Working Alone Policy & Guideline
Working alone or working isolated refers to situations where a person may be exposed to risks because:
- The area they are working in is remote from others or isolated from assistance* of others because of the nature, time or location of their work.
*Assistance: includes rescue, medical assistance and/or the attendance of emergency service workers.
Definition
Starting early or working back late by yourself in an office environment is a breach of Toro Australia’s Company Policy.
- It is also a breach of legislative requirements of the Model Work Health and Safety Regulations 2023 (Australia)
- Consulting with their Manager/Supervisor in relation to developing appropriate measures to control risk associated with working alone
- Not placing themselves at risk when working alone
Only operate plant and equipment that you are trained in, within the perimeters set out in this Guideline.
Responsibility
If you think you will find yourself in this situation, consult with your Manager/Supervisor beforehand so appropriate measures to control risk associated with working alone are put in place.
If you must start early or finish late you must work with or partner-up with a colleague from the same area.
Standard Hours
Please refer to the links to the Working Alone Guideline & Working Alone Procedure
Ask yourself – “Am I safe to work”?
The Take-5 technique is a risk management process which is intended to identify any health, safety and environmental hazards present at the specific time and location of where the work activity is to be undertaken.
In its most basic form the Take-5 forces us to ask “Am I safe to work?” by narrowing our focus towards the task at hand, ticking off items on a checklist before we engage in the activity. By taking just five minutes to conduct a Take-5 safety check, it can often make the task much faster, easier and safer to complete.
The basic Take-5 process involves the following steps:
- STOP – think about the potential dangers associated with the job/task.
- LOOK – identify any hazards.
- ASSESS – the risk. Consider any possible threat of damage or more importantly injury.
- MANAGE – controls. Implement suitable control measures to reduce risk/s. Ensure other persons on site who are affected by the same matter are informed about the hazard.
- SAFELY – complete the task.