Working alone is not in itself against the law and it will often be safe to do so.
However, the law requires Managing Agents to consider carefully, and then deal with, any health and safety risks for people working alone.
Managing Agents are responsible for the health, safety and welfare at work of all their workers. They also have responsibility for the health and safety of any contractors or self-employed people doing work for them.
These responsibilities cannot be transferred to any other person, including those people who work alone.
Lone Workers
Lone workers are those who work by themselves without close or direct supervision.
Employees, contractors or self-employed people can become Lone Workers when they:
• meet a resident or owner in a domestic home environment alone;
• attend an out of hours call out alone;
• check a void property or undertake a property inspect alone;
• view a flat with a new resident prior to letting alone;
• visit areas alone which are normally unoccupied and where there is no public access such as loft voids, plant rooms etc.;
• work alone in an office either routinely or outside normal office hours;
• work from home; or
• open or close the office or a development.
Caretakers, porters, gardeners, cleaners and maintenance staff who are employed at one or more estates are often lone workers.
