Late opening times for the callers office

[Exrep]

Rite chaps this must be going on all over R/M and i know for sure some offices in my area are doing it and are happy with it but not in our office.

On every Wednesday as from the 30 june the callers office will be open from 14.00-20.30 this will be paid at sched rate but the problem lies with only one person being on this shift.

As far as im aware the union is against lone working full stop. R/M have done a risk assessment in our office and deemed it to be safe for one person to work alone for that length time due to the positioning of the bandit alarm. Ive read the H/S stance on lone working but theres nothink in there to say its against employment law.

We have just lost our H/S rep and im not that genned up on H/S issues .Ive spoken to the DIM today about my concerns relating to lone working and he informed me to put in a letter of disagreement as hes been given the green light by the SOM.

Before i do have any of you had the same issue in your office but more importantly im after a lot of advice on lone working now before any of you pass comment yes i know we can just back heel it as it will be classed as O/T that advice will not help me in my cause.

So chaps and chappettes point me in the rite direction on the laws of lone working.

[mclovin]

I'm pretty sure it is against H&S regulations.

[Exrep]

Me to mate but our DIM is causing all kinds of problems relating to lone working no matter what i say makes no odds.

Ive explained to him the unions stance on it ive even given him a copy of the H/S laws on lone working but there just not having it and here was thinking we had entered into a new era how foolish of me.

[not me]

in our office its often one on at night and thats with an open plan callers office!

[noggin1969]

I'm

[not me]

I'm sure it is against H/S to , not only on security grounds but also in case of accident or medical problems. ie if the lone person was to have a heart attack they are not only in the building alone but also in a secure section of that building and how would the callers office be covered during a toilet break etc

excatly,our callers is a good few minutes walk from the toilets
its open plan,so not like you can just close the hatch
so what do you do when you need to go?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

This official H&S leaflet may help

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg73.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; not had time to read it though so not sure if it will help.

[Straight4ward]

Basically it is deemed OK depending on having had a risk assessment carried out

indg73.pdf

[Exrep]

Thats the copy ive handed to my DIM .

As ive mis-placed my new union card can someone go on the cwu web site and download the lone working from there then put it up on here for me please

[Lounge Lizard]

I'm sure it is against H/S to , not only on security grounds but also in case of accident or medical problems. ie if the lone person was to have a heart attack they are not only in the building alone but also in a secure section of that building and how would the callers office be covered during a toilet break etc

excatly,our callers is a good few minutes walk from the toilets
its open plan,so not like you can just close the hatch
so what do you do when you need to go?

A bucket ?

[noggin1969]

custard wrote:

noggin1969 wrote:I'm sure it is against H/S to , not only on security grounds but also in case of accident or medical problems. ie if the lone person was to have a heart attack they are not only in the building alone but also in a secure section of that building and how would the callers office be covered during a toilet break etc




excatly,our callers is a good few minutes walk from the toilets
its open plan,so not like you can just close the hatch
so what do you do when you need to go?


A bucket ?

and one of them panic button necklaces the old dears have in warden assisted OAP homes

[Stormproof]

Always only been one person in our Callers office and its not even attached to the MC/DO building, so if/when anything happened either they took there time getting to me or did'nt turn up at all. It used to frighten me working in there in the evenings especially in the winter when you could'nt see who was hanging about. There is a blind spot on the CCTV. It only shows the back of the customer and does'nt cover either the front door or the connecting door to the toilets/admin dept.

[brothermagrew]

For attention brother Monkeyboy:

The following laws or regulations are particularly important when considering the position of lone workers:

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 places general duties of employers and employees under Sections 2-9. Generally, the employer has a duty to ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees. The requirements regarding safe systems of work, health and safety policies, information, training and instruction, and a safe working environment are particularly important.

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to make suitable and sufficient assessments of risks to their employees. They must also make arrangements for the health and safety of employees by effective planning, organisation, control, monitoring and review. If the risk assessment shows that it is not possible for the work to be done safely by a lone worker, then other arrangements should be put in place.

The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 cover issues such as temperature access to toilets, water and other welfare issues. They do not only apply to indoor workers.

The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 states employers must notify their enforcing authority in the event of an accident at work to any employee resulting in death, major injury or incapacity for normal work for three or more days. This includes any act of violence done to a person at work

Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977 require employers to consult with their workforce, either directly or through safety representatives.

The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 require the employer to provide access to First Aid.

TUC Lone Working A Guide for Safety Reps.pdf

Then there's - http://www.hazards.org/haz72/loneworking.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; or http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/ac ... =RESOURCES" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Work-Related Violence - Lone Worker Case Studies - http://www.hse.gov.uk/violence/loneworkcase.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[chunk]

As already mentioned in the winter 8.30 is
going to be a dark walk to the car park.
but If all the security issues are sorted out
its got to be better than the lack of service we
provide when we close at
2.00pm .

[Pegman]

Lone worker locks cllers office door, goes to toilet at 20:00, slips on floor, breaks ankle, cannot walk to bandit alarm, lies there until the following morning when the morning shift start.

How's that for a risk assesment.

I thought lone working had been outlawed because of issues like the above scenario ?


Oh and before anybody askes he's single and lives alone