Document 1policy
Lone Working Policy
Staff handbook, Harbourside Home Care Ltd
Section 4.2 of the Staff Handbook. Last reviewed 3 March 2026 by Dana Okafor, Health and Safety Lead.
Purpose of this policy
Harbourside Home Care supports more than 300 clients in their own homes across the county. Most of our care workers spend the majority of each shift working alone, often in the early morning or late evening. This policy sets out how we reduce the risks of lone working and what we expect from every member of staff. It applies to all employees, agency workers and volunteers who visit clients without a colleague present.
Our responsibilities as an employer
We will carry out a lone working risk assessment for every client before the first visit and review it at least every six months, or sooner if a client's circumstances change. Where an assessment identifies a significant risk, such as a history of aggressive behaviour in the household, visits will be carried out by two workers. We will also provide each worker with a work mobile phone and access to our check-in app.
Your responsibilities
You must:
- check in on the app when you arrive at each visit and check out when you leave
- keep your work phone charged and switched on throughout your shift
- tell the office straight away if a visit will run more than 20 minutes over its planned time
- never enter a property if you feel unsafe, even if this means a visit is missed
If you do not check out within 30 minutes of a visit's planned end time, the app alerts the duty coordinator, who will try to call you twice. If they cannot reach you, they will contact the client's address and, if necessary, the police.
Code words
If you are in a situation where you cannot speak freely, call the office and ask for "the blue folder". Staff on duty know that this phrase means you need help urgently. They will ask you simple yes or no questions so that you can answer without alarming anyone nearby.
Reporting incidents
All incidents and near misses must be reported on an incident form within 24 hours. A near miss is an event that did not cause harm but could have done, for example a loose dog in a garden or a threatening comment from a visitor to the home. Reporting near misses is not about blaming anyone. It is the most reliable way we have of spotting problems before somebody is hurt, and every report is read by the Health and Safety Lead.
Missed visits
We understand that staff sometimes worry that leaving a visit will let a client down. Your safety comes first. A missed visit can be rearranged; an injury cannot be undone. No worker will face disciplinary action for refusing to enter a property they believe is unsafe, provided they report it to the office at once.