WSG Rapid Risk Assessment

No more excuses for not performing a Risk Assessment for Lone Workers.

Why don’t more companies perform lone worker risk assessments?

Risk assessments are never easy. You have to take into account factors including the type of work, the location, and who will perform it. Even if you identify these, how do you judge the potential risks, what scale are they measured against? Many companies don’t know where to start, especially if they employ workers who are often off-site.

In fact, some companies are still unaware of the fact that they even employ lone workers. To be a lone worker it is not a prerequisite that there are no other people around. You don’t have to work in the middle of a forest or a desert. Lone workers are not isolated; they work without direct supervision. According to Comcare’s Guide to Remote or Isolated Work, a lone worker is:
 

“those who work by themselves and/or work in the community with only limited support arrangements, which therefore expose them to risk by being isolated from the usual backup support. This is the case whether they regularly work alone or are only occasionally alone and do not have access to immediate support from managers or other colleagues.”

Risk assessments for lone workers

This means that real estate agents/property managers, taxi/transport workers, health care workers, nurses, salespeople, security staff, and in-home consultants are all lone workers at times. As well as the more commonly thought of lone workers such as farmers and engineers. A tradesman is a lone worker if they work on a level alone while a high rise is being constructed.

The first step then, is to identify if you employ or manage lone workers. They may be lone workers for short periods of time, but they are exposed to higher risks during these times. This is one of the reasons that a lone worker risk assessment is so important.

Do you need help identifying potential lone workers?

If you’re unsure of how to identify lone workers you might find our blog What is a Lone or Remote Worker helpful to read. This blog highlights several of the terms used instead of lone worker. It will also help you identify who is likely at risk and some of the legalities around employer duty of care.

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Risk assessments in the workplace.

Rapid Risk Assessment.

Is a risk assessment practical for staff who are in and out of the office all day? If you have lone workers in and out or travelling to various locations, it might seem impractical to do a risk assessment every time they leave. Even if you do a risk assessment what sort of scale is it measured on, and how long will it take to perform? It’s not going to happen if you have to spend hours performing a detailed risk assessment every time.

To combat this Walter Brennan developed a 90-second rapid risk assessment, its original use was for lone working nurses in the UK. WSG has adapted this rapid risk assessment for use across many industries. Our adapted rapid risk assessment is available for download at the bottom of this page. The rapid risk assessment works on a points system where you assign values for yes, no and unsure for each question. Once you answer the questions the total number of these answers provides you with a level of risk. 10 – 15 is low risk. 16 -23 is a medium level of risk. A high-risk situation is anything that scores above 24.

Why use a Rapid Risk Assessment?

The rapid risk assessment WSG provides is designed to be used by the employees themselves. This means that there is no extra work or time pressure placed on managers. It takes approximately 90 seconds for an employee to complete and it ensures they’re aware of potential risks. It also ensures they have the opportunity to take the necessary precautions. This enhances a cooperative approach to lone worker safety and enhances employee engagement with their own safety measures. Robert Garcia calls this a “person-centred approach to health and safety”.

A rapid risk assessment also adds to fulfilling your duty of care in regards to lone worker safety. Lisa Berton, an employment law specialist, states that employers are required to take reasonable steps to minimise associated risks. Taking 90 seconds to perform a rapid risk assessment is a reasonable step. Likewise, implementing a risk assessment action plan also adds to fulfilling your duty of care. WSG provides a rapid risk assessment action plan free to download with the rapid risk assessment at the bottom of this page. It takes the information established in the risk assessment and provides five simple steps to improve safety.

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There are no more excuses for not performing a risk assessment.

Download the WSG rapid risk assessment tool and action plan below. Stop making excuses for why you can’t perform a risk assessment for your lone workers. 90 seconds is all it takes, employers provide the rapid risk assessment tool and employees complete it. It’s a cooperative and preventative safety measure, which helps fulfil your lone worker duty of care. It also increases the engagement of employees when it comes to their own safety. Improve safety, engage employees, and fulfil your duty of care, all in 90 seconds.

If you need help deciding which safety device is right for your team, see our Where to Start page. It provides you with everything you need to make the right decision for you and your team.