Lone Working and Out of Hours Working

Introduction

Lone working may occur at the normal place of work/study or it may be in off-site locations, either as part of field work, overseas trips, community-based working, etc.

The University acknowledges that there may be implications for its employees, students, visitors and contractors when working alone. Whilst there is no general legal prohibition on working alone there are some specific legal prohibitions affecting a small number of well-established dangerous situations, such as working with live electrical conductors and entry into confined spaces.

Wherever possible, lone working should be avoided, but where there is a real requirement for lone working, a suitable risk assessment must be carried out to identify the risks to the lone worker and safe working arrangements must be identified and introduced to minimise the risks as far as is reasonably practicable.

Those who may be at risk shall be provided with information and training as appropriate in order to minimise the risks when working remotely from colleagues or other persons and/or outside normal working hours. The arrangements that the University considers to be best practice are described in separate guidance that is available on the Safety Office web site. Where this guidance does not cover a particular situation, further advice may be sought from the Safety Office.

University Policy and Guidance on Lone Working