Can a member of staff work alone?

There is no law against working alone, however the broad duties of the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations still apply. These require identifying hazards of the work, assessing the risks involved, and putting measures in place to avoid or control the risks.

Control measures for lone working may include instruction, training, supervision, protective equipment etc. Employers should take steps to check that control measures are used and review the risk assessment from time to time to ensure it is still adequate.

When risk assessment shows that it is not possible for the work to be done safely by a lone worker, arrangements for providing help or back-up should be put in place.
Risk assessment should help decide the right level of supervision. There are some high-risk activities where at least one other person may need to be present. Example -   high-risk confined space working where a supervisor may need to be present as well as someone dedicated to the rescue role.

Lone workers should not be at any more risk than other employees. This may require extra risk-control measures. Precautions should take account of normal work and foreseeable emergencies, e.g. fire, equipment failure, illness and accidents. Employers should identify situations where people work alone and ask questions such as:

• Does the workplace present a special risk to the lone worker?
• Is there a safe way in and a way out for one person?
• Can any temporary access equipment which is necessary, such as portable ladders or trestles, be safely handled by one person?
• Can all the plant, substances and goods involved in the work be safely handled by one person?
• Does the work involves lifting objects too large for one person?
• Is more than one person needed to operate essential controls for the safe running of the equipment?
• Is there a risk of violence?
• Are women especially at risk if they work alone?
• Are young workers especially at risk if they work alone?
• Is the person medically fit and suitable to work alone?
• What happens if the person becomes ill, has an accident or there is an emergency?
• Is there regular contact between the lone worker and base using either telephone or two-way radio?

'Working alone in safety - controlling the risks of solitary working'  (42KB) gives more information