To most, heading into “the office” means going to a workspace filled with many other co-workers who you can interact with on a day to day basis and who you can reasonably rely on for help, or at least to call for help, should an accident occur. What if going into “the office” meant you were going into a workspace filled with only you? The nature of the work may not be inherently dangerous but there is no one there to dial 911 so even a task with low risk can become dangerous quickly should an accident occur.

Workers who work odd shifts such as late at night may be the only ones working that shift. Workers working in a small establishment like a gas station may be alone. Workers who visit patients, sites or clients may be working by themselves. Employers still have a responsibility to make sure those workers are safe. Communication is going to be even more important between employer and employee in these situations. Establish what is safe and what is not safe for a worker to do by themselves to make sure they are not working on tasks outside of what a single person could safely do. Employers can make sure that their worker is back at “home base” after their shift is over and ask their employee to check in when they are done.  It might even be a good idea to account for their whereabouts or activities periodically during their shift just to make sure everything is ok with them. There are devices that can help with this- such as communication devices, trackers, or alarms that will detect if something’s not right.

Last month we talked about a case manager who was alone with an unstable patient who ultimately murdered her. Working by yourself doesn’t always mean you are literally by yourself, but if you think that by being alone with that other person puts you in a dangerous position then you have a right to request protective measures from your employer so that you feel you are in a safe workplace.

There are not specific standards set for lone workers, and thinking about their safety can take a backseat when you’re thinking about the larger workforce. It is important to think about all the factors that can go into solo work before they start their job, and before an accident occurs. Having a plan in place and knowing what actions to take can make all the difference.