If you are one of the hundreds of people in the Kentucky workforce who work alone, you face a unique set of risks. Being by yourself throughout the day has its benefits, but it can also be difficult to get the help you need if you experience an injury or illness on the job. Fortunately, there are precautions you can take to protect yourself and secure your safety in the event of an accident.
The Safety and Health Magazine provides some helpful suggestions you may consider using. These include the following:
- Receive training: Be sure you receive adequate on-the-job training for the types of responsibilities you will be required to perform. Make sure you understand protocols and policies so you can perform your tasks successfully and safely.
- Be vigilant: Once you have completed your duties for the day, always be consistent and vigilant about checking back into your home base office. This way, if you are ever late or things are amiss, your coworkers will immediately suspect something is wrong and will not wait until it is too late to respond.
- Maintain contact: Even when you feel completely comfortable doing your job alone, always keep contact with a main office, colleague or supervisor. Doing so will help guarantee your safety as another individual will be aware of your location, situation and estimated time of return.
- Know your options: Devise a clear plan for how you will respond to emergency situations. Additionally, be familiar with suggested protocols put in place by your employer to help secure your safety. As an additional precaution, practice some of these plans to ensure you understand proper execution.
Your efforts to participate in risk assessments can also help your supervisor gauge your safety on the job. This way, modifications can be made if necessary, to heighten your safety and increase awareness.
The information in this article has been written for educational purposes only and should not be taken as legal advice.