Rank: Forum user 
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I've just read a very interesting article about lone working in high street betting shops and must admit this is not an issue I had considered before, do any of you have experience in this area? I was wondering if there is any history of prosecutions against the bookmakers involved in cases such as those described in the article; for failing to protect their employees. Some good points in the article that are relevant to the wider topic of lone working too. The Guardian article can be viewed at https://www.theguardian....us-british-betting-shops
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Rank: Forum user
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I read it; impressive and moving article.
I commented on the apparent lack of interest from H&S enforcers. In this case, LA EHOs deal in each area across UK and I fear the 'bigger picture' may be overlooked. Also different police forces will be involved on each individual case. There is certainly significant risk.
Be interesting to hear from an EHO on this.
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Rank: Super forum user
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And this is another area that the HSE note as low risk! If U check police records these types of highstreet jobs are far from low risk but the managers who control the front line EHO's etc. are all playing politics
Adequate controls are easily available to put in place but they cost money where employees do not & staff should get together to try to tackle H&S issues in such places but alas that will never happen so employers get away with exposing their staff to high risk on a daily basis so unless u want to fight a very long and uphill war just move on
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Rank: Super forum user 
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I don't think its local politics at play at all. We're told what to focus on each year, we plan for that and then implement. Local projects are permitted but intelligence is needed and it will have to compete with other work when resources are lacking. Workplace violence and lone working in gambling premises have also been the subject of national enforcement before. Clearly we've all fundamentally embraced 'single-manning' as being legal.
Thing is, legally the idea that this can be addressed by a local risk assessment is sound. The problem is, as you've highlighted, that there is no relevant public body gathering national data so the information provided to inform that risk assessment (and its review by an LA) might be fundamentally flawed.
There are betting shops where they don't need to even have barriers or guards and there aren't even verbal threats. Arguably this is because they don't have the same cash levels and local clientele as most other shops.
Somehow I don't think dual working is the complete answer either. Risk hierarchy... remove the machines? Have the machines accessible without exposure to customer? Have the money directed away to a different location?
I personally think that allowing/encouraging staff to breach their guards with customers in the venue is daft. If the risk assessment says you need a guard, then you need a guard.
You wouldn't allow it at a bank.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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From what I can make out the incidents have happened when staff have been lured from their safe areas to inspect a supposedly faulty machine.
Could these machines not be moved/built into the wall so the access to the back (business end) is accessible from the safe area?
There are of course other issues here, but with a bit of thought I'm sure effective solutions could be met.
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Rank: Forum user
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There should be a Lone Working Policy in place / the company H&S person should complete inspections of the premises / Risk Assessments should be in place with control measures relating to Lone Working / staff adequately trained - all basic and standard Health and Safety measures. This type of work is not Low Risk - the potential for harm is high in my opinion.
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