Aim of the course

This course aims to help learners understand the risks associated with lone working and apply practical measures that protect their safety, health and wellbeing.

It develops awareness of risk assessment, communication arrangements, check-in procedures, personal safety, situational awareness, emergency escalation and accurate incident reporting.

Scope of the course

The course is designed for domiciliary care workers, community healthcare staff, support workers, nurses, cleaners, maintenance staff, night workers, home workers, agency workers and others who may work without close or direct supervision.

It provides awareness-level knowledge relating to:

1. Planning work before starting.
2. Assessing the environment and individual visit.
3. Maintaining reliable communication.
4. Using check-in and escalation systems.
5. Managing personal safety and wellbeing.
6. Responding to emergencies and missed contacts.
7. Reporting incidents and reviewing controls.

This course does not replace:

1. A role-specific lone-working risk assessment.
2. Workplace induction and local procedures.
3. Conflict-management or breakaway training.
4. Clinical emergency training.
5. Practical personal-safety equipment instruction.
6. Driving-at-work risk management.
7. Competency assessment for high-risk tasks.

Some activities are not suitable for lone working. If the risks cannot be adequately controlled, the work must be changed, postponed or completed with additional staff or specialist support.

Topics covered

The course covers:

1. The meaning of lone working.
2. Common lone-working situations in health and social care.
3. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
4. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
5. Employer and worker responsibilities.
6. Why lone working may increase the consequences of workplace hazards.
7. Role-specific and visit-specific risk assessment.
8. Dynamic risk assessment when circumstances change.
9. Environmental, travel and location-related risks.
10. Violence, aggression, harassment and personal safety.
11. Medical suitability and individual worker needs.
12. Stress, fatigue, isolation and mental wellbeing.
13. Safe scheduling and sharing visit information.
14. Checking known risks before a home or community visit.
15. Communication plans and agreed contact arrangements.
16. Check-in, check-out and missed-contact procedures.
17. Use of mobile phones, personal alarms and lone-worker devices.
18. Maintaining confidentiality when sharing safety information.
19. Safe arrival, entry, positioning and exit planning.
20. Recognising warning signs and changes in behaviour.
21. De-escalation and maintaining professional boundaries.
22. Withdrawing from a situation that becomes unsafe.
23. Summoning help and contacting emergency services.
24. Responding to equipment failure, poor signal or loss of contact.
25. Travelling and driving between visits.
26. Accidents, incidents, near misses and safeguarding concerns.
27. Post-incident support, reporting and review.
28. Learning from incidents and updating risk controls.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, learners should be able to:

1. Define lone working and identify common examples.
2. Explain why working alone can increase the impact of workplace hazards.
3. Summarise employer and worker responsibilities.
4. Recognise that lone working is not automatically prohibited but must be properly assessed.
5. Identify common risks affecting lone workers in health and social care.
6. Explain the purpose of a lone-working risk assessment.
7. Carry out a basic dynamic assessment when circumstances change.
8. Check relevant safety information before beginning a visit or task.
9. Follow agreed movement, communication and check-in arrangements.
10. Explain what should happen when a worker misses an agreed contact.
11. Use communication and personal-safety equipment according to local procedures.
12. Maintain awareness of entrances, exits and environmental changes.
13. Recognise early warning signs of aggression or an unsafe situation.
14. Apply basic de-escalation and professional-boundary principles.
15. Explain when to stop, withdraw or refuse to continue unsafe work.
16. Describe how to summon assistance during an emergency.
17. Respond appropriately when a phone, alarm or communication system fails.
18. Recognise how lone working may affect stress, fatigue and wellbeing.
19. Report accidents, incidents, threats and near misses promptly.
20. Explain why lone-working arrangements must be reviewed following changes or incidents.

The course reflects the general duties established by the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. It follows current HSE guidance on managing the risks of working alone, including training, supervision, monitoring, communication and emergency response.