Beware the quick fix
August 1st 2006

A lone worker should not be put at greater risk than any other employee. Precautions should be in place to take account both of normal work and emergencies such as illness, accidents and workplace violence. Employers may be tempted to provide a quick fix in the form of a mobile phone but, according to Craig Swallow of Connexion2, this may not be an adequate solution

According to the Health and Safety Executive lone workers are those who work by themselves without close or direct supervision. They work in a wide range of professions within the industrial sector, including warehouses, factories, research establishments and as night security personnel.

Employers have responsibilities for the health, safety and welfare at work of employees and the health and safety of those affected by the work, for example contractors and self-employed people who companies engage. These responsibilities cannot be transferred to people who work alone. The HSE says "It is the employer's duty to assess risks to lone workers and take steps to avoid or control risk where necessary."

Employers should identify potential risks, such as:

• Does the workplace present a special risk to lone workers?
• Is there risk of violence?
• Are women staff especially at risk?
• Can the lone worker summon help in an emergency?

Those working alone include night security staff and warehouse employers who may be at risk of violence or an accident. Devices designed to raise the alarm in the event of an emergency need to be provided to employees. They need to be easy to operate and connected to a call centre or to someone who can send immediate help.

Lone workers by definition are more vulnerable to accidents and aggression than most employees and therefore it is vitally important that their employers develop long-term strategies to protect their safety. Risk assessment should help decide the right level of supervision, training and protective equipment needed.

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (MHSW) 1999 require employers to conduct a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to which employees are subjected while at work. Any employer who has either failed to recognise a foreseeable risk or address a significant potential risk is likely to have been negligent in failing to give proper consideration to the potential risks faced by employees. The MHSW Regulations generally oblige an employer to assess the risks of employees and make arrangements for their health and safety by effective: planning, organisation, control and monitoring.

The risks covered should, where appropriate, include the need to protect employees from exposure to reasonably foreseeable violence." The HSE estimates that it costs 17 000 to 19 000, on average, just to investigate a physical assault. It can take a lot less to prevent one.

Increasing health and safety legislation is placing considerable pressure on employers who may be tempted to provide a quick fix in the way of a mobile phone. However, should a lone worker find himself in a dangerous situation and attempt to use a mobile phone to summon help, he may find that the aggressor becomes more agitated which could exacerbate the situation and lead to aggression and even violence. Using a mobile phone in such a situation is often futile as it can easily and quickly be knocked to the ground. Similarly, if a lone worker is incapacitated and unable to reach a phone, he will be unable to summon help. Mobile phones neither protect nor provide a means of notifying an employer when a lone worker is in difficulty. With problems of violence against employees in the building industry increasing year on year, the electronics industry has been under pressure to develop a means of capturing evidence of abuse and safeguarding personnel from assault.

One solution is Identicom which looks like a normal ID holder, but is equipped with mobile phone technology. It not only enables the wearer to raise an alarm if threatened, but allows a third party to listen to what is happening, whatever the distance, and summon help in an emergency. The device can also help pinpoint a worker's location using GSM/LBS technology.

It includes a lanyard attachment that enables it to be worn around the neck as a standard ID and hides a 'rip alarm' function, which is triggered if the unit is forcibly removed from the wearer. Identicom is flexible enough to be configured in a number of ways, thereby allowing an employer to adopt the device without the need to significantly change or alter current working practices.

With the right long-term policies and procedures in place and fully operational, companies and lone workers can be confident that every precaution is being taken to ensure their safety. This will benefit the health and well being of both the employees and the organisation.

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