Lone Working and Check-Ins
A Missed Check-In Is a Signal, Not a Delay
Working alone or away from the main team can make a small problem harder to detect and slower to address. A check-in plan is a live safeguard, not a courtesy message. Before the task begins, agree when contact is expected, how it will be made and what action follows if the person cannot be reached.
Controls to confirm
- Record the worker’s task, location, expected movements and agreed check-in times before work starts.
- Test the primary communication method and provide a suitable backup or emergency contact route for the work area.
- Escalate every missed check-in through the approved response plan without assuming the worker is merely busy or delayed.
Today’s action
Before the first lone-working task, test the contact method and ask both the worker and contact person to repeat the missed-check-in response.
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