Minimising Risk

Before The Meeting

Conducting home visits as a lone worker presents some obvious personal safety risks. To help minimise these risks and make the activity of client visits as safe as possible, we offer the following advice.

1 For an initial home visit, try to schedule the appointment by telephone or letter so that the client will know to expect you and be prepared. If you speak to the client ahead of time, you may be able to get vital background information or an update on their current situation, which may have changed.

2 Always record the name, address and contact phone numbers of all clients where the information is easily accessible to colleagues.

3 Whenever possible, conduct home visits accompanied by colleagues or employees from other agencies working in the same property.

4 Colleagues should have a record of your personal details to hand. A photograph or personal description, car make and registration and even medical conditions are worth noting should the emergency services require extra information in an emergency.

5 At the start of the day, make sure that your mobile phone is fully charged. If you use it a lot during the day, you could also pack a charging cable or powerbank to increase battery life on the go.

6 Depending on the nature of the meeting, some clients may be able to meet you in a public space, rather than their home.

7 Let people know where you are going. Put appointments or meetings in your email calendar with names and contact information and make it public to your colleagues.

8 Don’t ever venture out to meet anyone or attend to something by yourself without telling at least two people (preferably more) where you are going and when you plan to return.

9 If you have a personal safety device, make sure that it is charged and that you know how to use it. As well as raising a SOS alarm, most personal safety devices and apps will monitor your position, allow you to set activity timers and leave voice memo updates.