Growing Trends for Lone Worker Safety This Summer

Here are the latest trends to look out for this summer regarding lone worker safety.

• By Gen Handley
• Jul 26, 2024

Working in the heat is dangerous. Not only can it be fatal, but occupational heat can be a somewhat complex hazard, impacting people of different degrees of fitness who may or may not be hydrated enough while performing various jobs during the hot summer months. This risk and danger for the employee is compounded if they are working alone in environments where a helping hand is not easily accessible if they urgently need it in an accident or emergency. 

Working Alone in the Heat

When working in high temperatures, employees are at risk of occupational heat stress which, according to OSHA, has four key contributing factors such as environmental conditions, level of physical activity, use of protective clothing and gear, and the unique, personal risk factors of the individual worker.

A number of safety steps can be taken to work in hot environments safely like implementing a thermal alert curriculum or a buddy system to monitor heat tolerance. However, performing their jobs alone will add additional risks and challenges, resulting in a more dangerous and unpredictable work environment. Heat stress can cause painful heat rashes and cramps, and it can cause debilitating heat exhaustion and heat stroke, all illnesses that can lead to unconsciousness and require immediate medical attention.

If working alone, however, the person is at a much greater disadvantage with no coworker nearby to provide that attention if they collapse from the heat and suffer a head injury. Furthermore, without a coworker to remind them, they are also at risk of forgetting proactive safety measures such as regular water and shade breaks from the sun. Lone workers do not have that support. 

There are several industries which require their people to work in the sun, heat and sometimes isolation. These include workers in water and electrical utilities, wildlife and conservation, and agriculture in which heat exhaustion and dehydration is a problem and common occupational hazard. 

Beyond the Sun

Beyond the scorching rays of the summer sun, people who work alone face a number of occupational hazards that put them at particular risk, including travel accidents to worksites and workplace violence and assault, a major occupational issue garnering deserved attention and safety legislation in the last few years. Most recently, Senate Bill 553 requires California employers to implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan to help protect their employees.

Non-invasive Monitoring

In response to these challenges and increased risks, lone worker safety is embracing the benefits and security of remote monitoring to make sure these people are ok and can be in an emergency. What was previously viewed as “micromanaging”—remote monitoring of the lone worker’s activities or location—when performed transparently and consensually is very beneficial to both the employee and employer.

Technologies such as advanced wearables, safety apps and software, GPS devices, and smart clothing and PPE are compact and accessible, creating virtually no disruption to operations and the work itself. The OSHA-NIOSH Heat Safety Tool app can determine the forecasted and current heat index at a work site.

Proactive Risk Management

This leads to the overall trend of proactive hazard assessment in lone worker safety, in which employers are consistently identifying and mitigating dangers facing lone workers before they hurt anyone. Rather than the stresses and problems of reactive lone worker safety, there is peace of mind knowing that hazards have been documented and safety is a priority. Also, this proactive direction improves lone-worker awareness of their work environment as well as local legislation and regulations.

Focus on Mental Health

The psychological safety of a workplace is a common topic, and the mental health of lone workers is especially important. Because they are typically isolated and are alone for extended periods of time, a lone worker’s emotional health can be impacted. When you incorporate factors such as heat stress and the psychological toll it can take on the worker, the mental health – and physical health – of lone workers must be a top concern for employers this summer.

Check-in for Safety

When the days start getting hotter and feeling longer, employers and managers need to check in with their lone workers on a more regular basis, to see how they are doing both physically and psychologically. Strong, internal communications and check-in systems have a wide range of benefits for all levels of the company. Not only does this help make sure these people remain safe at their jobs, but it also provides valuable information to satisfy their occupational safety needs down the road. Most importantly, checking in with lone workers initiates valuable discussion and conversation around their workplace safety, showing that their feedback is valued and their well-being is important. 

A Positive Direction

Lone workers are arguably more vulnerable than ever since the pandemic. The growing trends of more proactively identifying and eliminating hazards early and transparent, non-invasive monitoring with a focus on mental health are taking lone worker safety in a direction where people can work in the heat safely, no matter what their location is.