How long would you leave it between checks to see if a lone worker is all right?

I have guys out servicing machines on customers sites.  Some sites are High Risk places like quarries and waste tips.  Jobs often take 2 to 4 hours, some are all day.  Guys frequently work very early, and or very late. Some jobs they start long before 'day' workers arrive on site, some jobs they carry on and finish when everybody else has gone home.

We have trackers on tablets, phones and vans.  These are set to automtically 'ping' a start and end message back to base (e.g. when they start the van to drive home).  I don't want to interupt them frequently, but how long would you give it between checks to see if they are all right.

I am facing a similar issue with my company. We carry out responsive repairs (amongst others things) on social housing.

As with any other form of work, we are expected to undertake a risk assessment before employees are allowed to work alone. In the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance document "Working Alone" a lone worker is defined as someone who works by themselves without close or direct supervision.

Although our operatives are with the resident I cant rely on the resident to administer first aid if something goes wrong.

The risk assessment I done used the operatives PDA and vehicle movement as an alternative to physically phoning in. A recent adition which I fully reconmend researching Sky Guard. I recently purchased theses devices for my Resident Liaison Officers as they are at most risk.

I am working on a standard that splits lone working in to 3 levels of risk to ensure the right level of controls are in place. What are your thoughts and is there any thing really inovative people are doing.

Thanks

I very much agree with Ray.  A focus on staff training, hazard awareness, and competence is just as big a focus in lone working

Risk Assessment is obviously extremely important as mentioned in all the posts.

On top of the operatives that visit residents homes to repair any defects we also have our warehouse manager who opens the office building in the morning. He is the first on site and the last to leave most days. During this time he is lone working.

My point is his control measures are very different to that of an operative at a residents home due to the risks he may encounter.

So depending on the level of risk and what occupational risks are there would depend on what control measures you need to have in place.

I agree with Colin’s reply, the only way you can truly identify an appropriate reporting frequency is through the process of a robust risk assessment. 

The reporting frequency is very much influenced by many factors; time of the day/ night and the task being completed. What plant and equipment are being used? Is there a risk of violence?

I have a few clients who use the Sky Guard platform, and it works really for them. Most have adopted a reporting frequency of 2 hours. Then I have other clients who manage their lone workers with good outlook calendar management.