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We have an individual who suffers with epilepsy, they know how to manage it and what triggers it. However, this individual appers to do a lot of lone working. I am trying to arrange an appointment with them with regards to a specific risk assessment on their condition and their work/working arrangements. What should I consider within this meeting?
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Rank: Super forum user
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What do you mean by lone working: are they sometimes left alone in an office in an otherwise full office building or are they working alone in the middle of the Cairngorms 20 miles, from the nearest help?
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Rank: Forum user
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Depending on the extent of the siezures you will need to consider the Equqlity Act 2010 but I suspect you are interested in mor physical considerations rather than legal - in which case you are doing the right thing already in talking to that person.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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What the previous poser is alluding to are the inherent risks associated with their job. For example, working at height might be problematic if they are not supervised. Without knowing the type of tasks and environment they work in it's impossible to provide any meaningful comments.
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Rank: Super forum user
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I have found that lone working is one of those phrases that mean different things to different people. I have had people insist that they are lone working because they are alone in the little office kitchen when they make themselves a cup of tea . I have also had people who are driving up and down the motorway all day but they argue that they are not alone as there is “always someone about”.
Other issues that you need to resolve is what actually triggers the episodes- stress lights etc. When do they happen? My wife used to have them only when she was asleep and how well they are controlled. Again my wife’s episodes are 100 % controlled and she has not had an episode for more than 10 years. The nature of the episode also varies, from very violent seizures to just switching off (they use to be called grand mal and petite mal) The main source of your information has to be the employee. Only they know truly how they feel afterwards. A major seizure can put them out of action for a whole day or more and very minor episode might only be noticeable to the person themselves. You also need to look at what they are doing. A minor episode while using handheld equipment might be very dangerous.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Melissa On this website, you can download free-of-charge a 24-page guide 'Coaching to engage' published by the IOSH. It offers useful guidance on communicating with the kindsof employee you are referring to, so that they have the information and knowhow they need to distinguish the kinds of situations in which they can cope and those in which they would be unable to do so.
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 1 user thanked KieranD for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Originally Posted by: A Kurdziel  I have found that lone working is one of those phrases that mean different things to different people. I have had people insist that they are lone working because they are alone in the little office kitchen when they make themselves a cup of tea . I have also had people who are driving up and down the motorway all day but they argue that they are not alone as there is “always someone about”.
Other issues that you need to resolve is what actually triggers the episodes- stress lights etc. When do they happen? My wife used to have them only when she was asleep and how well they are controlled. Again my wife’s episodes are 100 % controlled and she has not had an episode for more than 10 years. The nature of the episode also varies, from very violent seizures to just switching off (they use to be called grand mal and petite mal) The main source of your information has to be the employee. Only they know truly how they feel afterwards. A major seizure can put them out of action for a whole day or more and very minor episode might only be noticeable to the person themselves. You also need to look at what they are doing. A minor episode while using handheld equipment might be very dangerous.
Your right lone working or how it is viewed has changed I work mainly in the residential sector now and the CQC has stated that they view lone working as someone entering a bedroom in an establishment to tend to personal needs of even to drop off a drink for an elderly resident.
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Rank: Super forum user
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“Your right lone working or how it is viewed has changed I work mainly in the residential sector now and the CQC has stated that they view lone working as someone entering a bedroom in an establishment to tend to personal needs of even to drop off a drink for an elderly resident.” That might apply in the care sector and might include safeguarding issues as well as Health and Safety, but I can’t image the HSE applying in any other workplaces. I hope!
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Rank: Forum user
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The main issue, as I see it, with respect to loneworking is not to arrive at a definition... that would be unnecessarily prescriptive. The main issue should be about asking what are the consequences if something should go wrong due to a range of causes and how best to minimize these.
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Rank: Forum user
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Originally Posted by: A Kurdziel What do you mean by lone working: are they sometimes left alone in an office in an otherwise full office building or are they working alone in the middle of the Cairngorms 20 miles, from the nearest help?
They are lone working in an office at a PC, usually out of hours - during work hours they are with other colleagues. This person is able to recognise the symptoms of when they feel they are going to have a seizure. The seizures have occured recently, resulting in the individual needing rest and personal management rather than immediate medical attention.
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Rank: Forum user
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Hi Melissa,
I had an experience of finding someone having an epileptic seizure in an office where they could have been left for hours without being found. It was an unnerving experience.
The thing that sticks with me was that the person had had previous episodes and knew the usual warning signs for an event, but still got caught in a situation that noone should be in.
I don't know what the answer is as these things tend to be dictated by a managers comfort level with the situation.
take a look at the following link:
https://www.epilepsysociety.org.uk/information-employers#.WfxDWI-0MdU
Andy
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Rank: Forum user
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Just reading the info and it does specify avoiding lone working
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