​Where there is deemed to be a requirement for lone working, consideration of these hazards should be included in the written risk assessment of the activity.

Undertaking the risk assessment should involve managers, supervisors, as appropriate safety representatives and most importantly those undertaking the activity. 

Questions that should be asked include:

1. Can the hazards be eliminated, or reduced to a tolerable level?
   
   
2. Does the activity have to be carried out by a person alone? Or out of hours? Can the programme be adjusted to avoid the need for lone working? Can additional resources be employed to ensure the activity is completed at a time that avoids the need for lone working?
   
   
3. What are the inherent hazards - can they be effectively controlled? Can particularly hazardous activities be timetabled to avoid the need for lone working?
   
   
4. Are there clearly defined procedures for the hazardous tasks being undertaken alone?
   
   
5. Is the person competent to undertake the planned activities alone – do they have sufficient training, experience and understanding of the activities to be undertaken?
   
   
6. Are suitable and sufficient controls in place to facilitate lone working?
   
   
1. ​Do they have sufficient understanding of:
   • what to do in the event of an emergency (emergency escape routes; emergency procedures);
   • access to first aid;
   • access to Personal Protective Equipment; and
     
   • is the equipment designed to be used by a single person?
     
     
2. Have the following supervision and communication methods or their equivalent been considered for lone workers to summon help in the event of an emergency:
   • Full time supervision;
   • Periodic supervision;
   • Buddy system - where two or more individuals working in separate areas make arrangements, defined in the risk assessment, to check in with each other at predefined intervals without compromising their personal safety. Particular attention should be given to communicating when lone working is created through the departure of one or more individuals from an area – “the last but one to leave”;
   • External buddy – where a lone worker makes arrangements to check-in, at regular intervals defined in the risk assessment, with a colleague who is remote and who will raise the alarm if contact is not made;
   • Two way radio contact;
   • Remote manual or automatic alarm system: personal motion sensors, panic alarms, etc. Examples of such systems are Oysta Pearl at RAL, or SBES Lifesaver at Daresbury​.
   • Systems such as emails or mobile ‘apps’ where verified contact is not rigorously enforced are not preferred, and should only be used with extreme caution​.​
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7. ​​What are the lone working provisions for:
   • Medical emergencies and the provision of first aid or treatment of injuries; or
   • Response to fire alarms or other foreseeable emergency situations.
     
   Specific consideration should be given to areas where access may be restricted for example where key pad door access has been installed which could prevent access of emergency services in the event of an incident or classified or controlled radiation areas.
   
   
8. ​​Do the individuals undertaking lone working have any medical conditions for which there would be increased risks in the event of a fire, equipment failure, injury etc., that need to be considered? For example: those at risk of a heart attack, epilepsy or other condition that would cause them to lose consciousness or prevent them from leaving a building in the event of a fire.
   
   Staff with known medical conditions which may increase their risk during lone working should receive medical screening by Occupational Health to ensure they are able to perform lone working. See SHE Code 24: Health Surveillance and Health Screening Medicals​.​
   
   
9. What work or activities are being undertaken adjacent to or near the intended location of lone working, and what implications might this have to the work proposed?
   

Due consideration to all of the above points, including the application of the selected communication / supervision method should be addressed within the relevant risk assessment. For example phone, automatic alarm systems or 2 way radio network coverage, battery duration or power outage, or the co-protection of 2 lone workers working in tandem as ‘buddies’.