Staff are the most important part of any business. And supporting them is vital for both their wellbeing and keeping the business moving forward.

Staff who work in isolation or on their own are a particular area firms should keep a close eye on.

There are many jobs which require lone working – from micro businesses, such as window cleaners, to large multi-nationals in the insurance and financial sectors. Looking at the best way to protect their lone workers from harm is a common dilemma for employers.

It’s not just protecting them from the risk of harm but also specific difficulties that working in isolation can cause such as communications between staff, effective monitoring, staff training, job design and changes to the physical environment.

More difficult issues such as hazardous locations, high volumes of travelling, or high-risk jobs themselves can be difficult to protect people from and the impact that will have on the business.

Carrying out a risk assessment of the lone worker’s tasks is essential. You need to find out if there is a problem, decide what action is necessary, take that action, and then review it.

Having completed the risk assessments many employers believe that personal safety training is the most effective way of making staff self-aware.

Finally, insurance can help make sure business continues as normal (and protects the wider workforce) if problems arise.