The Dos and Don’ts of Lone Worker Safety - Do You Know What They Are?
Every workplace and professional culture has its own safety rules and protocols to protect its workers. However, no matter where you work, there are universal “dos” and “don’ts” that can be applied to any workplace, minimizing any existing safety hazards and risks. In addition to this proven, helpful list, a remote and lone worker safety program will elevate the safety of your team while protecting the company.
As you read further, you will see a list of tips and practices that workers should and shouldn’t do when working alone, as well as five basic but important steps to take when developing an effective lone worker safety program.
DO’s for lone workers
DO tell people where you are. It is very important that at least one co-worker knows your location, in case something goes wrong. If there is an emergency, no one will be able to come to your aid if you have not shared your location. Sharing live locations can be done using satellite devices or checking in with safety monitoring staff.
DO Have access to a panic button. If you get into a dangerous situation, you may not be able to call for help. Having a quick and easy method of getting help is essential and could save your life! Motion sensors can also be very helpful in detecting falls or motionless lone workers.
DO assess your surroundings. It’s crucial to identify any potential safety hazards before you begin your task. If you find something that could unnecessarily jeopardize your safety, make sure to notify someone or simply avoid that task altogether. You can read more about identifying hazards in the workplace in our previous blog article.
DO check-in! Using a check-in monitoring system can also use your failure to check-in as a signal that something is wrong. This sort of system does not rely on your ability to call for help, to call for help. Frequent check-ins confirm your safety to monitors. Workers can also shorten check-in times while working in more dangerous environments. In addition to abiding by your company’s check-in system, make sure you are adhering to all other safety protocols employed by your organization.
DO trust your instincts. If you’re not comfortable performing a certain task, don’t do it. Trusting your instincts could be anything from refusing to enter a confined space that doesn’t have proper ventilation, to not operating machinery that you don’t feel confident with. Whatever the task may be, don’t be afraid to go with your gut. You know your limits better than anyone.
DON’TS for lone workers
DON’T accept risks that aren’t required. When you are working in isolation, you are already more vulnerable to workplace hazards. Hence, you should not take on any additional or needless risks. Being cautious and observant of the hazards at hand will help you to avoid situations that could put your personal safety at risk. Simply saying no if the task is extremely dangerous and not necessary, could save your life.
DON’T perform tasks that cannot be done safely in isolation. If you find yourself in a situation where you are expected to do a certain job on your own to save a company money, for example, you should always make sure that it is a job that can be done safely by a lone worker. Be wary of companies who are looking to save a buck by only paying one person for a job. If the task requires two people, do not attempt it on your own. Working outside of your abilities is often how accidents occur.
DON’T assume that you are invincible! When we’re talking about safety, the worst thing you can do is assume that you know everything. It’s essential that lone workers be accountable and mindful of their own safety. This means being prepared, ready, maintaining open lines of communication, and carrying the right equipment for the job. Complacency is very dangerous and unfortunately, often those who think they will never get hurt, are often the ones that do.
Build a dependable remote worker and lone worker safety program
For managers and leaders, you can help support these dos and don'ts by building a well-planned, coordinated lone worker safety program that will complement the safety practices noted above, keeping you, your co-workers, and your team safe on the job.
Develop a lone worker safety policy
The first step to an effective safety program is to develop a well-researched lone worker safety policy, which is essentially a guide to safely working alone, encouraging the regular practice of the dos and don’ts outlined above. Your lone worker policy should be flexible enough so that it can be incorporated into a range of positions while specific enough to create action items that will make an impact on the safety of your people. It is also key that the policy is accessible and approachable without the overuse of jargon and acronyms so that team members can easily understand and adopt its recommendations without the need for translation.
Lone worker safety solutions
Once you’ve started building your safety program, now is the time to begin researching lone worker safety solutions and any technology that can help protect the team.
Provide a lone worker check-in system
First of all, one of the core foundations of a successful lone worker safety program is a coordinated, reliable check-in system in which staff can check in before and after their shifts, confirming their safety. A lone worker check-in system can be done manually with some planning and structure. However, manual check-in systems are vulnerable to several issues, such as human error. An automated lone worker check-in system is dependable, reliable, and easy to use.
Use a lone worker safety app
Nearly 3 billion around the world use smartphones and the wide range of apps on those phones are improving a range of issues like health, communication, and in this case, worker safety. A lone worker safety app or device is an ideal solution as it can be employed on existing devices, significantly reducing purchasing and training costs for the company and worker. Many of these apps also provide other valuable features such a fall detection and emergency panic buttons – choose the best one for your team’s needs.
Provide safety training
And while safety technology and apps have significantly improved worker safety across the board and across most industries, employers still need to train their lone and remote workers on any safety protocols and policies they may have in place. Yes, safety training does require valuable time and effort from the employees and managers, however the money and hours spent are well worth it. In addition to technology and apps, thoughtful safety training can significantly improve the well-being and security of your team.
Start researching lone worker solutions
So now that you know the dos and don’ts of lone worker safety, you need to start researching what the best options are to protect your team and mitigate any safety risks they may be facing. The best place to start is to conduct a thorough hazard assessment of the workplace, identifying any safety risks you or your team may be facing. Once you’ve identified the safety hazards and pain points, you can then begin looking for the best lone worker protection solution for the team’s unique needs.