US and UK Lone Working Regulations to Safeguard Solo Employees

Even though this guide specifically covers workplace safety laws in the US and the UK, no matter where your organization is based, it’s important to understand today’s general workplace safety standards to inform how you can best safeguard your lone workers.

US Laws

The US does not have country-wide laws for ensuring the safety of lone workers specifically. Rather, there are general safety laws by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), such as the OSHA Act of 1970, which exists to assure healthful and safe working environments and working conditions for all workers, lone employees included. Its General Duty Clause (Section 5) states that each employer should provide employees with a safe working environment free from hazards that can cause harm, as well as comply with other occupational health and safety standards as set by law.

In addition to providing a safe workplace free of recognized hazards, OSHA states that other federal Employer Responsibilities include:

• inspecting workplace conditions to ensure they satisfy OSHA standards;
• providing employees with safe tools and equipment and properly maintaining those implements;
• utilizing signs, posters, labels, and color codes to alert employees of potential hazards;
• creating, updating, and disseminating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) so that employees adhere to safety and health requirements; and
• providing safety training that workers can understand.

Some states have also created their own lone working laws. Some of which are the following:

• New York: The amended Retail Worker Safety Act (RWSA) will require retail establishments with more than 500 employees to equip each worker with a panic button, which helps lone retail workers report safety risks immediately.
• Illinois: Under the Hotel and Casino Employee Safety Act, hotels and casinos are required to provide employees working alone a safety device or notification device when in guest rooms, restrooms, or casino floors.
• Washington: SB 5258 – 2019-20 provides employers of motels, hotels, retail establishments, security entities, and property services across the state a set of guidelines to ensure lone workers are protected from acts of violence and sexual harassment.

UK Laws

Similar to the US, the UK does not have any laws explicitly pertaining to lone workers. Instead, there is the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSW Act), which aims to secure the health, safety, and welfare of all workers and protect non-workers against the health and safety risks that arise out of others’ work, including lone workers.

The HWS Act states that employers’ General Duties to their employees include:

• ensuring the health, safety, and welfare of all employees;
• providing and maintaining safe, risk-free workplaces and systems of work;
• arranging for the safe, risk-free use, handling, storage, and transport of substances and articles;
• providing the necessary training, instruction, information, and supervision to ensure the health and safety of all employees; and
• maintaining places of work in safe conditions, free of risks to health, as far as is reasonably practicable.

There is also the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guide entitled “Protecting lone workers: How to manage the risks of working alone,” which details how to keep lone workers healthy and safe.

According to the guide, the process of ensuring safe and healthy workplaces can be much different than that of other workers. Employers should make sure to:

• assess specific areas of lone-working risk such as the workplace itself, the chances of violence, the manual handling practices in place, and the medical suitability of the individual to work alone;
• understand lone workers’ requirements for training, levels of experience and skills, and how best to supervise and monitor them; and
• establish systems to keep in contact with lone workers and respond to any incidents.

The HSE also provides guidelines on how to keep in touch with employees as they work alone. It states that any monitoring system put in place should be well-embedded into an organization, understood by all, and may include:

• supervisors periodically visiting and observing people working alone;
• pre-agreed intervals of regular contact between the lone worker and employer, using phones, radios, email, etc.;
• devices designed to raise the alarm in an emergency, which can be operated manually or automatically; and
• implementing a robust system to ensure a lone worker has returned to their base or home once their work is completed.

Tools for Complying with Lone Working Legislations

Working alone, without back-up support or supervision, presents higher-risk health and safety threats than when working in the presence of colleagues. Luckily, there are various tools and practices that your organization can deploy to protect workers and comply with lone working laws and guidelines.

Some tools employers can employ to ensure compliance with lone working regulations include the following:

• Real-time lone worker monitoring digital solutions: Deploying a lone worker safety and management system, such as a lone worker app or a lone worker device, can help keep lone workers connected and safe no matter where they are. The ideal lone worker solution, at a minimum, should have:
  • Location monitoring and other GPS tracking capabilities
  • Automated periodic check-ins
  • Emergency panic alarms accessible via both desktop and mobile
• Trainings: Employers should regularly provide training to employees to ensure they are properly equipped to work alone and respond to any emergencies. This is often done with in-person sessions, but digital solutions can also be used to help employees learn on their own pace and stay updated on different changes that may be implemented.
• Risk assessments: A risk assessment is the process of evaluating hazards and their risk levels and deciding how your organization can take reasonable, practicable steps to eliminate the hazards completely, or, at the very least, decrease their risk level. Risk assessments should be conducted regularly to ensure that lone workers are safe and still working in compliance with legal regulations.
• Hazard reporting system: While managers should regularly carry out inspections, employees should also be encouraged and empowered to identify and report any hazards they spot. Implementing a simple hazard, incident, and near-miss reporting system for lone workers with the help of digital mobile forms and an instant communication system can help keep everyone on the same page.
• Lone working policies: Creating a practical, go-to lone worker policy that includes defined roles and responsibilities, lone worker risks, safety processes, reporting procedures, and emergency response plans can bring clarity and ease to communication and operations, therefore, keeping employees safer. Creating and storing these policies digitally is a great way to ensure they are easily disseminated and can be accessed anytime and anywhere.