Both advances in technology and the call for flexible working practices, alongside the need for organisations to decrease their overheads, has seen a rise in employees who work outside the office base, such as their home. Research shows there are benefits to home working for employer and employee; however it does give rise to personal safety questions.
Lone Worker Policy
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Act 1999 dictate that employers have a responsibility to ensure the safety and welfare of their employees. Therefore where an organisation has individuals who work alone a Lone Working Policy should exist. Go to: http://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/faqs/workalone.htm
This should be based on a thorough and recent risk assessment of potential dangers, though for many organisations it’s just another form that allows a box to be ticked. With employees’ personal safety at risk it’s a worthwhile exercise for even the smallest organisation.
Some public service employees are perceived to be at more personal risk than other sectors. There have been reported increases in health and police employees suffering verbal and physical abuse in the line of duty, as well as those working in public services in the community.
An HSE lone worker and violence case study that included (among others) community midwives and mental health staff, as well as educational psychologists and council housing services staff, reported personal safety risks. To find out more, go to: http://www.hse.gov.uk/violence/index.htm
Common key risks from the HSE Work Related Violence Lone workers case study were:
- Alcohol and drug use by clients and members of the public
- Geographical locations. Certain areas were known to have a higher risk of violence
- Late evening or early morning work. These times carried an increased risk of violence because there were either fewer people around, a greater number of ‘unsavoury characters’, or people under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Nature of the job. Lone workers’ power or authority over service users or clients can cause resentment and aggression
- Clients or service user behaviour. Clients or services users can be highly emotional, unpredictable or aggressive
- Other people or situations, including members of the public, youths and animals
- Travelling, visiting homes and carrying money or equipment.
Increased employee personal risk
As mornings stay dark for longer and nights begin to draw in, organisations should think again about employee risk. Employers can help by providing the tools employees need to protect themselves. “It’s about empowerment” says Ann Elledge, Director of Personal Safety at the Suzy Lamplugh Trust.
“Employees need to feel they are able to extricate themselves from potentially dangerous situations and still have the backing of their employer. In a situation
where it’s ‘a laptop or your life’, the employee has to be able to hand over the equipment without fear of an unsupportive boss. Not only that but it helps if they are shown how to do it.”
A situation where an employee is forced to hand over company equipment also highlights the issue of data protection. The organisation needs to ensure that any data on a portable device such as a laptop should be encrypted, protected and backed-up, so a victim has no need to question whether they should or shouldn’t leave it behind.
Procedures should be in place to ensure an individual is not put in unnecessary danger. These may include:
- keeping a diary of where the member of staff is going and who they are meeting, plus a contact number. Colleagues should have access to this.
- using a ‘buddying’ system
- training staff to recognise dangers, deal with them where necessary and avoid them where possible.
Tips to keep lone workers safe
If workers make site visits alone to customers, clients or patients, consider these safety arrangements suggested by The Suzy Lamplugh Trust:
- Keep an up to date computerised calendar of appointments (accessible by a manager) with the name, address of visit and contact details of those visited
- Have a lone working monitoring system with agreed contact procedures
- Make sure lone workers can access any database or information about people with known or potential issues
- Where sole visits are not recommended the patient, client or customer should be visited in pairs
- Try to use meeting rooms in local authority buildings rather than home visits
- Train lone workers on ways to defuse potentially difficult situations
- Prepare procedures to deal with emergency situations if someone is in difficulty
- Provide personal security advice, such as on carrying laptops or valuables and where best to park during a visit.
- Keep details of the lone worker on file, such as their description or photograph and details of their vehicle, to give to the police in an emergency.
The Suzy Lamplugh Trust provides training for large and small organisations on managing personal safety. Go to: www.suzylamplugh.org/training
For more information on managing the risks of home working contact your Zurich Municipal risk and insurance consultant.
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