Workplace Law Magazine is available only to Premium Members of the Workplace Law Network. Produced 10 times each year, it is distributed in hard copy format in the first week of the month, and is also available online.
Perk of the job? Managing the risks faced by loneworkers
According to the RAC Foundation, four million people now work from home or act as ‘mobile workers’ — meaning there are an increasing number of people working alone. And there are a growing number of reasons for employers to require or allow workers — whether employees or contractors — to work in this way.
Demands on employers to operate more sustainably, for example, is cause for businesses to consider whether they require employees to travel to the premises every day or whether they could work just as — or even more — productively at home.
And with the extension of the right to request flexible working to parents of children up to 16 years of age — an estimated 4.5 million additional people — that was announced on 15 May, organising work around the needs of the workforce is set to change the way we work further still.
But this growing trend also comes at a time when we are witnessing an increase in violent attacks across the UK. In recent months Workplace Law Network has reported everything from machete attacks to the killing of a social worker — all incidents involving loneworkers.
Clearly this type of threat to safety affects some types of loneworker more than others. And no two loneworkers will face exactly the same risks on a day-to-day basis. Someone who works from home for a couple of days a week, for example, will experience very different risks to a social worker visiting individuals who require care in the community. And it’s for that very reason that conducting risk assessments for each and every loneworker — and putting measures in place to manage those risks — is vital.
In this issue ...
Latest
6 Legal calendar
Key legislative dates and events taking place during June and July.
8 Case law
- Dismissal for working excessive hours unfair.
- Worker didn't receive proper time to rest but is not entitled to compensation.
Comment
7 Loneworking: flexibility or liability?
Does the growing trend for loneworking mean increased flexibility and productivity for employers and employees, or does it bring with it hidden risks, asks Adam Fuge.
21 Driving home the safety message
Do those who drive as part of their work deserve their poor reputation? What risks do they pose, and what risks do they face, asks James Luckhurst.
Focus
10 Cut off
With more than four million people in the UK working from home or as mobile workers, communicating with loneworkers has never been more important; especially given what can happen if communication systems are not in place…
14 When loneworking goes wrong - the Suzy Lamplugh story
The name ‘Suzy Lamplugh’ came to epitomise the dangers of loneworking in the 1980s, and today is synonymous with personal safety through the work of the charity set up in her honour. Here, Claire Fuller charts the story of Suzy Lamplugh; from when she went missing to the recent developments in the case …
18 Workplace violence: prevention and cure
According to Sue Frith, Deputy Head of the NHS Security Management Service, figures reveal there were 55,000 physical assaults on staff in the year 2006-7. Here, she tells Douglas Kitson how the NHS is working to manage the threat these workers face.
Network
22 Helping MHP raise health and safety awareness
With a staff consisting of 600-700 loneworkers, Metropolitan Housing Partnership takes health and safety very seriously. Kelly Mansfield discovers how training and support from Workplace Law Group is continuing to help the organisation manage its health and safety needs as it enters a new period of development.
24 Clinic
Workplace Law Network premium members ask our panel of legal experts for their advice on homeworking issues.
Challenge
26 Mansfield to Ghana in one big leap
This month, Workplace Law Magazine’s own Editor, Kelly Mansfield is the subject of the challenge, as she prepares to travel to Africa at Christmas on a mission to support communities in Ghana.
Technical
28 Legal update
In-depth technical guidance on: identifying loneworkers; minimising the risks associated with loneworkers; and managing the employment relationship with loneworkers.
The data
32 This month's statistics
Key statistics and information on health and safety and employment law.
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