What are my obligations as an employer if my staff work alone in Australia?
Australian WHS laws require employers to identify the risks of lone working, implement controls to manage those risks, and have a system in place to respond to emergencies[cite: 349]. This includes risk assessments and establishing check-in procedures [cite: 350].
What the Law Expects You to Do
Under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, PCBUs have a primary duty to ensure workers are not exposed to risks[cite: 352]. This requires assessing hazards of working without supervision and maintaining controls over time[cite: 353]. Regulators like SafeWork NSW and WorkSafe Victoria expect documented evidence of a safety system [cite: 354].
The Core Obligations You Need to Address
- Conduct and document a risk assessment for each lone working role [cite: 356]
- Implement a monitoring or check-in system proportionate to risk [cite: 357]
- Establish a clear emergency response process with nominated contacts [cite: 358]
- Consult workers in developing safety procedures [cite: 359]
- Review arrangements regularly and after any incident [cite: 360]
Making It Easy to Meet Your Duty of Care
Guardian Angel Safety provides everything Australian employers need to demonstrate they’ve met WHS obligations[cite: 362]. Our platform handles monitoring and reporting, and we provide templates for policies[cite: 363]. We make compliance straightforward[cite: 364].