- A lone worker is anyone who works without close or direct supervision, from home visitors and drivers to out-of-hours, remote and home-based staff.
- Working alone is not against the law, but employers must assess and control the risks under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management Regulations 1999.
- Some tasks must not be done alone, and some people may not be medically fit to work alone.
- Occupational health helps by assessing fitness to work alone and supporting the wellbeing of isolated workers.
Lone working is far more common than many employers realise, and it is easy to overlook precisely because it feels so ordinary. A lone worker is simply anyone who works by themselves without close or direct supervision. That covers a wide range of people: someone alone in a shop, kiosk or small workshop; staff working out of hours, such as cleaners, security and maintenance; home visitors in health, social care and housing; drivers and mobile engineers; and the large number of people who now work from home. The hazards they face are often the same as everyone else's, but the risk is greater, because help may not be at hand if something goes wrong.
Is it legal to work alone?
In almost all cases, yes. Working alone is not, in itself, against the law, and much lone work is perfectly safe. What the law requires is that employers think it through. Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, employers must assess the risks to lone workers and put suitable controls in place, and must make sure lone workers are not put at greater risk than everyone else. A few specific activities must not be done alone, such as certain work in confined spaces, work on vehicles carrying explosives, and some fumigation work.
Good practice
Treat lone working as its own line in your risk assessment rather than assuming the general assessment covers it. The question to ask is not only "what are the hazards?" but "what happens if this person needs help and no one is there?" That single question surfaces most of what matters: communication, emergencies, and who is fit to work alone in the first place.
Working alone is not unlawful, but it means thinking harder about who is fit to do it, and what happens if something goes wrong.
What to assess
A lone-working risk assessment should be practical and specific to the role. The main things to weigh are the risk of violence or aggression, which is higher for people who work with the public or visit homes; the potential for an accident or a medical emergency with no one on hand to help; how the person can summon assistance and how their safety is monitored; and their medical suitability for working alone. Consulting the people who actually do the job is the quickest way to identify the real risks and the controls that will work.
- Have the specific risks of lone working, including violence and emergencies, been assessed for the role?
- Is there a reliable way for the person to keep in touch and raise the alarm?
- Are there clear procedures for what happens in an emergency, and has everyone been trained in them?
- Has the person's fitness to work alone been considered, including any health condition?
- Is the assessment reviewed regularly, and whenever the work changes?
Fitness to work alone
This is where occupational health adds something a standard safety assessment can miss. Some people may be at greater risk when working alone because of a health condition. A condition such as epilepsy, diabetes or a heart condition, well managed in a supervised setting, can carry more risk where there is no one nearby if the person becomes unwell. Fitness to work alone should take account of both routine tasks and foreseeable emergencies, and of activities such as driving, working at height or working near water. A pre-placement or management-referral assessment gives an objective, work-focused view of whether someone can safely undertake the role, and of what support would help.
The wellbeing of lone workers
Isolation carries its own risks, and they are easy to miss because they are not dramatic. Lone and remote workers can experience higher levels of stress and lower wellbeing, with fewer of the informal supports and the day-to-day contact that colleagues provide. Recognising this, HSE guidance on lone working now specifically addresses the effect of working alone on stress and mental health. Regular, genuine contact from a manager, clear routes to support, and making sure lone workers are included rather than forgotten all make a real difference.
Medwyn tip
Keeping in touch should be about the person, not only about safety check-ins. A brief, regular conversation that asks how someone is, rather than only whether they are safe, does more for the wellbeing of a lone or remote worker than any monitoring device, and often surfaces problems earlier.
Where occupational health fits
Occupational health supports employers with lone workers in two connected ways: assessing whether someone is medically fit to work alone, through pre-employment or a management referral, and supporting the mental health and wellbeing of people who work in isolation, through mental health support. We can also advise on the health aspects of your lone-working risk assessment and policy. Managed well, lone working can be both safe and sustainable for the people who do it.
This article is general guidance for employers and is not individual medical or legal advice. If you are unsure how it applies to your organisation, contact our team.