What is a Lone Worker?

What is a lone worker?

The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) defines lone workers as ‘those who work by themselves without close or direct supervision. The NHS - the UK’s largest employer - describes them as, ‘staff who work, either regularly or occasionally, on their own, without access to immediate support from work colleagues, managers or others’.

Both are broad definitions that capture a large and increasing number of the nation’s employed and self employed; ‘lone worker’ is a term that’s as equally applicable to desk workers empowered by technology to work from any location as it is to engineers or manual workers ‘out in the field’ or those alone in a booth. This non-exhaustive list demonstrates the diversity of roles which could come under the umbrella of ‘lone-working’.

Delivery drivers
Carers and healthcare workers
Fleet managers
Construction workers
Utility engineers
Manufacturing operatives

Shop workers
Petrol station attendants
Hotel receptionists
Security staff and
Anyone working from home

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Whether they’re in a distant location, making solo visits to clients or patients, or working from their kitchen table, anyone who can’t be seen or heard by a colleague or supervisor is essentially a lone worker - whether that’s for one day or every day.

And while each different type of job will come with its own unique set of hazards, and some will put workers at a much higher risk of violence or personal injury, an increased risk to mental health is one thing which unites every lone working role. This is especially true when lone working is a permanent arrangement or over an extended period of time.