Whilst the British summertime is quickly approaching, you can guarantee it will not be long before the early evening dim once again seeps in. Often having to think months ahead in terms of operations and workforce rotas, the number of lone workers in the NHS could continue to rise, largely driven by the advances
in wireless communications technology and the staffing issues within the health service. Therefore, there is a clear need for employers to consider the policies and procedures in place to safeguard employees whose role might involve working unsupervised.
Written by Michael Lyons
There are over six million lone workers in the UK, representing approximately 20 per cent of the workforce. Within the NHS, they represent the ‘hidden’ workforce that is under represented in the offices and wards they rarely frequent. Here, we analyse the issue of lone worker protection
Staff safety
Raising the standard of lone worker security
Although there is no common definition of a lone worker across Europe, there does appear to be some commonalities in the definition across the UK. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) defines lone workers as ‘those who work by themselves without close or direct supervision’, whilst the NHS – the UK’s largest employer – defines a lone worker as ‘staff who work, either regularly or occasionally, on their own, without access to immediate support from work colleagues, managers or others. This could be inside a hospital or similar environment or in a community setting’. Lone working, almost by definition, can be both intimidating and at times dangerous. The protection of lone workers, therefore involves a two-fold approach, not only to provide safeguards, but also to offer reassurances to the people involved. The risks faced by lone workers usually fall within three main groups; physical or verbal violence and aggression; occupational risks such as slips, trips or falls; and personal wellbeing risks such as medical conditions. Whilst these risks aren’t exclusive to lone working, they are greater, and if an incident does occur, the alarm may not be raised until it is too late. These risks may be higher still as winter draws in and the nights become longer. Employers have a legal obligation to keep their lone workers safe under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. Employers have a duty to assess risks to lone workers and to take steps to avoid or control risks where necessary, however, despite this, many businesses do not know what safety solutions provide adequate protection for their lone workers. Part of the confusion lies in the issue of ownership; who’s responsibility is it? Who within the company should pay for lone worker security solutions? Is it a security expense, or a health and safety one? The private security industry has also struggled with this positioning, finding it hard to know who should be targeted within a company. Technology advances The development of technology and practice in the field of lone worker security has focused on encouraging and enabling lone workers to consider the risks they might face in their roles and subsequently provide them with the means both to summon aid in the event of emergency, but also to collect vital information that can be used as evidence should the situation call for it. Whilst there is a huge selection of lone worker devices available on the market, typically, devices provided by a credible supplier will all offer similar functional capabilities. Some of these functions include two-way audio connection between the Alarm Receiving Centre and the user; GPS tracking; ‘Man down’ alarms which automatically raise the alarm if a sudden impact is detected; and the ability to record evidence for prosecution purposes. Smartphone software applications are also available as an alternative to using a dedicated device, which is a viable option for those that do not want to carry around additional hardware. E Issue 19.2 | HEALTH BUSINESS MAGAZINE
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