Keeping Your ‘Lone Workers’ Safe

Some companies employ workers who work alone or in remote areas where injuries and illnesses can occur, resulting in delays in emergency response or medical assistance. They include people who work outside normal business hours, such as janitors, security guards, special production, plant maintenance or repair staff, delivery truck drivers, and others. Protecting the safety of these lone or remote workers isn’t always easy – but it’s your responsibility.

In some cases, you must monitor the exposure of these workers to identify potential hazards, assess the risks of injury or illness, and take steps to eliminate or control them. Bear in mind that some high-risk activities have safety regulations which require at least one other person to do the job, such as confined space work (defined by OSHA regulations) or electrical work at or near exposed live conductors.

If you have any employees out in the field or working alone, consider what safety measures to take to protect their well-being and security. A well-thought-out safety program for these employees is an essential first step. Hazard control measures might include:

• Safety Awareness information.
• Training.
• Supervision.
• Protective Equipment.
• Communication and Monitoring devices.

Take steps to make sure that these safety control measures remain in effect – and review your plan at regular intervals by doing a risk assessment in areas where employees work alone.

As your professional insurance agents, it’s our responsibility to help you keep all of your workers safe at all times. Give us a call at any time to discuss how we can help.