TRADE UNION NEWS

October 2000

UNISON has produced a new publication, entitled Working Alone, which aims to offer guidance to safety representatives on the health and safety aspects of lone working. According to the union, the number of people working alone is on the increase as work patterns change and employers continue to seek ways of reducing costs. However, working alone can place employees in vulnerable positions and make it difficult for them for summon help. UNISON's viewpoint being that employees working alone should not be placed at any greater risk than other employees who are carrying out the same tasks.

Lone working is defined in the guidance in a way that does not mean that the employee has to be in complete isolation for all of the time. "For example, a cleaner may enter a building whilst it is still very busy, but may be left alone to finish their shift; a medical secretary may work in a department which is busy during the day, but quiet and isolated at other times". Whereas, the HSE define lone working as "those who work by themselves without close or direct supervision", UNISON prefer the definition of a lone worker as "a worker whose activities involve a large percentage of their working time operating in situations without the benefit of interaction with other workers or without supervision".

Examples of UNISON members who fall into the lone worker category include: staff in leisure centres, maintenance staff, rent collectors, home care workers, community nurses, career advisers and grounds maintenance staff.

Although lone workers may face similar task-related hazards to other employees carrying out the same jobs, for lone workers the risk of harm is often greater. Therefore, employers may need to introduce additional controls in order to bring the risks down to, at least, the same level as is acceptable to the other employees. In other words, risk assessments need to take into account the specific circumstances of the lone workers. In particular, attention needs to be paid to: first-aid facilities, fire precautions, the provision of rest, hygiene and welfare facilities, violence from members of the public etc, and manual handling operations. It should also be borne in mind, that there may be specific prohibitions on working alone when carrying out certain high risk activities.

One of the case-studies included in the guidance is illustrative of the sort of health and safety issues that arise in connection with lone working.

The guidance also deals with the contentious issue of homeworking. For example, UNISON outline the case of Sarah, a keyboard operator who works from home. Her work is delivered by post and she e-mails it back when completed. A computer was issued to her by her employer, but the employer did not provide any seating or a suitable desk. As a result, Sarah works in the kitchen and has started to suffer with backache and pains in her shoulders. According to UNISON, the employer should have carried out an ergonomic assessment and have offered Sarah advice on how to set up the equipment in a safe way. Additionally, advice on sitting and posture should have been given.

It is interesting to note that the union stresses that managers need to visit homeworkers, from time to time, in order to discuss working arrangements and to carry out risk assessments. However, they also stress that procedures need to be in place in order that the homeworker can request that managers are accompanied by a colleague, safety representative or shop steward.

The comprehensive guidance also covers: the legal position, hazardous substances, stress, working on another employer's premises and driving. Further information can be obtained from UNISON's Health and Safety Unit, ! Mabledon Place, London, WC1H 9AJ. (Or visit UNISON's web-site at www.unison.org.uk).

The TUC has produced a useful leaflet, entitled Finding the Fatal Fibre, which deals with what safety representatives need to do about asbestos in the workplace. The leaflet, which is part of the TUC's Working Well Together campaign, has been produced in conjunction with Irwin Mitchell Solicitors. The main points covered are: keeping the workforce informed; risk management; monitoring risk management; returning to work; and, the truth about the fatal fibre.

According to the TUC, safety representatives should take the following four steps when dealing with asbestos in the workplace:

1. Keep the workforce informed at all times.
2. Make sure that management identifies asbestos, develops an action plan to deal with it and sticks to that action plan at all times.
3. Assume that walls, ceilings and lagging contain asbestos unless certain that they do not.
4. Insist that all work with asbestos complies with the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations and the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations.

For further information, see the asbestos chapter of Hazards at Work on the TUC web-site (www.tuc.org.uk ).

IPMS quote the example of the Chief Executive of the Army Base Representatives Organisation, who has issued the following notice to all ABRO staff about handling pressures of work: "I do not expect any member of staff to work excessive hours on a regular basis, or to take unreasonable amounts of work home. I expect all staff to take their full annual leave entitlement. I do not believe that ABRO has a culture of excessively long hours but there are some individuals and offices that regularly work well beyond what should be reasonably expected of them. In the long run that is neither good for them nor for ABRO. Line Managers should discourage this and identify the reasons, paying particular attention to individuals who feel the need to put in long hours regularly. I wish really to make it clear that the value of staff to this Agency is not judged on the basis of who works the longest hours but on work performance".

IPMS stresses that safety representatives should encourage their employers to issue similar notices to their staff. Further details can be obtained from Mary Watkin's at IPMS (( 020 7902 6600).

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