Recent industry data highlights a concerning rise in violence against lone workers across the UK. Physical attacks have increased by 132%, with weapon-related incidents up by 104% over the past three years. These trends reflect wider challenges across sectors such as retail, healthcare, local government and transport—and underline a growing risk for anyone working alone.
Lone working is common across the built environment. Whether attending vacant properties, carrying out inspections, or working remotely on site, employees often operate without direct supervision. While this is sometimes unavoidable, it also means that in the event of an accident, emergency or confrontation, help may not be immediately available.
Under UK legislation, employers have a duty to protect those working alone. Guidance from the Health and Safety Executive makes it clear that suitable and sufficient risk assessments are essential—but effective lone worker safety goes beyond compliance. It requires a practical, proactive approach.
This starts with understanding the risks associated with each role, including location, task, and level of experience. From there, appropriate control measures should be implemented. These may include structured check-in procedures, lone worker devices, GPS tracking, or clear escalation processes. In higher-risk situations, additional controls—such as buddy systems or restrictions on lone working—may be necessary.
Training is equally important. Employees should be able to recognise risk, manage conflict, and feel confident stepping away from unsafe situations. A strong safety culture ensures that protecting people always comes first. At BAS Property Consultants Limited, we support organisations in identifying and managing health and safety risks across both buildings and operational workplaces. Our advice is clear, practical, and tailored to real-world scenarios.
Our Head of Health & Safety Compliance, Andy Strugnell, works closely with clients to review lone working arrangements, carry out risk assessments, and develop proportionate measures that protect staff. If you would like to review your current approach or discuss best practice for lone worker safety, BAS Property Consultants would be happy to help.
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