working smarter: an exploration of how lottery workers can effectively & safely best lone work
TRANSCRIPT
Working Smarter: An Exploration of How Lottery Workers Can Effectively
& Safely Best Lone Work
•What is a Lone Worker
•Lone Working in the Charity/ Volunteer Sector
•Specific Risks Associated with Hospice Lottery Canvassing
•Mitigating Risks
•Connexion2 and Hospices
Agenda
•HSE definition:“Those who work by themselves without close or direct supervision”
•An estimated 2-4M lone workers in UK with specific risks of physical attack, verbal abuse or ‘man down’ either full time or part time. Many more with ‘infrequent risk’ (e.g. sales staff, mobile management)
•Examples include workers in retail, transport and logistics, public sector, charities, NHS, FM, Utilities and Security.
What is a Lone Worker?
Survey of Workers in Healthcare Sector
Dangerous Dogs
Ill Health of Houses Visited
Slips, Trips, Falls
Aggressive Householders
Carrying Money, or Other Valuable Information
Specific Risks Faced by Lottery Canvassers
Stalkers
Personal Ill Health
Car Crashes
Weather
Menacing Groups
•Advanced Planning & Communications
• Mobile phones/ radios/emails; • Managed calendars, recording the locations to be visited and approximate timings.
•Use Your Common Sense
• Try to stick to well lit areas• Trust your instincts, if something doesn’t feel right, it usually isn’t right.• If you’re invited in to a property, try to make someone aware, or worse case scenario, leave yourself
a voicemail . . . “I’m at X address with Mr Y”.• Consider carrying a personal safety alarm.• Avoid wearing headphones or being on the phone as you walk, as they prevent you from hearing
danger
Mitigating Risks - General
•Sensible footwear
•If you feel unwell, stay home.
•Take note of weather conditions for your working shift and dress accordingly.
•If you do enter a member of the public’s home, be extra vigilant.
•Make sure you are aware of basic first aid skills.
•Have emergency numbers programmed into your phone.
Mitigating Risks – Slips, Trips and Falls
•Get out as quickly and as safely as you are able to.
•Listen to what the person is saying, and try to use your communication skills to empathise and talk them down.
•Even if a person if becoming aggressive with you, try not to do the same but remain calm.
•Make sure you keep personal safety in mind at all times. Never allow your natural inclination to be polite to put you at risk.
•Avoid knee-jerk behaviour - pulling a mobile phone out can often push people to the next level.
•If you enter a property, always be aware of the quickest exit out, and don’t allow exits to be blocked.
•PLAN FOR THESE SITUATIONS.
Mitigating Risks – Verbal/ Physical Abuse
… And How We Work With Your Peers
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