How a Lone Worker First Aid Kit Could Save a Life

On average, over 6 million people work alone in the UK and over 150 lone workers are attacked, both physically and verbally, every day. This is expected to grow as there continues to be improvements in communication via technology, allowing more companies to operate business remotely.

We have created this guide to help you understand what a lone worker is, what a lone worker safety policy is, and how employers can keep lone workers safe, including our range of lone worker first aid kits that could save a life.

What is a lone worker?

The HSE defines a lone worker as “those who work by themselves without close or direct supervision”. Lone workers can work in a fixed establishment or off-site. Examples of lone workers in fixed establishments are:

• A person working alone in a small workshop, petrol station or shop
• People who work from home other than in low-risk, office-type work
• People working alone for long periods, e.g. in factories, warehouses, leisure centres or fairgrounds
• People working on their own outside normal hours, e.g. cleaners and security, maintenance, or repair staff

Examples of mobile workers working away from their fixed base are:

• Workers involved in construction, maintenance and repair, plant installation and cleaning work
• Agricultural and forestry workers
• Service workers, including postal staff, social and medical workers, engineers, estate agents, and sales or service representatives visiting domestic and commercial premises

What is a lone worker safety policy?

A lone worker safety policy helps a business to assess any health and safety risks to an employee. The assessment is essentially a risk assessment and can help decide whether the employee requires a lone worker device to keep them safe.

Employers have a legal duty to carry out risk assessments of any work-related activities which present a risk to personal safety. The policy should identify:

• Who might be harmed
• The dangers they face
• Any measures that can be taken to prevent and reduce the risk of injury

The assessment will differ according to industry, for example, for people working in logistics, the things employers might need to consider are:

• Do they deliver heavy objects?
• Will they be driving overnight?
• Are unloading areas always safe?

For more information on lone worker policies, read the two pieces of UK legislation that apply to lone workers:

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

How can a lone worker keep safe?

There are many ways in which a lone worker can keep safe. One way is using an app that has been designed for people who work alone, so they can quickly and easily report their activities, and alert someone if they need help.

An example is the Lone Worker App from LONEALERT which transforms your mobile into a lone working device. This free lone worker app provides GPS location, comes with a panic alarm, and quickly records and reports lone working activities.

Another way in which a lone worker can keep safe is with first aid kits. We have a wide range of first kits, designed for people who work off-site or alone.

BS8599-1 Off-Site Lone Worker First Aid Kit

The contents of this kit have been carefully selected to enable the user to deal with a wide variety of accidents whilst working alone or off-site. Our BS8599-1 off-site lone worker first aid kit has been created to be completely British Standards compliant with its contents. The kit is available in both a soft nylon bag with separate compartments and a rigid plastic green box.

BS8599-2 Vehicle First Aid Kit

Drivers, such as lorry drivers, bus and taxi drivers are classed as lone workers. In some vehicles such as passenger-carrying vehicles, and company cars, a vehicle first aid kit is a legal requirement. In private vehicles, it is not the law to have a first aid kit in the car, but it is still highly recommended. The vehicle first aid kit takes up very little room in your car and can be placed under the seat or in the boot, out of harm’s way.

HSE Lone Worker First Aid Kit

These HSE compliant Lone Worker first aid kits have been created for people working outside of their workplace and come in easy to carry bags, pouches and bumbags, all containing CE products.

We also stock a standard HSE kit for your premises and an eco-friendly version of this kit.

Vehicle First Aid Kit Bag

This vehicle kit bag is perfect for household cars, or delivery and service vehicles and comes in a handy and compact size bag.

Taxi and PSV First Aid Kit

If you own or are driving a taxi or public service vehicle, it is your duty to have a first aid kit on board should an individual be hurt and need assistance. Not only could our Taxi and PSV kit be crucial in the event of a road accident, but you will also be covered for other daily mishaps and incidents.

We have a first aid kit for every requirement and have made it easy for you to choose the right one for you. If you are unsure what first aid kit you need, visit our helpful guide to choosing the right first aid kit.