Millions of UK workers regularly work alone — from care workers visiting clients to maintenance engineers, security guards, delivery drivers, cleaners, and estate agents. If your employees work alone, you have specific legal duties to protect their safety.

Who Is a Lone Worker?

The HSE defines a lone worker as anyone who works by themselves without close or direct supervision. This includes:

• People working in isolated locations (farms, rural properties, empty buildings)
• Home workers and mobile workers
• People working outside normal hours (night shifts, early mornings, weekends)
• Staff in small shops, petrol stations, or kiosks on their own
• Care workers visiting clients in their homes
• Maintenance, repair, and cleaning staff

The Legal Framework

There is no single ‘lone working law’ in the UK, but employers’ duties are clear under several pieces of legislation:

• Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 — employers must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of all employees
• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 — employers must carry out risk assessments that specifically consider lone workers
• Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 — if a lone worker dies due to gross failures in management, the organisation can be prosecuted

Risk Assessment for Lone Workers

A lone worker risk assessment should consider:

• Can the work be done safely by one person?
• Is there a risk of violence or aggression?
• What happens if the worker is injured or becomes ill?
• Does the worker have access to first aid?
• How will the worker communicate in an emergency?
• Is the location remote or difficult for emergency services to reach?

Practical Safety Measures

• Check-in systems — regular calls, GPS tracking, or lone worker apps
• Panic alarms or personal safety devices
• Training — conflict resolution, first aid, and fire safety awareness
• Clear procedures for what to do in an emergency
• Limits on certain tasks that should not be done alone

Training in Cumbria

Lone working is particularly relevant in rural Cumbria where many workers operate in remote locations far from immediate help. We offer lone worker awareness training as part of our health and safety courses, plus first aid training that is especially valuable for anyone who works alone.

Contact us to discuss training for your lone workers.