Much has been written threatening company managers and directors with huge fines and prison terms if found guilty. What does all this legislation mean, then, for those companies providing private security officers who are deemed to be lone workers?
Lone workers are classified as those individuals who work by themselves without the benefit of any close or personal supervision. They’re found in a wide range of situations – they may be people who work separately from others, those alone in an establishment, shift workers or home workers, engineers, drivers, mobile patrol staff, sales or support staff. Whatever the scenario, employers of lone workers must afford the same degree of responsibility for their Health and Safety and well-being as they do any employee.
Many would assume that BS 7499 and the check call system would be sufficient to protect a company in the event of responsibility for these employees being questioned. The Health and Safety Executive’s publication ‘Working Alone in Safety’ emphasises that: “It’s the employer’s duty to assess the risks to lone workers, and take steps to avoid or control those risks where necessary”. The emphasis is that any employer should take extra precautions to make certain that lone workers are at no greater risk than other employees.
Lone workers may be affected by many of the same Health and Safety risks as other workers, but there are potential risks more likely to affect them. BS 7499 and the check call system alone is unlikely to offer full protection as it depends upon the risk.
It would be prudent to consider your company’s areas of risk. A watertight assessment could spare you from jail.