How Managers can mitigate risk, and improve the safety of independent workers
It’s not always hazardous to work alone, but circumstances can change rapidly. Keeping safe as an independent worker involves situational awareness, and both personal and organisational responsibility. As managers, it’s our job to offer duty-of-care to our workers, and to provide clear expectations and guidelines that empower workers to keep themselves safe. Outlined below are best-practice guidelines for independent community workers. We’ll also touch on your legal obligations, and how monitored personal alarms can offer you (and your organisation) assurance that your team are looked after and can get assistance as needed.
The guidelines are also considerations you can factor into your health and safety policy. WorkSafe Queensland describes the value of having such policy in place:
OK, this all sounds great. But what kind of practises should you document in a health and safey policy for independent workers, who are often dealing with a degree of uncertainty?
Guidelines to help independent workers stay safe
Safety is always the top priority when working alone in the community. If you feel uneasy or unsure about a situation, it's best to trust your instincts and take steps to protect yourself. What happens when something goes wrong? If your team feels threatened or uncomfortable in a given situation, workers should aim to pre-empt any harm by leaving the location and seeking help. At a minimum, workers should notify their managers immediately, and ask for help. When a worker can’t leave a situation (through injury or duress), a monitored personal duress alarm can be a useful tool for enhancing personal safety. Personal duress alarms are small, handheld devices connected to a monitoring center or service. When activated, the alarm sends a signal to the monitoring center, and trained personnel can then take appropriate action, such as contacting emergency services on your behalf or notifying emergency contacts. Monitored duress alarms can provide an extra layer of safety, particularly in situations where the user may be unable to call for help or may not be able to respond to an emergency. They can also be useful for people who work alone in high-risk or hazardous environments, such as healthcare professionals, social workers, or security personnel. It's important to choose a reputable monitoring service and to ensure that the device is properly maintained and tested regularly. Overall, a monitored duress alarm can be a useful tool for enhancing personal safety, but it should be used in conjunction with other safety measures. It's also important to choose a device and service that meets your specific needs and requirements. Get assurance your team are OK, with automated welfare checks Welfare checks are a common safety measure, where people check-in so that you know they're OK. A welfare check typically involves a designated individual, such as a manager or colleague, contacting the person at a specified time to confirm their safety and well-being. In situations where people work alone, a welfare check can help to provide an additional layer of safety and ensure the organisation offers duty of care in regards to the person's whereabouts and condition. Rather than manually having to call or text people several times a day, welfare checks should be automated, removing any administrative burden. SkyTrack’s system means that team leaders or coordinators are alerted if the worker does not respond at regular intervals, or if there is an emergency. Automating welfare checks also makes safety a matter of routine, and helps to grow safety as a practise within the organisational culture. Safety procedures need an owner Safety procedures need to be robust and reviewed on an ongoing basis. It's important to clearly define which role(s) in your organisation are responsible for maintaining and ensuring safety procedures are followed. They should not be dependent on individuals, rather, incorporated into relevant position descriptions within your organisation so they will continue long after individual staff members have moved on. Adopting this practise will help grow a culture of safety within your organisation. Your Work Health & Safety obligations as an employer Under the Australian Government’s Work Health & Safety legislation, employers have an obligation to ensure the health and safety of their workers. This means you must:
If you follow the suggestions in this article, you’ll be well on your way to meeting your obligations. We’ve covered how you can:
For more information, refer to the WorkSafe site in your state: ACT, NSW, NT, SA, TAS, VIC, WA, QLD I believe every manager truly cares about their team’s wellbeing and safety. With some planning and effort, we can feel assured that we’re looking out for our people, our legal obligations are met, and that we have the process in place in the event things take a turn for the worse. Hopefully you’ve found this useful. If you have any feedback or would like to know more about our services please send me an email or fill out the contact form below. Let’s stay safe out there! Thanks, Steve Heaney |