# LONE WORKER HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY
Date: 3 March 2033
Parties: Meridian Field Services Ltd and its lone workers
## 1. Purpose and parties
Meridian Field Services Ltd, company number 09276104, issues this policy on 3 March 2033 for 47 engineers and inspectors who visit customer sites across England and Wales. Lone working means work without close or direct supervision where assistance cannot readily be obtained. The Operations Director, Joel Price, owns the policy; each line manager records the risk assessment before assigning a lone visit.
## 2. Facts, scope and terms
A visit assessment considers travel, weather, remote location, work at height, electricity, machinery, animals, violence, medical conditions, communication and the customer's history. Confined-space entry, live electrical work, work at height without a suitable system, and any task rated very high risk are prohibited alone. A medium-risk visit requires a charged phone and hourly contact; a high-risk visit requires a trained buddy or continuous approved device.
## 3. Process and responsibilities
Before departure the worker confirms the address, task, access, expected finish, emergency contact and dynamic changes through the MeridianSafe app. The worker checks in on arrival and departure, and every 60 minutes on medium-risk work. A high-risk assignment cannot start until the supervisor has tested the personal alarm and confirmed the escalation plan. Workers may stop, leave or request help without disciplinary penalty when the risk changes.
## 4. Evidence, records and safeguards
If a scheduled check-in is missed, the supervisor calls within 10 minutes and repeats the call after 10 minutes. At 30 minutes the supervisor contacts the nominated emergency contact and site customer; at 45 minutes, or sooner on a credible danger signal, the supervisor calls 999 and supplies the last location. The supervisor records the incident within 24 hours and considers RIDDOR reporting where the statutory test is met.
## 5. Review, escalation and outcome
Meridian supplies a charged phone, personal alarm, first-aid pouch, torch and high-visibility vest, and pays reasonable data costs. Engineers receive lone-worker awareness, dynamic-risk, conflict-management and first-aid training before unsupervised work, refreshed every two years and after a serious incident. GPS is active only during a booked visit, visible to the duty supervisor, and deleted after 90 days unless an incident hold is required.
## 6. Reservations and practical protections
A worker must report an accident, near miss, threat, failed check-in, defective equipment or health change as soon as safe. The manager will investigate without blaming the worker, consult affected staff and revise the assessment. Personal data is limited to safety purposes under UK GDPR; reasonable adjustments are considered under the Equality Act 2010, and no worker is required to disclose a diagnosis beyond information needed for safe work.
## 7. England and Wales law and completion
This completed fictional policy is governed by England and Wales law and reviewed on 3 March 2034. It supports duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 but does not replace a task-specific assessment, emergency services or professional advice. Employees may raise concerns to Joel Price, HR or a safety representative without detriment.