Paul, I hate to say this but it's down to risk assessment. How likely is a fire to occur, based on nature of premises and processes carried out, plus existing controls, and how possible is it to ensure relative safety without evacuation (e.g. provision of refuges etc), John

Rich i like your style-:)

OK, well since it was me that started it... The scenario I'm envisioning is a small office block of two stories. It's normally occupied by fifty or so staff, but at start and end of day there can be someone left on their own. Also the nature of our work means that people can be called in to the office 24/7, and even if more than one person was coming, someone is on their own until the second person arrives. Risk of a fire starting is minimal and we have AFD and sprinklers, but the fact remains that a wheelchair user (for example) would have trouble getting out in a hurry unassisted. Intuitively I agree with those who say that of course someone who couldn't easily evacuate shouldn't be on their own in the workplace, but I know that someone is going to say I should be making sure I'm DDA compliant, even though it's obvious.

Thanks Chris - to get advice like this is exactly the reason I came to this forum. As you say, the whole thing isn't as simple as "you couldn't get yourself out so you can't be a lone worker". However - how far do we have to go to make a "reasonable" adjustment? is this the same "reasonable" as in "reasonably practicable" or does it have a different meaning here? If we can make it possible for someone to be a lone worker by getting some self closers adjusted so doors are easier to open, fair enough - and we'd probably have already done it anyway. But at the other end of the scale, as an example of what we might have to consider - one of our regional offices is on the second floor of a shared building. There are adequate fire stairs and a lift for everyday use, and we've catered for people of limited mobility (although we don't have any in that office at the moment) with an evac chair and trained operators. We can't provide an office on the ground floor because ground floor is an unmanned Reception and car park, and even if we did it would be outside our security perimeter (we're a govenrment agency). The only way I could make it possible for a lone worker wheelchair user to evacuate in a fire (or any other circumstance taking the lift out of order) would be some technology which as far as I know doesn't exist yet. I'm not unaware of the Equality Act or the needs, wishes and aspirations (and rights) of all people - I'm just trying to determine what's reasonable.

Before you make any descision/proposal or out pen to paper, why not talk it through with the disabled person themselves. I wouldnt mind betting he/she has far more experience or understanding in this than we do!

Oh and yes, iges is bang to rights, what does the affected person think? John

Just as a quick illustration of why it's important to ask the person themselves. I had a blind colleague (blind was his own preferred term by the way), and his comment about braille buttons in lifts was 'That's all very well, but when I walk into a lift I think 'Now, where have they put the buttons in this one?'' John

Paul, Contact your local Job centre, there was recently a system whereby they would appoint a "carer" to work with disabled persons who would otherwise not be able to work.

jwk, I suppose you would be prepared to make the final decision would you?

I had a feeling this might happen - to re-state the relevant bits of my original post... We don't at the moment have a person with a disability who would be affected by this, so I can't talk to them! Of course if such a person* joined the organisation, we'd be having that discussion with them. But if the result of that discussion was that they'd be unable to evacuate unassisted in the event of fire... Acknowledging my error in quoting DDA not EA, my question is about someone who cannot evacuate unassisted being a lone worker: If their disability means they can't hear the alarm (but could otherwise evacuate OK), this question isn't about them: If we can install a firefighting lift which they can operate, they're not unable to evacuate and the question isn't about them. If we can provide them with a "buddy", whatever the source, they're not a lone worker and the question isn't about them. And if they're not likely to have a reason or the desire to work alone, then the question isn't about them. So - acknowledging that there are vast numbers of other situations that I also need to consider (and have already, in many cases, considered), my question as amended remains... * "Such a person" = in this context a person with a disability (of any kind) which would make it difficult for them to evacuate unassisted in the event of an emergency, given the circumstances at the regional office where they were going to be working, and becoming a member of a team where lone (i.e. out of normal hours) working was likely to be offered.

I know everyone is trying to help, Chris, and I apologise if it looked like I didn't. I'm just trying to bring the discussion back to the question I actually asked!

Why wouldn't you find out about the disability during a drill?

Chris, yes, I would, I would happily make the decision in conjunction with the disabled person, John

You are either a lone worker or not, I'm not sure what a person's ability to evacuate unassisted has to do with lone working? Measures should be put in place to assist any individual who may have difficulties evacuating a building in the event of an emergency. Ideally, working on the ground floor would be a good start.