
Practicing duty of care means going beyond OSHA compliance to include proactive safety measures and steps like check-ins and safety training. It means demonstrating and showing that the safety of the organization’s lone and remote staff is a priority.
How do employers satisfy duty of care for lone workers?
First of all, and most importantly, duty of care includes strict adherence to the OSHA standards mentioned above. Ensure you exhaustively research, monitor, and execute your local occupational health and safety standards, as well as any mandatory or recommended industry-specific practices. But in the meantime, as you’ll read further, there are steps the employer can take, regardless of what professional area they’re in.
Regular, thorough hazard and risk assessments
To keep a close eye on existing and potential workplace safety hazards, conduct safety hazard assessments not only when there is a change in the job or employee but on a regular basis. Hazard assessments should be a regular safety protocol, depending on any changes or new hazards in the work environment.
Structured automated safety check-ins
The well-being of lone workers can also be monitored with an automated check-in system. The employee can confirm their safety by checking in before and after their shift, or whichever time allotment is determined beforehand, depending on how much safety risk they are facing.
Location-tracking technology
We know it may not be financially feasible at the time; however, if their lone workers spend their work time in remote locations, employers should look at providing the best location-tracking technology, such as satellite devices.
Robust health and wellness fund
If possible, have an allocated health and wellness fund available for expenses that benefit the employees’ well-being and safety such as new exercise equipment, extra massage therapy, or anything that will boost wellness – it’s different for everyone.
Who is covered by OSHA and the OSH Act?
The OSH Act of 1970 and OSHA cover a majority of private-sector employers and their workers, as well as some public-sector employers and workers in the 50 states, certain territories, and jurisdictions under federal authority.
The Act does not cover the self-employed, immediate family members of farm employers, or workplace hazards regulated by another federal agency such as the Mine Safety and Health Administration or Coast Guard.
Where does OSHA operate?
OSHA’s rules and regulations exist within most businesses and workplaces in each of the 50 U.S. states. However, it also has about 100 regional and area offices around the country.
Regardless of whether OSHA regulations or duty of care apply to your business or industry, employers have an ethical responsibility to do everything within their means to protect their vulnerable workers so that they can go home at the end of the day.
Lone worker safety requires unique safety measures
Lone and remote workers perform their jobs in somewhat more unique and vulnerable work conditions, unique considerations must be made to protect these people in the such special occupational circumstances.
In addition to abiding by OHSA regulations as well as the duty of care we discussed, the specific safety hazards for each lone worker must be measured and assessed so the proper accommodations can be made. If this doesn’t happen, the lone workers – and therefore the entire company – are at serious risk.
On July 14, 2025, OSHA introduced a 20% penalty reduction for employers with no serious, willful, or repeat violations in the past 5 years; or companies that have never been inspected.
Looking for Canadian lone worker legislation?
North of the border, for Canadian employers, understanding federal work alone legislation is also key to compliance and worker protection. While comparable, lone worker regulations and legislation are managed at a provincial and territorial level.
Tools to help you stay OSHA compliant
Maintaining lone worker safety in compliance with OSHA regulations is crucial for a secure work environment. OSHA compliance tools are essential in any lone worker team. Utilize proven workplace hazard solutions such as OSHA safety check-ins, the Lone Worker Safety App to enhance safety measures – and explore our pricing options to find the right plan for your organization. Please visit our FAQ page for more information about the lone worker safety app and safety check-ins.
Are you meeting OSHA lone worker requirements?
Ensuring OSHA compliance should not only be a signed document – it must also be an ongoing component of protecting your lone workers. From regular hazard assessments to automated safety check-ins, your people’s safety relies on proactive safety measures.
Is your organization meeting OSHA lone working requirements? Connect with us so we can find out and address your needs.
Is your company meeting OHSA lone working legislation in the United States? Connect with us so we can help you meet your needs.
SafetyLine FAQs
Who is SafetyLine Lone Worker for?
SafetyLine is designed for employees who work alone or in isolated, hazardous environments. It helps organizations monitor and protect lone workers while staying compliant with local safety regulations.
What industries does SafetyLine support?
SafetyLine serves a wide range of sectors including healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, government, real estate, energy, and nonprofits. If your team includes lone or remote workers, SafetyLine can be tailored to your needs.
How does SafetyLine benefit my organization?
SafetyLine enhances worker safety through automated check-ins, GPS tracking, and emergency alerts. It helps reduce liability, improve compliance, and ensure peace of mind for both workers and employers.
Do I need technical expertise to use SafetyLine?
Not at all. SafetyLine is user-friendly and designed for easy adoption across web, mobile, and satellite platforms. Minimal training is required to get started.
Is it legal for employees to work alone?
Yes, but employers must follow legislation that protects lone workers. SafetyLine helps you stay compliant with both U.S. and Canadian lone worker laws by providing tools to monitor and respond to safety risks.