An employee is working alone if they cannot be seen or heard by others and assistance is not available in an emergency, or if the employee becomes injured, ill, or needs assistance. An employee is working in isolation if they are working in the same general area with a partner or crew but are not in contact with the other person for an extended amount of time.
2.1 Work Planning
When an employee is required to work alone or in isolation from others, steps must be taken to ensure the safety of that employee. Where practical, managers or supervisors must take the following steps to eliminate the risk of working alone or in isolation.
- Organize work schedules and procedures to eliminate the need for employees to work alone.
- Overlapping shifts, and having multiple employees work together.
- Rearrange the physical location of the work so that employees can maintain visual contact with one another.
The following operations should never be conducted alone:
- Confined space
- Handling hazardous chemicals
- Tasks requiring a Hot Work permit.
- Working with heavy equipment/machinery
- Working near or around exposed live electricity conductors
2.2 Risk Assessment
If the work planning practices above are not practicable to implement (i.e., an unusual layout of a workspace that cannot be rearranged), the following measures must be carried out:
- Conduct a hazard assessment to identify potential hazards that may arise from working conditions.
- Implement measures to eliminate or control the hazards identified. A list of potential controls is listed in Section 2.4 of this program.
2.3 Re-Assessment
When the scope of work changes resulting in lone work or an employee working in isolation of others, employees must halt work. Before continuing, employees must notify their manager or supervisor of the change in circumstance and seek approval to continue their work. A risk assessment may be required when there is a change in hazards present in the workplace. Refer to Microsoft’s Risk Assessment Program for more information or contact your local OHS team for assistance.
2.4 Re-Assessment
When work planning cannot eliminate or replace the need to work alone or in isolation, these are some steps that can help manage the risks of lone work. Use the following hierarchy to determine appropriate means of hazard control:
Engineering Controls
- Use monitoring systems (such as an automated warning/duress device) or cameras and ensure that security groups in charge of these devices have adequate access and are aware of lone work being performed. Before using any type of monitoring or surveillance system, confirm compliance with Microsoft Privacy and Security requirements and applicable local regulations.
Administrative Controls
- Establish an effective means of communication between the employees and designated contacts capable of responding to the employees’ needs.
- Contact the employee regularly appropriate to the type of hazards associated with the work performed.
- Ensure that adequate emergency response measures are in place, which includes accessibility to a first aider and fire warden when lone work or work in isolation is occurring.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- Implement lone work alarm systems that comply with Microsoft’s privacy and security practices and applicable local regulations. (See Appendix B: Lone Worker Alarm for more information).
2.5 Communication and Check-In Procedure
As part of the hazard control process, an effective communication system must be established, documented, and agreed upon by all participants. Ensure that the communication system is reviewed by managers overseeing employees who conduct lone work, and the local OHS team. The scope of work and hazards must be assessed to determine if a verbal check-in is adequate, or if the employee must be accounted for by a visual check-in. After completing the risk assessment, ensure that the frequency and type of check-in is appropriate for the risks identified.
The communication system and check-in procedure must be appropriate for regular business hours and after main office hours.
For most lone workers, the telephone may suffice as the main source of contact. When using cell phones, always be sure that they are accessible and charged. Always verify that service is available in the area where lone work occurs and in areas where the lone worker may be in the facility prior to starting work. Service should also be verified and available where the designated contact person will be present in.
If cell phone service is unreliable in the area, be sure to have alternative methods of communication available (e.g., cameras, automated warning/duress devices, global positioning systems (GPS), two-way radio, walkie/talkie, site visits or satellite technology). Ensure that a secondary method of contact is in place if a cell phone battery dies, or service is lost for the duration of lone work.
A check-in procedure should include the following components:
- Prepare a daily work plan so it is known where the lone worker will be and when.
- Identify one main person to be the designated contact and ensure they are available when lone work is performed and understand their responsibilities as prescribed in this procedure. If the designated contact is not available during lone work, they are responsible for identifying a backup and ensuring that they understand their responsibilities.
- Define under what circumstances the lone worker will check in and how often.
- Carry out the visual check or call-in schedule and include a written log of contact to ensure the lone worker is okay.
- Store completed check-in logs for no longer than 1 year (Microsoft record retention type BGEN1000-20-MSFT).
- Develop an emergency plan in case the lone worker does not check-in when they are supposed to, and ensure all parties (i.e., designated contact, management, security team, etc.) are aware of the emergency plan.
Refer to Appendix A: Check-In Form for an example of how to document check-ins.
2.6 Communication and Check-In Procedure
If an employee does not complete a check-in with their supervisor or designated contact during the agreed upon check-in time, the designated contact person must verify that the employee is okay as soon as possible but no longer than within 10 minutes of check-in time.
If contact is made either virtually or in-person, and the employee is okay, no further steps are required.
- If contact is made and the worker is in distress or unwell, the check-in designate will implement the agreed upon emergency response process.
- If the check-in designate cannot contact the worker, they will contact Security, and notify OHS of the incident.
2.7 Communication and Check-In Procedure
Managers or supervisors must ensure that all workers who may work alone or in isolation have gone over the hazard assessment of the task, know the safety requirements that apply, and have a plan for communicating during the work.
Workers, supervisors, and designated contacts should review and understand this program, as well as any additional procedures associated with lone work controls (i.e., check-in procedures, use of lone worker alarm, emergency response).
