OHS Management System: Risk Management |
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> Introduction to Risk Management |
> Pets |
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Working Alone
Working alone is a major issue for the community care industry and health workers in rural communities.
What are the risks?
Some of the risks of working alone include:
- Can the risks of the job safely be controlled by one person?
- Increased vulnerability to attack by outsiders or the client.
- Decreased ability to deal with accidents or emergencies.
- Visits at regular times may increase the risk of attack.
How can I reduce risks?
- Introduce administrative controls
- Consider security
- Training
Consider introducing administrative controls:
- Screen your clients.
- Obtain information from referring agencies.
- Use a telephone checklist to determine things such as:
- access;
- type of dwelling;
- car parking;
- who will be there;
- any animals. - Conduct an initial workplace risk assessment. This should be done by two people to increase safety.
- Determine if there are age, sex or cultural considerations.
- Check out the exits when you arrive. Always position yourself closest to the exit.
- During visits, keep car keys on person and your mobile phone on.
- Ensure you park in spots with easy egress. Do not park in a driveway where you can be parked in.
- Schedule regular on-site supervisor reviews.
- Try and schedule visits at slightly different times to avoid a regular pattern.
Consider personal security measures:
- Provide workers with mobile phones, pagers or personal alarms.
- Ensure emergency numbers are programmed into phones.
- Consider use of code words so employees can convey their situation discretely. If you need help you will be able to ring the office and convey the problem without raising the suspicions of others. For example, “I forgot to tell you to take the cake out of the oven”.
- Establish your whereabouts.
- Ensure colleagues have a copy of your schedule.
- Phone in to the office before entering and after leaving each site (or at set intervals for long visits).
Provide training to ensure:
- Staff are confident in risk assessment and risk management.
- Staff are empowered to make the decision to leave a site if they do not feel safe.
Templates & References
The Community Services Safety Pack - includes a section on home visits.
Occupational Health Safety and Welfare Guidelines for Community Workers - includes induction and home assessment checklists.
Working Alone in Safety - offers suggestions on risk considerations and ways to reduce risks to a range of lone workers.