Protecting your most vulnerable staff

Posted to on Share:

Lone workers are commonly acknowledged to be one of the most vulnerable groups of employees. Whether exposed to danger in the form of abuse, from working with dangerous machinery or simply from working alone, it is the moral and legal obligation of an employer to protect their staff. Stefan Olsberg looks at some ways in which companies can protect their lone workers.

Unfortunately, health and safety training and maintenance of procedures can sometimes take a back seat in both the public and private sector when budgets are tight.

Risk assessments have now become common practice in places of employment, as well as organisations such as schools, gyms and public places. However, once a risk has been identified, it must be addressed to ensure that the correct precautions are put in place.

Create a lone worker policy

If you don’t already have one, you need to create one sooner rather than later. The strategies identified and developed as part of your risk assessment should form the core element. It’s also important to involve your team, and to include practical strategies for tackling the potential hazards faced by lone workers.

Practical policy strategies

Creation of a buddy system where workers are paired up and have responsibility for checking up on each other’s whereabouts and well-being
Improvements in communication e.g. have a whiteboard that everyone can see easily. Appointments can be written down so that any out of office locations can be tracked
Staff training in potential hazards and how they should be dealt with. This should also include conflict management training, which is particularly useful for employees at risk of verbal or physical abuse
Forums for discussion where staff share the issues that they encounter e.g. are there any locations that make them particularly nervous? Are there activities or equipment which pose more risk? Identify possible strategies to deal with any issues

Making use of technology

Although all of these strategies are helpful, they may not address how to get help if the lone worker encounters a problem. Advances in technology have prompted a rise in the use of monitoring systems and equipment such as panic alarms and trackers. These automated alarm systems have proven to be an efficient solution to many of the problems that lone workers can face, and due to improvements in technology are now more cost effective than ever.

Systems such as VC LoneWorker ( HYPERLINK "http://www.voiceconnect.co.uk" www.voiceconnect.co.uk) which use GPS technology to track location, enable staff to pre-set alarm expiry times using a mobile phone or a landline. If the worker runs into trouble and is unable to cancel it, an alarm will be automatically triggered and a call sent to an ARC (Alarm Receiving Centre). Depending on any previously agreed instructions, the centre can then either call the emergency services immediately or call the employer first to ask for instructions.
An ARC can monitor calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; this means that the employing organisation has a robust framework in place, complete with back up. Staff have the reassurance of knowing that should the worst happen, outside help will be automatically triggered.

Legislation around ensuring staff safety has quite rightly increased to address the issues that workers can face on a daily basis. Unfortunately, incidents and accidents will always occur, but an effective policy which is highly valued and properly implemented, using clear systems and available technology will do much to ensure the safety of your most vulnerable staff.

Stefan Olsberg is MD of Voice Connect, providers of personal safety and protection for lone working staff who work in dangerous or remote locations.
0116 2322622