Version 2 Author: HR Manager - Amazon S3



LONE WORKER POLICY AND PROCEDURES

LONE WORKER POLICY

Many people find themselves alone in their workplace for some or all of their working day. It is important that these people make adequate arrangements to ensure they are safe at all times - especially when clients visit.

The most important aspect of safety for people working alone is to ensure that they let other people know whom they are meeting, when and where, so that someone is looking after their welfare.

Aim of Policy

1 INSERT ORGANISATION NAME is committed to ensuring that the risks associated with lone working are identified and action is taken to remove or minimise those risks.

Principles

1. We recognise that lone workers can experience potentially hazardous situations.

2. INSERT ORGANISATION NAME has undertaken risk assessments on all lone worker positions and is committed to minimising risks.

3. We provide training on assessing, controlling and minimising the risks of lone working.

Detail

It is the responsibility of staff to:

3.1 Ensure that they do not take unnecessary risks.

3.2 Seek and follow advice from managers.

3.3 Follow all health and safety policies and procedures.

3.4 Comply with requests for information on whereabouts from managers

3.5 Ensure that all appointments are listed in the Public Calendar showing complete contact details including your mobile telephone number.

3.6 Report any incidents, including threats and potentially dangerous situations to your line manager.

3.7 Check all recorded information on customers prior to undertaking a home visit.

3.8 Ensure any vehicle used for work purposes is well maintained with breakdown cover.

3.9 Be careful not to tell anyone that you are alone in the workplace. This applies to people who telephone or e-mail you, as well as to visitors.

3.10 If your computer is switched off it will be assumed that you have left for the day

3.11 Don’t go to volunteer’s homes. Always arrange to meet people in the office environment or in a public place.

3.12 Only give volunteers a lift in your car if it is relevant to their voluntary work.

3.13 If you are having a private meeting, if at all possible keep the door open and make sure someone is around outside.

3.14 Try to make sure that you are never working alone in a building if you have volunteer/s with you.

3.15 Keep a professional relationship with volunteers - in and out of the working environment.

3.16 Treat volunteers with respect.

3.17 Trust your instincts - if something does not seem right make sure you take precautions to keep yourself safe.

3.18 Don’t give or lend money to volunteers or members of the general public.

3.19 Do not buy things for volunteers out of your own pocket.

3.20 Do not accept money from volunteers and only accept gifts if appropriate.

3.21 Ensure that volunteers realise that the support you are providing is part of your job and there is no need for tokens of gratitude.

3.22 Try to prevent disclosing personal details about yourself to volunteers (such as your home address etc).

It is the responsibility of management to:

4.1 Ensure that local operational procedures, training and guidance are put in place to minimise general risk.

4.2 Support staff in realistic assessment of risk.

4.3 Take action to eliminate, minimise or transfer risk.

4.4 Support requests for equipment and other resources deemed necessary following risk assessment.

Review

INSERT ORGANISATION NAME will review the operation of the policy, with adequate consultation of staff on a regular basis and report the outcomes of the review to the Board of Trustees.

LONE WORKER PROCEDURES

1. Introduction

A lone worker is defined by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as ‘an employee who works by himself/herself without close or direct supervision’. This includes one person working:

• In a fixed establishment or at home.

• In remote locations.

• Mobile workers.

• At other employers’ premises.

• At customers’ homes.

INSERT ORGANISATION NAME recognises that some of its staff work alone and is committed to ensuring their Health & Safety (H&S) – further guidance is contained in the H&S Policy. We have undertaken risk assessments and given guidelines for appropriate measures. Failure to adhere to our procedures may invoke our disciplinary procedures.

2. Positions Affected

The majority of staff within INSERT ORGANISATION NAME spends at least some time working alone and are therefore vulnerable.

3. Lone Working at Our Offices

• Before attending a meeting inform a colleague that you may require his/her help and ensure that they are at their desk during your meeting so that you can contact him/her if you need help.

• Avoid organising meetings at the Orchard outside of office hours.

• If this is unavoidable ensure that both your line manager and a member of your family know where you are and what time you expect to finish.

3.1 Panic Alarms

Panic alarms are situated in all public interview rooms and on reception. Ensure you familiarise yourself to the position and how they work

4. Lone Working Outside the Office

Working alone in remote locations or visiting customers’ homes alone is clearly when staff could be most vulnerable. All staff working in ‘lone worker’ teams must be aware of the risks and contribute to minimising them. It is imperative that this guidance is followed:

4.1 Prevention of Incidents

• Ensure that you undertake all the training provided for you by the organisation.

• Be aware that your behaviour can trigger or prevent aggression. Always be polite and respectful when dealing with customers.

• Visit customers by appointment only.

• Be aware of your own safety at all times while travelling and at contact locations.

• Continually reassess the risks and do not enter any location where you do not feel safe.

• Follow team procedures for listing locations to be visited on the Public Calendar, keep in touch with the office, check in and out at the agreed times and always at the end of your working day. Ensure you inform a colleague to change the Public Calendar if your itinerary changes.

4.2 Before Setting Out

• Get information on the area you are visiting and make sure you know exactly where to find the property.

• If visiting a problem area, schedule visits for times of the day which are busy (e.g. in the morning when parents are taking children to school and when drug taking activities and drunkenness should be at a minimum).

• Dress appropriately (e.g. shoes that will not prevent a quick get away. Do not wear expensive looking jewellery).

• Ensure that your means of communication (mobile phone) is working and accessible. Programme your work base number into your mobile phone so that pressing one button can ring it.

• Ensure your vehicle has sufficient fuel and is well maintained; subscribe to breakdown recovery service as appropriate.

• Staff should inform line managers of unscheduled visits where appropriate.

3. When Travelling

• Consider the necessity for the journey in adverse conditions, e.g. Extreme weather.

• Check the condition of your vehicle prior to departure.

• Allow adequate time for the journey so that you are not rushing.

• Drive carefully to avoid incidents of road rage. Keep aware of the latest police recommendations regarding road rage. (e.g. if another driver gets annoyed with you, do not make eye contact or gestures. If you are being followed, get to a location where there are other people around such as a petrol station or police station.)

• Lock your vehicle whilst driving.

• Drive with bags and equipment hidden.

• Park as near as possible to the address to be visited in such a position to be able to drive straight off. Ensure the area is well lit if visiting when dark.

• Refuse to help other motorists in difficulty, but choose to drive to a public place to call the appropriate emergency services on their behalf.

4. When Arriving at a Customer’s Home

• Assess the situation on approach and be prepared to postpone the visit if in doubt of your safety.

• Stand well clear of the doorway after ringing or knocking. Stand sideways on so that you present a narrow, protected target.

• Show identity cards.

• Ensure the person responding to your call is the person who is due to be visited.

• Do not enter a location if you feel uncertain about your safety. Make an excuse not to go in if the person answering the door gives any cause for concern (e.g. is drunk, the customer you were visiting is not in, pets are loose in property).

• Follow the occupants in when entering a building. Do not obstruct your exit route.

• Remain aware of the behaviour of all the people in the house.

• Only accept refreshments if you are confident they have not been tampered with – observe, where possible, preparation of refreshment or offer to make your own.

• Keep keys in your hand or secure pocket where they can be easily found.

• Maintain close contact with personal belongings, taking minimal possessions during the visit.

• Ensure that all parties are satisfied with the interaction that has occurred. If there are problems, make sure that everyone knows what should happen next.

• Make sure you undertake all that has been agreed.

5. When Visits are Completed

• If you are running late and do not expect to return at the time stated, always phone into the office to update on your circumstances. If your plans change, phone someone in the office to inform them.

• If the meeting is out of hours ensure that you ring the appropriate office number or a number pre-arranged with your line manager.

6. If an incident does occur

• Put your own safety first. Leave a situation if you feel unsafe.

• If you believe that verbally aggressive behaviour is not directed at you but simply someone ‘letting off steam’, allow the person to have their say, calm the person down, and then try to discuss the situation and reach an amicable solution.

• Provide information on the complaints procedure and alternative sources of help, if appropriate.

• Recognise the limits of your own ability to deal with a situation and the time when it becomes prudent to leave.

• Individuals working alone should not use control and restraint.

• Call for assistance from the police or from your work team, if appropriate.

7. Following an Incident

• Alert your line manager to the situation who will discuss with you any action/safety measures that need to be taken to protect staff in the future.

• Your line manager will inform the Chief Executive who will offer support and guidance as required. Allow yourself time to recover and seek practical support from your colleagues, if appropriate.

8. Missing Colleague

• If a team member has not returned to the office, or rung to explain lateness, ¼ hour after the expected return time, ring their mobile phone to enquire about their safety.

• If you cannot reach them by mobile phone, investigate into their whereabouts, e.g. call the landline where visit has taken place. If you cannot reach them after another 10 minutes, contact the police to make them aware of the situation.

• Also inform the Chief Executive and Orchard Reception, so they can expect calls.

• The next of kin should also be contacted and asked to keep INSERT ORGANISATION NAME informed should they hear from you.

• A colleague should cancel any further appointments that appear in the calendar.

• If visits are being made outside normal office hours, you must follow the same procedures listed in 4.1 and inform a family member of your whereabouts, contact details, what time you are expected home and your line manager’s out of hours contact number.

▪ If you have not returned home, or rung to explain your lateness, ¼ hour after the expected return time, the family member should ring your mobile phone to enquire about your safety.

▪ If you cannot be reached by mobile phone, call the landline where visit has taken place. If you cannot be reached after another 10 minutes, contact the line manager and make the police aware of the situation.

The Suzy Lamplugh Trust has the following general advice for anyone working alone:

P - Plan to meet first time visitors in a busy public place, rather than your

workplace, if possible.

L - Log in your visitors with a buddy and phone after to let someone know you

are safe.

A - Avoid situations which could be difficult

N - Never assume it won't happen to you

|Equality and Diversity |

|We aim to be an organisation that values, recognises and responds to the diverse needs of members and those we serve. We adhere to the |

|Equality Act 2010 and will not discriminate against any person or other organisation with particular reference to the protected |

|characteristics |

|Monitoring and Review |

|The Senior Management Team, with adequate consultation of the Board of Trustees, will regularly review the operation of this policy. |

Compiled with assistance from Morlan Gil Human Resources

|Review date |............... |

|Review Author |............... |

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