If someone on your team is working by themselves without other people around and without direct supervision, they’re likely considered a lone worker. Whether it’s a regular thing or just every now and then, it’s your job to make sure they’re safe and supported.
It’s not just remote bush jobs. Lone workers might be team members who:
If this sounds like anyone on your team, there are a few key things you need to think about:
While employing lone workers is permitted under UK legislation, employers retain a legal duty of care towards these individuals. Current regulations require that you take all steps that are ‘reasonably practicable’ to guarantee workplace safety for your staff. As an employer, you must consider:
Lone workers may face more risks, both to their own safety and the equipment or materials they’re using. You need to make sure they’re prepared and protected.Vulnerable workers like apprentices and inexperienced workers shouldn’t be working alone.
Working solo can be lonely. No banter. No team catch-ups. It takes a toll.
Stay connected with regular check-ins like phone calls, group chats, or video calls. It doesn’t need to be fancy, just make it consistent. A quick “How’s your day going?” can go a long way.
Just because someone’s working away from the team doesn’t mean they should miss out on training, updates, or important info. Keep the comms flowing so everyone’s in the know – no matter where they are.
Make sure lone workers have the tools and tech to get the job done safely and stay connected. That includes:
Simple, but it works. Pair your lone workers with a buddy – someone they can check in with daily. Share location, talk through the day’s work, and have a bit of a yarn. It keeps morale up and helps you respond faster if something’s not right.
Create straightforward emergency plans that outline actions to take during incidents such as accidents, health issues, or other urgent situations. These plans must be easily available to lone working staff and updated on a regular basis..
Make sure your team knows what the plan is and how it works. Test it out, and keep emergency contact info up to date.
At the end of the day, look out for your lone workers the same way you would if they were right there beside you. A bit of planning and a good dose of communication make a big difference.
Need help?
If you’re a HazardCo member, the Advisory Team is just a tap away in the app. We’re here to keep things simple and help you keep your team safe, wherever they’re working.
Want an easy way to make your workplace safer without spending a penny? Here’s a simple trick that takes just 30 minutes and can help prevent incidents on the job.
During your next Toolbox talk, get everyone to list their top workplace hazards—the things that could go wrong and cause injuries. This could be anything from slippery floors to dodgy equipment or working at heights.
Once everyone’s shared their list, use the HazardCo Toolbox Meeting feature to record and combine the results into a master list of the biggest hazards in your workplace. This makes sure nothing important gets missed and gives your team a clear safety focus.
Now that you know the biggest risks, it’s time to do something about them. This list can help your workplace:
By using HazardCo’s Toolbox Meeting feature, all of this is tracked and recorded, so your team has solid proof of what’s been done to make work safer.
Incidents at work can be serious, but most of them can be prevented. This simple 30-minute exercise gets everyone involved, so safety isn’t just a rule—it’s part of the way your team works. Plus, with HazardCo’s easy reporting tools, you can keep improving and stay ahead of risks before they become real problems.
So next time you’re in a toolbox talk, speak up—your input could stop someone from getting hurt.
If you have any questions, reach out to the HazardCo team. We are always happy to help.
Summer is here – longer days, sunshine, and the outdoors sound like the perfect conditions to get all that work done but with summer comes a new set of risks you’ve got to stay on top of. Have you thought about what you are doing to protect your team from the effects of the summer sun and heat?
Stay cool, seek shade and stay safe to minimise the risks of sunburn and skin cancer, but we also need to be aware of heat exhaustion, dehydration and fatigue.
Heat exhaustion can sneak up on you when you’ve been sweating a lot and not replacing your fluids. If it’s not treated early, it can lead to heat stroke, which is much more serious.
Heat stroke occurs when the body can’t keep itself cool causing a high body temperature of 39.4 degrees or more.
Heat rash and heat cramps are the early stages of heat exhaustion. Knowing the signs and what to do will help prevent the onset of heat exhaustion or worse, heat stroke.
If you’ve got a health condition that could be made worse by extreme heat, have a quiet word with your manager or supervisor so they can help you manage it.
Make sun safety part of your Toolbox Talks during summer, it’s an easy way to remind the team about the risks and what to do about them. You can record your talk straight into the HazardCo App.
Got questions or want to talk about how heat could impact your work? Give our Advisory Team a call on 020 4571 3920 (option 3), we’re here to help.
Get your team scanning in and out – it’s a no-brainer!
We get it, health and safety chats aren’t always the most exciting. But they are the most important. When everyone on-site takes part, it makes a big difference. And the easiest place to start? Get your team and subbies scanning in and out of site each day.
Your HazardCo QR code (on your Hazard Board) makes it quick and easy and the benefits stack up:
Scanning in each day is also a good nudge to stay switched on about safety. The more we talk about it, the more we act on it, spotting hazards and taking care of each other.
It also helps you:
Need help getting the team onboard? Try this:
There’s no downside, scanning in is fast, easy, and helps everyone go home safe. Got questions? Get in touch with the HazardCo team. We’re here to help.
COSHH is a key regulation in the UK that helps protect workers and the environment from harmful substances. Managing these substances properly on-site is essential for everyone’s safety.
What are hazardous substances?
Hazardous substances can harm people or the environment. These include:
Understanding what substances are present in your workplace is crucial for ensuring safety. If you use hazardous substances at work, you must store, use, transport, and dispose of them safely to reduce risks.
What is a hazardous substances register?
A hazardous substances register is a list of all dangerous substances (and hazardous waste) used, handled, or stored at your sites. It helps you:
Keeping a COSHH register
While a COSHH register isn’t legally required, it’s a helpful tool. It’s not the same as a COSHH assessment (more on this below) but lists the substances you’ve assessed, including:
Review your register regularly to keep it accurate and up to date.
How to create a COSHH register
HazardCo members can use the Hazardous Substances Register template in the HazardCo Hub to make this process simple.
What is a Safety Data Sheet (SDS)?
An SDS provides important details about hazardous substances, such as:
It’s the business owner’s responsibility to keep SDSs updated and ensure workers can access them.
COSHH assessments
COSHH assessments are legally required for any hazardous substances. These assessments evaluate risks and outline control measures. Here’s how to do one:
Need help?
If you need support with your hazardous substances register or want more information, contact the friendly HazardCo team – we’re here to help!
Lithium batteries are common in everyday life and on the worksite, their lightweight, long life, interchangeability and quick charge benefits mean that they are now used in everything from laptops to power tools to EVs. But did you know that they pose a significant risk and need to be a part of your health and safety plan?
Lithium batteries of all sizes have the potential to overheat and catch fire. The fire is hotter, harder to put out and the smoke from these fires is incredibly toxic. Lithium batteries generally overheat if they get wet, damaged or are used with incorrect charging equipment.
Damaged batteries can explode at any time giving off flames that burn anywhere between 500 and 1000 degrees celsius. These fires are very difficult to extinguish as both water and CO2 will only suppress the fire, not extinguish it. Even if the fire has been suppressed it can still ignite again if the battery still contains energy to burn. Lithium batteries are also prone to thermal runaway, which is where one small fault can spread quickly through the battery causing a rapid increase in temperature and potential explosion.
Because of this, lithium batteries need to be properly cared for according to the manufacturer’s instructions to minimise the risk, aside from that, you need a plan in place in case of a fire.
Hot tip: The bigger the battery the bigger the risk of fire and explosion because of the increase in stored energy being released, think energy in = energy out almost instantly so take extra care with larger battery packs – like the ones in your hand held power tools.
Never dispose of Lithium batteries in general rubbish as it can result in a fire in your bin or on the way to a transfer station, creating a risk to those transporting them. The manufacturer should be able to advise safe disposal or check out your local battery recycling centre.
Lithium batteries are going to continue playing a crucial role in our workplaces and lifestyles, so it’s necessary to recognize the potential hazards associated with them. By having awareness of these risks and good practices, we can work together to reduce the potential dangers, resulting in safer working environments where Lithium batteries are used.
If you have any questions, get in touch with the Hazardco team today!
Working with heavy machinery and managing traffic on-site can be risky. But with the right checks and planning, we can keep everyone safe.
Before starting work each day, make sure your equipment is ready to go:
Visual checks (before starting the machine):
Stationary function test (with the machine on):
Moving function test:
Using your manufacturer’s checklist or the HazardCo Heavy Machinery Prestart checklist can help you cover all these points.
Keeping vehicles and people safe on-site requires a solid traffic management plan. Here’s what to consider:
Discuss this plan during site inductions so everyone knows the rules and expectations.
Heavy machinery can affect the stability of excavations if operated too close. Keep all heavy vehicles, materials, and spoil at least one meter outside the zone of influence (this may be greater depending on the ground conditions) unless specific designs support closer operations.
Uneven ground can cause machinery to tip over, leading to serious injuries. To prevent this:
If you would like more information head over to our website or to chat with one of our friendly Advisory team please give us a call on 020 4571 3920
There are over 5000 asbestos related disease deaths per year currently in the UK, including mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis.
We’d like to give you some basic information on the dangers of asbestos, where it can be found and what you can do to avoid it.
There are three types of asbestos:
Inhaling asbestos fibers can cause a range of irreversible damage and diseases.
One of the most common asbestos related diseases is asbestosis. This causes severe scarring of the inner lung tissue. People usually have pain and severe difficulty breathing. Although this isn’t directly fatal in itself, it can lead to respiratory or heart failure.
Damage may occur in as little as five years, or take as long as 40-50 years after exposure for symptoms to appear. Unfortunately, many people do not realise they have been exposed until it’s too late.
It is vital you don’t attempt to remove asbestos yourself, unless you are trained, certified where required, and fully competent – we cannot stress the importance of this enough!
If you’re planning to renovate or partially demolish a building, have a survey done first to identify if Asbestos Containing Materials are present. If it is, contact a competent removal contractor.
Any building constructed up until the year 2000 has a high probability of containing asbestos. It is useful to familiarise yourself and your workers with the areas relevant to your work. If it is not expected that asbestos would be present and you see unidentified asbestos while working, stop work immediately and arrange for an assessment of the Asbestos Containing Material (ACM) to be carried out.
Yes, there is. Disposal must meet strict guidelines. Bagging and wrapping asbestos pieces is essential in any sort of removal – and dumping asbestos-containing materials can only be done in authorised locations. It is important to check with your local council for specific disposal locations and requirements. Wherever possible, leave this to the asbestos specialists.
Only a licensed contractor can remove asbestos that poses a higher risk, such as: Sprayed asbestos coatings, Asbestos lagging, Asbestos Insulating Board (AIB), and Large amounts of asbestos-containing debris or material.
Asbestos Awareness (Category A)
This training is designed for employees who may encounter asbestos during their work but do not directly work with it. It covers the basics of asbestos, its health risks, and how to identify materials that may contain asbestos (This is not adequate training for work relating to the removal of Asbestos Containing Materials)
Non-Licensed Asbestos Training (Category B)
This training is for workers who will be involved in non-licensed asbestos work, such as minor maintenance and repairs. It provides more detailed information on procedures and safety measures for handling asbestos safely
Licensed Asbestos Work (Category C)
This training is required for individuals who will be carrying out licensed asbestos removal work. It covers comprehensive procedures for safely removing asbestos, including risk assessments, safe work practices, and legal responsibilities
These training programs are crucial for ensuring the safety and health of workers who may come into contact with asbestos materials.
Recognition means everything when it comes to asbestos, signage on-site, equipping your team with knowledge of asbestos dangers, using the HazardCo App to assess risks, and educating your workers could be the difference between life and death.
Remember to also undertake health monitoring for any workers who work with airborne contaminants (such as asbestos or silica dust). Need more information?
HazardCo’s Advisory Team can help with any asbestos questions or other health and safety matters – Get in touch.
Using demolition machinery can be dangerous if it’s not handled correctly or by trained operators. Mistakes often happen when training is missed or safety checks are skipped. By making sure your team knows what to do and checking your machinery daily, you can avoid accidents and keep the worksite running smoothly. Here are some simple steps to help you use machinery safely and avoid problems.
Training and supervision
Make sure your team has the right information, training, and instructions required for the task. Having the right people involved means workers will have the skills and experience needed to complete the job safely and the task hazards will be easily identified.
Workers should be adequately trained to operate machinery. To test this knowledge, workers should be monitored and assessed regularly against operating procedures.
Pre-start checks
Always check your equipment is fit for use at the beginning of each day.
A trained and competent machinery operator should be conducting a plant/machinery pre-start check before use. This gives you the certainty that your equipment is good to go for the day and won’t cause you any unexpected problems or delays. Things to check are:
Visual checks before turning the equipment on:
Stationary function test while equipment is on:
Moving function test:
Quick hitches, safety locks and exclusion zones
Quick hitches allow you to quickly and easily change buckets or attachments on your machinery. Approximately 13% of all accidents investigated on excavators are attributed to the bucket detaching from a quick hitch device and injuring a ground worker. These are mostly fatal and major injuries. When using quick hitches and attachments you should always check the following:
Failing to check these could mean your bucket becomes detached or someone could get hit.
All quick hitches should clearly display the following information:
Quick hitches used with excavators are required to have a thorough examination by a competent person. If permanently attached this should be done 12 monthly else if not permanently attached it’s 6 monthly.
Safety locking pins need to meet the quick hitch manufacturer’s specifications and should be kept with the machinery or quick hitch device when not in use. Ensure that attachments are fitted with the correct pin centres and diameters.
Exclusion zones should be clearly marked out and all those working nearby should be informed. The hazards, risks and controls for machinery on-site should be covered in your job safety plan and shared with all on-site.
If you have any questions get in touch with the HazardCo Team today
We get it — figuring out what to do after an incident or near miss on-site can feel a bit overwhelming. One of the most common things our Advisory Team hears is, “Do I need to report this?” If it’s a notifiable event, you have a legal duty to let the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) know under Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) – Sounds like a lot of paperwork right? Not with HazardCo, our App makes it easy to log an incident or near miss and we’re here to guide you with what to do next!
Let’s break down RIDDOR in plain language. It’s basically the UK’s system for tracking workplace incidents and near misses.
RIDDOR stands for Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations. It’s the rules about which workplace incidents you need to tell the authorities about.
Every time you report an incident or near miss, you’re helping make the site safer. It’s not about pointing fingers — it’s about learning from what happened and stopping it from happening again. Everyone on-site has the right to know about any risks, and we all play a part in keeping each other safe.
Creating a culture where everyone feels comfortable reporting issues means better communication and fewer surprises.
It’s easy:
Your report is saved in the Hub and kept on file while you’re a HazardCo member
The App will prompt you to give us a call if needed. Our Advisory Team gets a copy and will:
We recommend:
Keep records
You’re legally required to keep these records for at least 3 years. Logging everything in the App means it’s all saved in the Hub, organised and easy to access if you ever need it.
No one wants incidents to happen on site, but being prepared makes all the difference. Stay calm, follow the steps, and give us a call if you’re unsure. Our Advisory team is available 24/7 for serious incidents.
Got a question? Reach out to us today — we’re here to help.
