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UK: HSE guidance to protect the health and wellbeing of home workers
- #Homeworking
- #occupational health
- train, supervise and monitor lone workers
- keep in touch with them and respond to any incident
Definition
Lone workers are those who work by themselves without close or direct supervision, for example:- as delivery drivers, health workers or engineers
- as security staff or cleaners
- in warehouses or petrol stations
- at home
Risks to consider
Risks that particularly affect lone workers include:- violence in the workplace
- stress and mental health or wellbeing
- a person’s medical suitability to work alone
- the workplace itself, for example if it’s in a rural or isolated area
High-risk work
Certain high-risk work requires at least one other person. This includes work:- in a confined space, where a supervisor may need to be there, along with someone in a rescue role
- near exposed live electricity conductors
- in diving operations
- in vehicles carrying explosives
- with fumigation