Lone Working Procedure

1. Local Lone Working Guidance

The lone working policy sets out the steps that you are required to take:

  1. To ensure your own safety;
  2. To protect other Local Authority colleagues; and
  3. To respond to any risk that may occur.

You are required to follow the requirements of the local lone working guidance at all times.

Click here to access it.

2. A Proactive Approach

It is your responsibility to take a proactive approach to risk assessment and your own personal safety. This involves:

  1. Identify any existing risk assessments or warnings; and
  2. Anticipate any likely risks; and
  3. Explore ways to manage likely risk; and
  4. Decide the best way to manage the risk; before
  5. Carrying out the function, task or process to which you have been allocated.

3. Completing a Risk Assessment

Risk assessment is name given to the combined processes of:

  1. Identifying risk;
  2. Identifying the likely impact of the risk (positive and negative); and
  3. Identifying how to reduce the negative impact and maximise the positive.

Every situation is different, but the table below sets out some examples of risk that may be present, and the strategies that may be available to manage that risk.

Risk Examples Strategy
Environmental risk

Cross contamination

Slips, trips and falls

Keep footwear on at all times

Politely decline refreshments offered

Wash hands after visit

Roll back rugs

Use Personal

Protective Equipment
Risk from animals Bites, stings and scratches

Arrange for the animal to be in another area of the home

Arrange for someone to take the animal out during any visits

Arrange for someone else to be present who can pacify the animal
Risks from the person or others

Verbal aggression

Physical aggression

Prevention from leaving

Make sure people know where you are and how long you will be-arrange a follow up if time exceeds this

Visit with a colleague

Sit near to the exit

End the meeting if aggression appears likely

Make sure any personal alarms you have are functioning and you know how/when to use them

If risk is from others, arrange to meet the person without that person present
Risks from equipment Injury when using manual handling equipment

Do not use faulty equipment

Ensure adequate training

Follow instructions and guidance

Report maintenance concerns
Risk of allegation against you Reports of abuse or exploitation

Visit with a colleague

Keep accurate records of visits and conversations

Record and report any issues or concerns immediately

You should always seek the support of your line manager when:

  1. The best way to manage risk is unclear; or
  2. The level of risk cannot be reduced.

4. Recording Risk

It is your responsibility to:

  1. Familiarise yourself with any local templates for the assessment of lone working risk; and
  2. Record risk in line with local requirements.

The following information should always be clear:

  1. The risks that have been identified;
  2. The plan to manage risk; and
  3. The rational for the decisions made.

5. Warnings

Where there is an on-going risk to practitioners you must take steps to ensure that a warning is used to alert them to the risk.

Warnings should:

  1. Be factual and evidenced;
  2. Point to further information where available;
  3. Be reviewed periodically (see below);
  4. Be shared with relevant colleagues (such as district nurses, Careline staff, housing officers, police and others involved in the case who need to know).

The need for an on-going warning should be reviewed:

  1. Whenever a care and support, or other statutory function is being carried out; or
  2. There is evidence that level of risk has changed; or
  3. The risk management strategies are not effective; or
  4. The risk management strategies are no longer required.