Security Guard Lone Worker Policy and Hazard Assessment

Lone Worker Risk Assessment Guide

Security staff are often at work on their own; they cannot be seen or heard by another worker; cannot expect a visit from another worker; and know assistance is not readily available to them if needed. It’s important for employers to take into account the wide variety of situations where security guards work alone. It’s …

Read more

Protecting Farm Lone Workers in Britain’s Most Dangerous Industry

lone working farmer feeding his cows

Farming and agriculture have been found to be Britain’s most dangerous industry. Farm workers often carry out their jobs alone which leads to many more incidents and fatalities. One way of bringing the numbers down and improving the safety of agricultural workers is to use a lone worker system. The Agriculture Fatality Rate Agriculture has …

Read more

Lone Working in HVAC and the Trades

Technician is checking outdoor air conditioner unit

What are HVAC and the Trades? There are many different occupations that fall into the HVAC and Trades category: Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, Plumbers, Electricians, Roofers, Carpenters and many, many more. The May 2020 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates for the United States has 656,5100 registered Electricians.¹ They also state the number of Heating, …

Read more

Farming as a lone worker is the most dangerous industry in the UK

farm safety

The HSE has released their latest figures for 2018 about UK health and safety – and the results may be surprising for some.  The annual HSE report always makes for sobering reading. The good news is that health and safety standards continue to improve – but as always there is still room for improvement. What …

Read more

Improving the Safety of Employees who Drive for Work

Improving safety for employees who drive for work, from Ok Alone

Angelina Robinson and Rick Walters from Road Safety at Work BC. recently hosted a webinar, ‘Improving safety for employees who drive their own vehicles for work’.  Amongst the many interesting ideas they shared, one thought-provoking fact really stood out – ‘Any vehicle being used for work becomes the workplace,’ this then means that legal requirements …

Read more

A collaborative approach to safety strategy in Canadian logistics

safety strategy logistics

I recently worked with a logistics company which delivers goods across Canada. They were interested in improving their Occupational Health and Safety Management System and their overall safety strategy. This company had the basics covered but were eager to develop a system that met all jurisdictional requirements. Over several months, I met with the company …

Read more

Sub-Contractors and your Health and Safety Program

subcontratcor health and safety program

The first myth we need to disburse is that you are somehow not responsible for your sub-contractors health and safety while they are working on your job site or working in your name. This is not even a gray area anymore. For example Workers Compensation Board (WCB) in British Columbia looks at whether the sub-contractor …

Read more

Health and Safety Guidelines for Workers Exposed to Biowaste

Health and Safety Guidelines biowaste

The handling of biowaste by lone workers is an area we hear more about each month.  Health and Safety Guidelines across Canada, USA, UK Australia and New Zealand all cover the unique risks assosiciated with biowaste.  In this blog, the team at SafetyON have kindly shared their thoughts on the subject. ————————- There are several …

Read more

How does health and safety fit with working alone?

Health and Safety working alone

Health and safety is a term that’s been around for a long time.  The general topic covers a wide range of activities from working with hazardous materials to agriculture.  Health and safety legislation requires employers, amongst other things, to make sure all reasonable risks in the workplace have been reviewed and mitigated as much as …

Read more

Why Experiential Training is a Key Part of your Lone Worker Solution

lone worker safety training

Due to the isolated nature of their work, lone workers face unique challenges regarding health and safety. There are no colleagues around to watch their back, to lend a hand, or to intervene when their actions become unsafe. Instead, lone workers must rely on their own skills, knowledge and experience to carry out the job …

Read more

Lone Worker Protection – Uncover Hidden Hazards in the Workplace

Lone Worker Protection

One of the simplest forms of lone worker protection is uncovering hidden hazards in the workplace. When it comes to creating a risk assessment, you’ll find that some of the hazards are quite easy to identify. Everyone is aware of the threats of working at height, with electricity, with moving machinery, or with volatile chemicals.  …

Read more

Lone Worker Safety

Lone Worker Safety

You probably understand that as an employer you are likely required, by law or according to health and safety regulations, to implement a lone worker safety policy. Even if accidents or incidents occur outside of your business premises, when they transpire during the execution of your employees duties or, in some cases, during transit to a job site, you are accountable. In many cases, the remote worker is at higher risk and it’s up to you to assess and reduce those risks.