Lone workers can sometimes face greater risks than those who work in teams or busy workplaces. Consequently, it’s essential (and required by law) for employers to protect lone workers from accidents and potential injury. But to keep your workers safe, you first need to understand the risks. You can only implement policies and protocols that keep lone workers after you identify the most common hazards present at your workplace.
The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety provides good resources for work alone safety.
Lone worker monitoring systems are an essential tool for keeping lone workers safe. Contact us to learn more about how CommAlert’s lone worker safety service protects employees.
What are some common workplace hazards?
Slips, trips, and falls
Slips, trips, and falls are the most common causes of workplace injuries. These types of accidents happen often in the workplace because these injuries affect all workers across all industries.
Heavy equipment accidents
Heavy machinery is another common cause of workplace injuries. Machine entanglement, in particular, is very prevalent and especially catastrophic for lone workers. Since no one is around to help, lone workers can be left immobilized, and the resulting incident can be much more severe.
Environmental dangers
Lone workers operating outdoors face many environmental hazards. They’re at risk from exposure to extremely high or low temperatures that could lead to heat stroke or hypothermia. Some owners may also encounter attacks from wild animals.
Invisible hazards
Though sometimes overlooked, these hazards can still have a significant impact on lone workers. For example, workers can sometimes lose consciousness when exposed to rising heat and fumes, leaving them vulnerable. Poor air quality can also impact their long-term health.
Hazardous objects
Injuries caused by hazardous objects can happen at any workplace. Construction and warehousing are obvious examples, but even lone workers in retail environments can be at risk. Cuts, lacerations, and concussions can happen whenever a lone worker touches a hazardous object.
Vehicle accidents
For some lone workers, driving is part of their job. If they frequently drive in remote areas or in adverse weather conditions, the consequences of a car accident could be extreme.
Medical emergencies
Medical emergencies can affect lone workers suddenly. Heart attacks, strokes, and severe allergic reactions are almost impossible to predict, so employers need to have lone worker protocols in place at all times. Any medical emergency can be more severe when no one is nearby to help.
Inability to communicate
If a lone worker can’t call for help, they’re at a greater risk of a serious accident. They could be out of service, unconscious, or simply just not have the means to communicate. At CommAlert, we use regular check-ins to ensure lone workers are safe. If they cannot communicate and miss a check-in as a result, we initiate emergency call out procedures.
Our lone worker monitoring solutions operate 24/7 and use live operators. We also tailor our services to your organization and each employee’s unique working environment.
Learn more about lone worker safety with CommAlert.
