Together for Adoption

LONE WORKING

PROCEDURE

Lone Working Procedure

Purpose

To ensure safe working for lone workers. Together for Adoption is committed to the effective support and management of staff in order to provide a safe working environment for all workers.

The RAA also recognises that the responsibility extends to all employees in ensuring the safety of both themselves and the service users with whom they are working with.

Terms of Reference

This policy has taken account of and incorporates:

  • Wigan, Warrington, Halton,Cheshire West and Cheshire, St Helens Lone Working Policy
  • Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
  • The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

Scope of the Policy

The policy will cover all Together for Adoption employees.

Definition of a Lone Worker

A lone worker is defined as any employee who works by himself or herself without direct or close contact with another employee or co-worker. This includes:

Any employee working in isolation from their colleagues either inside or outside a building. This can include staff that are driving, visiting service users in their homes, and other premises or sites as part of their work

Overview

Many workers in Children and Families Services routinely work alone, that is in visiting service users in their homes. There is no general legal prohibition on working alone but the broad duties of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations still apply. This requires that risks are identified and assessed at work. It recommends that measures are put into place to avoid or control these risks and hazards. RAA aims to provide a systematic approach to protecting the safety of all lone workers.

Social Work and Support Work

It is recognised that there are some areas of the work in the Children and Families Directorate, where the risk of aggression cannot be entirely eliminated. This is particularly true of Social Work, where difficult information and decisions have sometimes to be communicated to families and home visits are an integral part of the social work role.

There will be times when professional judgements have to be made in managing the risks of lone working. In these circumstances, it is incumbent on the manager to consider their responsibilities and the standards and guidance contained within this document.

Before visitng a family home alone there should be risk assessment of the information collated at each stage of invlovement to deterime whether a visit should be conducted jointly. When difficult information is to be conveyed, consideration should be given to asking the service user to come in to the office.

Management Responsibilities

Ensure that the whereabouts of staff are known at all times.

  1. Ensure all employees are aware of the Lone Worker Procedure to protect their safety including appropriate training.
  1. Ensure access to appropriate training via supervision and appraisal is available to all staff to enable the accurate implementation of the policy and local guidelines.
  1. Ensure all staff are aware of the need for, and their contribution to, the risk assessment process for lone working, that applies within their current role. This must also include any information that may make an employee more vulnerable in a lone working situation.
  1. Ensure that any incident, including verbal or physical aggression and assault, is reported to their Manager/duty manager or in their absence, a more senior manager, and that the appropriate documentation (risk assessment / accident and incident report form) is completed and guidelines followed.
  1. Ensure that where an incident has taken place, support is given individually to the worker, that consideration is given to involving the Police, and that assistance is given to the member of staff through Legal Services in prosecuting where this is deemed appropriate.
  1. Where an incident has taken place, consideration is given to changing the worker for the individual service user or family.
  1. Managers must ensure that when it is necessary to visit the house of a service user who may be verbally aggressive or violent, or the risk is unknown, that there are two workers, or if necessary a police officer should accompany the worker to the visit.
  1. Where an individual may pose a risk to workers, consideration is given to the service user being seen outside the home and in a safe place where there are other members of staff.
  1. Where a service user has presented as verbally aggressive or violent, there must be developed a system for marking this on electronic files. The method of doing so having been agreed with Legal Services and if appropriate Data protection.
  1. Ensure that staff in safeguarding services and partner agencies, where necessary, are informed of any incident that may impact on the employee’s safety.
  1. Provide appropriate resources and equipment which will aid employees’ safety, e.g mobile phones, panic alarms in interview rooms.
  1. Risk assessments should be updated regularly and reviewed within supervision This should include for example where a worker lives near a family, has a connection that requires them to ‘declare an interest’ or any other circumstances indicating that visiting them would be inappropriate.

Employees’ Responsibilities

  1. Complete initial risk assessment forms (Appendix 1) were there are concerns that an individual may pose a risk prior to work being undertaken. If there is more than a three month period since the last risk assessment was undertaken, or if there is a significant change in a risk assessment, this must be reviewed by their line manager.
  1. Comply with all guidelines set out in the lone working policy and in this procedure, including the standards and good practice advice set out in Appendices 2-4.
  1. Attend relevant training.
  1. Carry the appropriate resources identified as required in any risk assessment completed, e.g. mobile phone or personal alarm.
  1. Complete the appropriate documentation following an incident in line with case recording procedure and ensure that a record is kept.
  1. Ensure that you accurately record your whereabouts and are clear about who to contact if issues arise.

Incident Reporting

  1. The incident will be reported to your line manager, or another manager at the earliest opportunity. Any serious incident will be reported to senior managers..
  1. The individual(s) involved in the incident will complete anaccident/ incident form, The line manager must send the completed form to the relevant Health and Safety Officer immediately after completion
  2. If the incident involves a service user, details of the incident should be fully documented in the child’s or prospective adopter/ adopters record, and a marker placed on the record if appropriate

The accident and incident report form will be completed by the employee and where this is not possible the line manager.

Support for Staff

Once a risk assessment has been completed, an action plan must be developed to outline strategies to reduce the risk further. The action plan must list the planned measures to reduce or control the hazards identified.

All actions in the plan must have targeted dates and a person responsible assigned to them and must be signed off when completed or implemented. The action plan must also have a review date assigned to ensure the control measures are evaluated to ensure they were effective in reducing or controlling the risk.

Together for Adoption acknowledges that staff may be affected both physically and emotionally by aggression, threats and violence. Together for Adoption will ensure that staff have support following an incident, and where necessary a referral will be made to the appropriate Occupational Health service.

Review of Lone Working Policy

Together for Adoption will review this policy annually.

Establishment

Risk Assessment for

Carried out by

Date

Any Previous assessment for this activity carried outYes / No

Details of Activity / Persons considered
Identify who could be at risk i.e. pupils, staff, visitors, etc
Hazards identified with this activity
Identify what could reasonably cause harm and how. / Precaution’s / Control Measures required
After considering the hazards, decide on suitable control measures for each significant hazard and list below.
The risk is acceptable and no further action beyond those currently in place and listed above is required / Yes / No
Further action is required to reduce the risk further / Yes / No
ACTIONS REQUIRED / By Whom / When
Signed
Date for Next Review
Copy of this assessment to be kept on the child’s file

Appendix 2 – Guidance

Travelling on Foot

  • Carry an appropriate device if identified in the risk assessment
  • Think ahead and be aware of your surroundings
  • Don’t wear headphones.
  • Do not carry large sums of money or valuables
  • Walk facing on coming trafficWalk with confidence and purpose, try not to look as if you are not sure of where you are going
  • If a vehicle pulls up alongside you, turn and walk in the other direction – you can turn much faster than a car
  • Be aware of someone who warns you about walking alone and then offers to accompany you.
  • If someone tries to snatch your personal possessions, let them
  • If you are being threatened walk away quickly, shout loudly to attract attention
  • If you can’t shout, use your personal alarm if you one
  • Call the police straight away following a serious incident, followed by the Manager as soon as possible after.

Travelling By Car

  • Make sure the car is in good working order before setting off
  • Do not leave valuables visible in the car, even when you are in it, especially be aware of handbags on the front seat
  • Ensure doors are locked when travelling alone
  • When parking in daylight, consider what the area will be like after dark
  • When returning to your vehicle, quickly look around it to make sure there is no one waiting for you
  • Always park in a way that will allow you to exit in a forward direction
  • If you are forced to stop by another car, stay in the car, lock the doors and speak through a slightly open window, remember your horn if in trouble
  • Make sure you know what to do if your car breaks down, carry a mobile phone or change to make a phone call
  • When stopped at traffic lights, make sure there is enough room between you and the car in front to move out if necessary
  • Do not leave case files or other documentation in cars at any time.
  • Join a rescue or breakdown organisation

Travelling by Public Transport

  • Carry an appropriate resource if one has been identified as required.
  • Always sit near the driver, where possible
  • If possible, wait for the bus in a busy, well lit area
  • Have your fare ready, so you don’t have to get your purse or wallet out
  • On trains, sit near the guard or the alarm system
  • Avoid upstairs compartments on buses, they may start off full but may empty quickly
  • Avoid empty compartments on trains
  • In stations, note where the exits are
  • Don’t doze off, stay alert

Working in Council Establishments

If you have planned work with someone who is a known risk in a council building, ensure that your manager/duty manger is aware of your whereabouts and how to contact you. Any measures identified within the risk assessment should be put in place to minimise any risk to you, other staff or service users

If a person who is a known risk enters the building, without an appointment, prior to seeing them you must alert your line manager/duty manager and as far a possible ensure measures identified in the risk assessment are in place to minimise any risk to you, other staff or service users

If working in an isolated part of the building, ensure your line manager/duty manager and relevant staff are aware of your whereabouts and you have an appropriate resource to utilise if required.

Alone with service users

When visiting people in their homes, the rule is to remember that it is their home and their territory. It is the responsibility of all workers to consider the following points prior to and during home visits

  • Do you have to go to the service user’s home?
  • Have you completed an initial risk assessment form if appropriate
  • Have you liaised with other agencies involved with this service user?
  • Is your Manager aware of where you are?
  • Is your visit recorded in your electronic calendar?
  • Do you need an appropriate resource?
  • When you arrive at the home, if you have driven, is your car parked safely? Will it be dark when you get out?
  • When you arrive at the home, remember you are the visitor,
  • Always wear your identification badge?
  • In planned circumstances check that the service user is expecting you, in all circumstances planned or not ensure that they understand who you are
  • Let the person lead you into the house and let them invite you to sit down
  • Wherever possible sit down nearest to the door
  • If the service user appears aggressive, drunk or under the influence of drugs make an excuse to leave and contact your line manager / duty manager / or the police
  • Only take in what is necessary.
  • Ensure you have details of people who live in the house. This should be documented on the children’s records
  • Where children may appear to be at risk, follow the appropriate safeguarding children policy and procedures.

Good Practice – During Usual Working Hours

  • Responsibility for charging mobile phones is with the individual worker.
  • Business support maintains the diary/white board in which lone workers complete details of all their visits and out of office duties daily. Details include initials of the service user expected duration of activity/ general location and where the worker expects to go after the activity (home, a further visit, etc).
  • The worker should maintain an electronic diary of all visits/activities within outlook or related systems, including the name of the client, address and expected duration of activity and where the worker is not returning to the office following a visit. This also applies to cases of duty or unplanned visits
  • If the details need to be updated whilst the worker is away from the office the worker should ring business support / duty manager to ensure their diary/white board in amended accordingly so their whereabouts and safety can be tracked.
  • All lone workers sign out (the day before if early morning visits are planned) so a clear record of any visits is known – times may be approximate.
  • Addresses and telephone numbers of service users and other clients are kept up to date.
  • Business support is the named point of contact. At other times during the working day the contact will be the manager or in his/her absence their line manager.
  • All workers should ensure that they have contact details for their manager/ duty manager at all times when working.
  • The Manager and business support at the start of each working day, acquaint her/himself with the whereabouts of all team members.

Business support informs the relevant Manager if the office/project diary has not been completed.

  • Lone workers inform the named contact of any change of plan. Those changes are noted in the electronic diary and the white board
  • If lone workers fail to return/call in at the appointed time, the named contact telephones the worker to ascertain their whereabouts. If there is no reply, the named contact informs a manager immediately and takes advice. If not available, this will be escalated to a senior manager.

Good Practice – Outside Usual Working Hours

  • The named contact is the manager / duty manager or other person agreed by the manager and lone worker.
  • Lone workers ensure that their contact has relevant details of their proposed visits including addresses, telephone numbers, etc.
  • The contact should have the lone worker’s mobile phone number, travelling times and details, management “on-call” list and relevant addresses.
  • Lone workers arrange a suitable call-in time with their contact and call at or before that time where appropriate.
  • In the event of a lone worker not calling in at the agreed time, the contact will first phone the worker, trying mobile and home phone numbers. If there is no response, the contact consults with the senior manager.

Accident/Incident Report Form

This form must be completed for all accidents, near misses (reportable diseases, dangerous occurrences) and physical/verbal assault at all premises under Council control or arising as a result of any operation undertaken by the Council as follows:

1 Details of injured person

Mandatory sections are marked *

Title / Surname*: / Forename*: / Age/DOB*: / M F
Address: / Postcode:
Contact Telephone Number
Employees only : Status*: Please select person type and complete relevant boxes
Council Employee: / Job title:
Service: / Team:
Non employees only : Status*: Please select person type and complete relevant boxes
Contractor / Consultant / Agency Worker: / Member of the Public:
Pupil /Young Person: / Service User/Client:
Other (Please State):

2Accident/incident detail

Date*: / Time*:
Location*: Inside Outside / Sub location*: e.g. car park, sports hall, kitchen
Weather
Conditions / Lighting conditions / Artificial Bright Dark
Good Poor Not known
Briefly describe incident and apparent cause, including events leading up to the incident, any equipment and PPE being used, assailant details etc. please continue on additional sheet if necessary: *
(if other people involved, please list names and ages)
Injury type and body area affected:
If injury was caused by a fall from a height please specify height of fall in meters*:
What immediate action was taken to make the area safe/remove hazard (for example spillage cleared up and warning signs displayed)? If no action was taken at the time please state none *

3. Assailant detail – if a violent or aggressive incident: