Lone Worker Safety in Australia: Navigating Challenges in Remote Environments

A growing number of professionals are finding themselves working alone in remote environments. Contractors such as gas engineers, surveyors, plumbers, and electricians are among the industries with the highest number of lone workers in Australia. As the trend of remote work continues to rise, so too does the need for employers to ensure the safety of their lone and remote workers. This presents safety concerns that demand thoughtful attention.

This article delves into challenges lone workers face in remote settings within Australia and explores effective strategies to ensure their own safety and overall well-being, including practical tools for managing safety across dispersed teams.

Understanding Lone Workers in Remote Environments

How do you define a lone worker?

A lone worker is defined as an employee who works by themselves and/or works in the community with only limited support arrangements. They do not have direct supervision when carrying out duties and may work in areas that are remote or have limited access to support.

A lone worker may also be referred to as an isolated worker, and they carry out work activities without the immediate and direct support of colleagues or supervisors. Each state and territory in Australia may have its own specific regulations and legislation related to lone working and work-alone employees.

Examples of a lone worker

• Cleaners: Many cleaners work alone, especially if they're cleaning offices or buildings during off-hours when other employees aren't present.
• Social Workers: Social workers often meet with clients one-on-one in various settings.
• Plumbers: A plumber entering someone's property alone to carry out repairs or maintenance is another example of a lone worker.
• Retail Workers: A retail worker stacking shelves with no other colleagues in the direct vicinity.
• Maintenance Workers: Local authority maintenance workers who maintain public built environments, parks, play areas, and other outdoor facilities.
• Technicians: Technicians, such as those who install, repair, or maintain equipment in various settings.
• Contractors and Self-Employed People: Such individuals often work alone on various projects, including personnel working graveyard shifts.

Prevalence and Sectors

Numbers of people working alone in Australia have been increasing year on year. Growth stems from factors like industry changes and current workplace climate, such as rising numbers of people working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lone work is particularly prevalent in industries such as:

• Healthcare and Social Assistance: Healthcare workers, including nurses, doctors, and home care providers, are among the highest-risk industries for experiencing violence and aggression. This sector employs a significant number of lone workers who may work independently, visiting patients in their homes or working in remote locations. Health support staff frequently face unpredictable conditions that demand robust safety protocols.
• Construction: This industry also has a high prevalence of lone workers. Tradespeople, such as electricians, plumbers, and carpenters, often work alone on job sites or in remote areas. For instance, when a construction worker is setting up scaffolding or doing maintenance on an upper floor. Learn more about safety in high-risk construction work in Australia for sector-specific guidance.
• Real Estate and Property Management: Real estate agents and property managers often work alone when conducting property inspections, showings, and maintenance tasks.
• Retail: Many retail workers, such as cashiers and shelf-stackers, work alone in isolated areas of the store. This is especially true when employees are on late shifts or during off-hours when no other colleagues are present.
• Community and Social Services: Lone workers in the community and social services sector, including social workers and outreach workers, may work independently in the field, providing support and assistance to individuals and communities. Similar risks apply to food delivery workers navigating unfamiliar locations daily.

Prevalence of lone workers may vary within each sector and can be influenced by factors such as geographical location and specific job roles. Additionally, figures may change over time as work practices and technologies evolve, a trend also visible in managing safety in manufacturing industries in Australia.

Safety Hazards Faced by Lone Workers

Lone workers face a number of safety challenges, broadly categorised into personal safety risks, psychosocial hazards, and psychological well-being concerns.

Personal Safety Risks

• Workplace Violence: Threats such as verbal abuse and physical assaults may be directed at lone workers, particularly in sectors such as healthcare or social services.
• Workplace Accidents or Emergencies: Lone workers are more susceptible to accidents or emergencies, primarily because there's typically no one around to provide immediate assistance or emergency response.
• Inadequate Rest and Breaks: Working alone often means not taking appropriate breaks, which can lead to fatigue and decreased alertness, increasing accident risk.
• Physical Threats: Depending on job role and environment, lone workers may face physical threats such as falls, slips, and trips. Losing balance while performing manual labour tasks, working on elevated surfaces, or carrying heavy loads are common hazards for lone workers operating outdoors in remote locations.
• Natural Disasters: When working in remote areas, lone workers face heightened risk of natural disasters like floods or bushfires.

Psychological Well-being Risks

Working alone can also pose significant challenges to a worker's mental health. These psychosocial hazards include:

• Isolation: Lone workers may feel isolated due to a lack of social interaction, which can lead to feelings of loneliness and depression.
• Stress and Anxiety: Pressure of working alone, particularly in high-risk environments, can cause heightened levels of stress and anxiety.
• Work-Life Balance: Maintaining healthy work-life balance can prove difficult for lone workers, particularly those with irregular hours or constant on-call duties.

Lone Worker Safety Legislation

In Australia, the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 requires that organisations, as far as reasonably practicable, ensure provision and maintenance of safe systems of work. This encompasses provision of essential information, training, instructions, or supervision to safeguard well-being and safety of all individuals.

Furthermore, legislation necessitates continuous monitoring of workplace conditions and employee health to prevent occurrences of illness or injury. For authoritative guidance on these obligations, consult Safe Work Australia.

Not having a well-thought-out lone-worker safety policy can lead to organisations and their officers violating government regulations. Outcomes may result in workers' compensation claims, lawsuits, fines, and, in severe cases, imprisonment.

WHS Duties for Lone Worker Safety

Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU)

In Australia, Work Health and Safety (WHS) laws require that a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) ensure, as far as possible, health and safety of workers. Obligations extend to remote or isolated employees who work remotely or in isolation.

Term PCBU, widely employed in work health and safety legislation, encompasses diverse contemporary work arrangements, commonly known as businesses. Primary duties include:

• Creating and upholding a safe and healthy work environment is of utmost importance.
• Ensuring provision of sufficient and easily accessible facilities to safeguard welfare of employees.
• Monitoring health and safety of workers and workplace conditions to prevent work-related illnesses and injuries.
• Giving employees necessary information, instruction, training, or supervision to perform jobs without risks to health and safety.
• Consulting with workers, and health and safety representatives (HSRs) if available, about health and safety issues that may directly affect them.

Workers

Workers, including employees, contractors, subcontractors, labour hire staff, outworkers, apprentices, or volunteers, also carry a duty of care to:

• Prioritise their own well-being and safety while in the workplace by taking reasonable precautions.
• Take reasonable care not to affect others' health and safety.
• Comply with reasonable instructions.
• Cooperate with reasonable policies and procedures.

Effective Strategies for Lone Worker Safety

Ensure a secure work environment

Employers should ensure work environments are well-lit and secured with lock systems, security cameras, intruder alarms, etc., to minimise hazards. A lone worker may also benefit from having an alarm system or a panic alarm installed, which can be used to alert employers or emergency services in the event of an incident.

Provide adequate training and supervision

Employers should provide lone workers with necessary information, training, and instruction to carry out work safely. Training can include medical emergency procedures, first aid, and how to use communication and monitoring systems.

Additionally, employees should receive a copy of safety policies and procedures, and supervisors should regularly check in with lone workers to confirm they're following safe work practices. A well-stocked remote first aid kit also supports rapid response to injuries in isolated locations.

Conduct Site-Specific Risk Assessment

Encouraging lone workers to conduct thorough assessments of their remote work environment proves crucial for their safety and well-being. By taking time to carefully evaluate surroundings, isolated employees can identify potential hazards that may pose a threat.

Doing so enables proactive implementation of effective measures to mitigate these hazards and ensure a secure work environment. Tradespeople working with electrical systems should also reference a dedicated electrical safety checklist when assessing site conditions.

Develop lone worker policy and safety procedures

Employers must provide clear guidance on expected behaviour and safe work practices through safety policies and procedures tailored to meet specific needs. These should include:

• Risk management strategies (identifying potential hazards and implementing preventive measures).
• Safe work practices, such as how to handle hazardous materials, securing equipment, or lifting heavy items.
• Protocols for reporting accidents and incidents.
• Guidelines for lone workers on the use of personal protective equipment.
• Procedures for responding to emergencies or unexpected situations.
• Lone worker policy outlining company rules on working alone, helping employees understand risks associated with their role.

An organisation-wide electrical safety policy can complement these procedures for teams handling hazardous equipment in remote settings.

Establish Communication Protocols

Clear communication protocols should be established between employers and lone workers for emergency situations, such as:

• Requiring check-ins at set intervals.
• Establishing a monitoring system, such as GPS tracking or two-way radios, to provide real-time updates on workers' location and activities.
• Providing access to an emergency contact who can respond immediately in the event of an incident.
• Installing monitoring systems that allow supervisors to keep track of lone working employees in real time. This can include GPS tracking devices, panic alarms, or other two-way communication systems.

Leverage Technology for Lone Worker Safety

Technology plays a pivotal role in enhancing safety of lone workers:

• GPS Tracking and Geofencing: GPS technology offers real-time tracking of lone workers' locations, ensuring swift response during emergencies. Geofencing can notify supervisors if employees move beyond designated safe zones, adding another layer of tracking accuracy.
• Mobile Apps and Wearables: Dedicated apps and wearable devices grant lone workers immediate access to emergency services, allowing them to share location data and maintain two-way communication.
• IoT and Sensors: Potential of IoT devices and sensors should not be overlooked, as they can monitor environmental factors such as temperature, air quality, and noise levels, ensuring a secure working environment.

For more insight into technology solutions for lone workers, consider SHESQY by SafetyCulture.

SafetyDocs for Lone Worker Safety Solution

As the nature of work continues to evolve, prioritising safety and well-being of lone workers in remote Australian environments becomes paramount. By acknowledging challenges they face and implementing proactive strategies and advanced technologies, employers can ensure lone workers remain productive, safe, healthy, and connected.

Utilising safety documents can help employers and lone workers maintain compliance with safety regulations.

SafetyDocs by SafetyCulture provides templates and checklists to help you develop a comprehensive set of health and safety documents for lone worker safety.

From risk assessments, safe work procedures, incident reports, and hazard registers, SafetyDocs offers all necessary paperwork to support lone workers in remote working environments. Check out the following safety documents to get started:

• Remote Areas Driving Safe Work Method Statement
• Remote-Isolated Work Safe Work Method Statement
• Remote and Isolated Work Plan
• Health and Safety Policy

Contact SafetyDocs support for more information about how to leverage safety documents for your lone worker safety program today!

Our team of experts is dedicated to providing accurate and informative content. Craig Cruickshank, our senior HSEQ advisor at SafetyDocs by SafetyCulture, has reviewed this blog post to ensure the highest level of quality.

Learn more about Craig's work on LinkedIn for further industry insights.

Available for instant download and supplied in fully editable MS Word format for use in your business.

Please note that the above information is provided as a comment only and should not be relied on as professional, legal or financial advice.