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Lone working, safety issue?

All Health & Safety issues in here.
Thunderthighs
Posts: 990
Joined: 14 Jul 2009, 19:42
Gender: Male

Lone working, safety issue?

Post by Thunderthighs »

Got talking to a lady at a business during collections, and I said something like, "Are you the last one here/locking up then?" as it was quite late.
She replied that their Health and Safety rules forbid Lone Workers, in case of injury, illness, criminal activities etc.

This made me wonder: How are we allowed to have a lone male/female to run the PHG by themselves? Being alone during the day/Locking up at night?
This is on a regular/normal day-to-day practice.

Seems that as we are known for storing valuables - I'm old enough to remember the Great Train Robbery! - we are opening ourselves up for Major problems!
fishtank
Posts: 19732
Joined: 28 Sep 2007, 17:22
Gender: Male

Re: Lone working, safety issue?

Post by fishtank »

Is it legal to work alone and is it safe?

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is frequently asked these questions. Working alone is not in itself against the law, and it will often be safe to do so.
However, the law requires employers and others to think about and deal with any health and safety risks before people should be allowed to work alone. Employers have responsibility for the health, safety and welfare at work of all of their employees. They are also responsible for the health and safety of those affected by work activities, for example any self-employed people they engage and visitors such as contractors.

These responsibilities cannot be transferred to any other person, including those people who work alone. It is the employer’s duty to assess risks to lone workers and take steps to avoid or control risks where necessary.
Employees have responsibilities to take reasonable care of themselves and other people affected by their work activities and to co-operate with their employers in meeting their legal obligations.

What should employers do?
Employers of lone workers should:
■ involve staff or their representatives when undertaking the required risk
assessment process;
■ take steps to check control measures are in place (examples of control
measures include instruction, training, supervision and issuing protective
equipment);
■ review risk assessments annually or, as few workplaces stay the same, when
there has been a significant change in working practice;
■ when a risk assessment shows it is not possible for the work to be conducted
safely by a lone worker, address that risk by, for example, making arrangements
to provide help or back-up; and
■ where a lone worker is working at another employer’s workplace, that employer
should inform the lone worker’s employer of any risks and the required
control measures.
good times, bad times you know I've had my share
Lounge Lizard
EX ROYAL MAIL
Posts: 9458
Joined: 06 Aug 2007, 21:54

Re: Lone working, safety issue?

Post by Lounge Lizard »

Thunderthighs wrote:Got talking to a lady at a business during collections, and I said something like, "Are you the last one here/locking up then?" as it was quite late.
She replied that their Health and Safety rules forbid Lone Workers, in case of injury, illness, criminal activities etc.

This made me wonder: How are we allowed to have a lone male/female to run the PHG by themselves? Being alone during the day/Locking up at night?
This is on a regular/normal day-to-day practice.

Seems that as we are known for storing valuables - I'm old enough to remember the Great Train Robbery! - we are opening ourselves up for Major problems!
Yes but £2,631,684 really was a lot of money back in 1963, far far more than anything in a Delivery Office now. :crazy:
brothermagrew
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Joined: 06 Aug 2007, 16:38
Gender: Male
Location: Shares a border with England to the south.

Re: Lone working, safety issue?

Post by brothermagrew »

Still though LL 48 years on Royal Mail are still getting ripped off by crooks to this day.
"Today’s workplace has become heartless and soulless. Employees are seen as units of labour, automatons, functionaries, objects for achieving designated tasks, and as costs to be minimised."
DGP1
Posts: 15551
Joined: 07 Jun 2007, 20:39
Gender: Male
Location: Terminus

Re: Lone working, safety issue?

Post by DGP1 »

brothermagrew wrote:Still though LL 48 years on Royal Mail are still getting ripped off by crooks to this day.
now now brothermagrew, you know they're actually called directors these days :wink: and they are vitally important to the business (a free 30 minute visit to the naughty room for all those who know the answer).
I'm preparing myself for the zombie invasion, rule number 1 - Cardio
Thunderthighs
Posts: 990
Joined: 14 Jul 2009, 19:42
Gender: Male

Re: Lone working, safety issue?

Post by Thunderthighs »

So, seems that it's OK to have a lone female/male then? As long as the Management see it that way.
The expression something like "S**t hitting the Fan" springs to mind if something goes wrong/missing.
( Eg, I was a bit late back from a Collection due to PDA problems, and the person covering the PHG and apparently waiting for me... left, went home, building empty, open to anyone...) And the keys for the whole building were left on display too...
I was gobsmacked and obviously a bit surprised that the place hadn't been done-over as callers were still hanging around for their N/A stuff.

Also, with over 40yrs of work experience behind me, I have NEVER worked somewhere where both the Manager/Asst Manager/Supervisor go home around 1.30pm.
It beggars belief, TOTALLY!!! As a formerly trained H+S guy, I am regularly baffled/perplexed at what goes on daily.
Surely - Don't call me Shirley - they could do an overlapping or split-shift

Maybe it's me living in the Real World of Work, and not in RM's World of Work???
ldsposti
EX ROYAL MAIL
Posts: 376
Joined: 06 Nov 2008, 18:43
Gender: Male

Re: Lone working, safety issue?

Post by ldsposti »

Not a problem in our office on late nights always have two working in the locker if not it dont stay open, thats the one thing the union stood firm on and although i hate to say it the dom and dsm agreed.
DGP1
Posts: 15551
Joined: 07 Jun 2007, 20:39
Gender: Male
Location: Terminus

Re: Lone working, safety issue?

Post by DGP1 »

rockden wrote:i think health and safety is important part begging a career and i think first if all you make plain and next you start career many field provide the health and safety option and if you better learn these topic to join worker-directs.com i think you better learn and starting a career good agency
:hmmmm Anybody want to translate.
I'm preparing myself for the zombie invasion, rule number 1 - Cardio
fishtank
Posts: 19732
Joined: 28 Sep 2007, 17:22
Gender: Male

Re: Lone working, safety issue?

Post by fishtank »

DGP1 wrote:
rockden wrote:i think health and safety is important part begging a career and i think first if all you make plain and next you start career many field provide the health and safety option and if you better learn these topic to join worker-directs.com i think you better learn and starting a career good agency
:hmmmm Anybody want to translate.
Reads like a spam post without the dodgy link to the penis enlargement pills.
Not that i would know. :whistle
good times, bad times you know I've had my share
DGP1
Posts: 15551
Joined: 07 Jun 2007, 20:39
Gender: Male
Location: Terminus

Re: Lone working, safety issue?

Post by DGP1 »

fishtank wrote:
DGP1 wrote:
rockden wrote:i think health and safety is important part begging a career and i think first if all you make plain and next you start career many field provide the health and safety option and if you better learn these topic to join worker-directs.com i think you better learn and starting a career good agency
:hmmmm Anybody want to translate.
Reads like a spam post without the dodgy link to the penis enlargement pills.
Not that i would know. :whistle
It did seem like a bad spam posting but I usually expect the link to be active to let me know..............maybe it's a new tactic, just give the address but not a link :hmmmm
I'm preparing myself for the zombie invasion, rule number 1 - Cardio
TrueBlueTerrier
FORUM ADMINISTRATOR
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Re: Lone working, safety issue?

Post by TrueBlueTerrier »

DGP1 wrote:
rockden wrote:i think health and safety is important part begging a career and i think first if all you make plain and next you start career many field provide the health and safety option and if you better learn these topic to join worker-directs.com i think you better learn and starting a career good agency
:hmmmm Anybody want to translate.
Spam Fail - A very bad one - he did not even include the link :left:

To be fair its not a bad google translation from Urdu to English.
All post by me in Green are Admin Posts.
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My sharing of news articles should not be interpreted as an endorsement or condemnation of any particular viewpoint or the issues presented. I share them solely for informational purposes.
Thunderthighs
Posts: 990
Joined: 14 Jul 2009, 19:42
Gender: Male

Re: Lone working, safety issue?

Post by Thunderthighs »

I think to most Welsh people - me included - it actually made sense!
TrueBlueTerrier
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Re: Lone working, safety issue?

Post by TrueBlueTerrier »

Oops sorry forget to say he was banned - trying to include a spam link which sent my AV crazy even in sandbox mode.
All post by me in Green are Admin Posts.
Any post in any other colour is my own responsibility.
If you like a news story I posted please click the link to show support Any news stories you can't post - PM me with a link
My sharing of news articles should not be interpreted as an endorsement or condemnation of any particular viewpoint or the issues presented. I share them solely for informational purposes.
clashcityrocker
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Location: strummerville

Re: Lone working, safety issue?

Post by clashcityrocker »

TrueBlueTerrier wrote: which sent by AV crazy even in sandbox mode.
Anyone care to translate?
The societies of consumption and squandering of material resources are incompatible with the idea of economic growth and a clean planet.
TrueBlueTerrier
FORUM ADMINISTRATOR
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Joined: 30 Dec 2006, 10:29
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Re: Lone working, safety issue?

Post by TrueBlueTerrier »

clashcityrocker wrote:
TrueBlueTerrier wrote: which sent by AV crazy even in sandbox mode.
Anyone care to translate?
Sorry by should read my.

Av is anti virus software.

Sandbox - is a mode that is available if you suspect a virus, you can scan or open the suspected item in a temporary "sandbox" so that if anything is found it won't (or shouldn't) affect your whole system. Once you shut the sandbox down everything in it disappears.
All post by me in Green are Admin Posts.
Any post in any other colour is my own responsibility.
If you like a news story I posted please click the link to show support Any news stories you can't post - PM me with a link
My sharing of news articles should not be interpreted as an endorsement or condemnation of any particular viewpoint or the issues presented. I share them solely for informational purposes.