What are the Risks for Lone Workers?

Lone workers face the same hazards at work as anyone else, but there is a greater risk of these hazards causing harm as they may not have anyone to help or support them if things go wrong.

Lone working is considered a higher-risk activity for a variety of reasons. Lone workers may be more susceptible to attack because they are seen as easy targets. If they suffer an accident or other emergency situation, there is no one with them to help or call for assistance.

An employee working alone is also more likely to make poor health and safety decisions and take more risks without a colleague around to share and discuss the decision making.

Typically, lone worker risks fall into one of three categories: people risk, environment risk or task-based risk. Using this PET risk methodology, it’s easier to understand the risk profile of your lone workers.

The most common hazards faced by lone workers vary according to industry and job role.

They include:

Physical abuse
Verbal abuse
Slips, trips and falls
Working at height
Operating machinery and equipment
Manual handling
Driving for work
Working around vehicles
Working with harmful substances

The HSE’s annual workplace fatalities statistics for 2023/24 revealed a total of 138 people died at work.

The major causes of these deaths resulted from falls from height (50), being struck by a moving vehicle (25) and being struck by a moving object (20).

Download our fatalities at work infographic