What is a Lone Worker? Definition, Examples & Safety Tips

What does "lone working" mean? Who is classed as a lone worker? How many lone workers are there? Are lone workers safe? We answer your questions ...

Lone workers are more common than you might think — from delivery drivers and health visitors to retail staff and remote employees. But what exactly does "lone working" mean, and how can you keep these workers safe? In this guide, we answer key questions about lone working, legal responsibilities, and how to protect staff who operate alone.

Who Is Classed as a Lone Worker?

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) defines a lone worker as "someone who works by themselves without close or direct supervision".

This includes those of us who always work alone (such as social workers or surveyors) or those who may only carry out specific tasks alone (such as retail workers or teachers).

What Counts as Lone Working?

If an employee is working out of sight or without direct supervision — even temporarily — they’re considered a lone worker.

It’s particularly important not to overlook lone workers who:

Work in the community with members of the public

Travel during work hours

Work on the same site or in the same building as their colleagues but cannot always be seen or heard by any of them

Are only alone when their colleague(s) takes a break

Work late and are therefore the last to remain in the workplace

Work in busy populated areas e.g. city centres or stadiums

Work from home or from another location

Is Homeworking Considered Lone Working?

Homeworkers should also be classed as lone workers because they do not work in the vicinity of their colleagues. Therefore, it’s important to take their safety and wellbeing into consideration.

Click this link for more information about how to protect your homeworkers.

Common Examples of Lone Working Roles

Some practical examples of lone working include:

A plumber entering someone’s property alone
A retail worker stacking shelves with no other colleagues in the direct vicinity
An NHS worker in a 1-2-1 consultation
Homeworkers
A sales rep attending a meeting without a colleague
Bus and delivery drivers
A construction worker in a location where they cannot be seen or heard
Teachers without another colleague in the classroom

How Many Lone Workers Are There in the UK?

It has been previously estimated that there are 8 million lone workers in the UK, and hundreds are attacked each day.

You can find out more about this here: How many lone workers are attacked every day?

Is Lone Working Legal and Safe?

Lone workers are subject to increased risk because they do not have a colleague with them to help should an incident occur. An incident could be a result of social risks such as violence or aggression, or environmental risks such as slips, trips and falls.

However, according to HSE, working alone is completely legal and will often be safe. But employers need to be aware of their health and safety responsibilities toward lone workers.

Employer Responsibilities for Lone Worker Safety

Employers are responsible for the health and safety of their lone, remote, and home workers. Therefore, it’s important for employers to ensure they’ve completed a thorough risk assessment before anyone is permitted to work alone. This entails considering hazards that might cause harm and putting appropriate control measures and safeguards in place.

You may find these pages useful:

Lone Worker Risk Assessments: Your Guide.

Lone Working Policy: Template and Guide.

How to Protect Lone Workers: Safety Solutions

For many organisations that employ lone workers, one of these safeguarding measures is a lone worker solution that helps to protect lone workers from risk. It ensures the fastest possible emergency response should an incident occur and provides workers with peace of mind that someone will be on hand to support them should they need it.

You can find out more about lone worker protection here.

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