Lone worker protection is a critical issue for employees who work without supervision or support from other colleagues Most countries require employers to take precautions for lone workers in order to comply with regulations and keep employees safe Employers must identify hazards for their lone workers and evaluate their environments They must also develop policies and training, as well as implement technology like guard tour tracking Identifying the Risks Lone workers are exposed to the same risks as other employees but without immediate coworker or organisational support They are at risk of being attacked or seriously injured by members of the public, they may be targeted by thieves or vandals and they are vulnerable to the effects of fatigue and stress Many of these risks can be reduced by carrying out a comprehensive hazard assessment This will evaluate workplaces for the types of hazards posed by being alone and identify any risks that need to be mitigated It can also include looking at incident reports from workers and assessing the impact of being alone in those incidents Homeworkers are at equal risk of being abused or assaulted as other lone workers The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations requires employers to take the same precautions to protect homeworkers as they do for their other employees This means providing supervision, training and implementing sufficient control measures Companies that prioritize their people’s safety see lower staff turnover and a boost in morale They’re also less likely to be hit with compliance violation fines This is why a policy on lone worker protection is important for all businesses to create A thorough program will allow you to fully understand the dangers your lone workers face and provide them with the tools they need to respond in an emergency Creating a Policy Lone workers are at increased risk of injury, assault and death because they often have no one to call for help This is a huge concern for companies that employ them as they are often in remote locations and not able to be reached quickly Conducting risk assessments and creating effective safety solutions is vital to protect lone workers The first step is to create a detailed policy for them which can be implemented by managers and shared with employees This will clearly define roles and responsibilities in case of an emergency and also detail who is responsible for implementing preventative measures A lone worker protection policy will include information about the risks involved in each situation, such as environmental hazards or threats from hostile customers It will also address the type of equipment they should carry and whether they should be wearing protective clothing or not Lone workers may also need to have access to the company vehicle so this should be specified in the policy The lone worker protection policy should also include information about the company’s response to an emergency and how the employee will be alerted If they are using a device to alert them of danger, this should be specified and it must be checked that the system works properly It is important to consider an employee’s privacy when considering a lone worker protection policy, so any communication systems must be designed with this in mind Training Lone worker protection involves more than just a safety device, remote monitoring and emergency call handling It includes training employees on the risks associated with their job The specific safety hazards that lone workers face vary by location and position, so it’s important to conduct a risk assessment for each type of role and workplace This will highlight any unique safety hazards and provide a framework to address these issues During the training phase, it’s important to consider all possible risk factors, including people, environment and tasks For example, a security officer could encounter a person acting suspiciously or they might be dealing with valuable merchandise in a high-crime area Similarly, a retail employee who works late in a store might be vulnerable to thieves Additionally, it’s essential to understand the different types of alarms that a lone worker device might trigger and how they work For instance, a panic alarm is triggered when an employee presses the button to alert first responders, while a man down alarm is activated when a device senses that the user has fallen or otherwise become unconscious Once an employer has identified the potential risks, they must create a policy to mitigate these hazards It’s also necessary to train employees on the risks and how to respond if they have an incident This helps reduce liability and protects the wellbeing of employees Monitoring Employees Lone workers may be exposed to a wide range of risks These can include working alone in a high-crime area, handling valuable merchandise or overnight shifts They can also be at risk of physical violence, threats or verbal assault These risks can be mitigated with a comprehensive monitoring and alerting system such as Edgefinity IoT It enables businesses to keep track of the locations and safety status of employees while ensuring they follow the rules of the workplace https//wwwloneworkeralarmsconz/ In addition to the monitoring device, a business should set up a designated person who will receive all alarms in an emergency They should be qualified to deal with the situation quickly and call for help if necessary They should also have access to a mobile app that can communicate with staff in the event of an incident The lone worker should be expected to check in with the designated manager at regular intervals throughout their shift They can do this via a phone call, text message, personal assistant device or a dedicated lone worker app The monitoring software will notify the manager if there is no response The manager can then decide on an appropriate course of action to take In a real emergency, every second counts This is why a system that provides alerts in an instant should be considered