Is it legal to work alone in the UK?

Yes, and it will often be safe. But the employer must think about and deal with the risks before anyone works alone, and some high-risk work needs at least one other person present.

Does my employer need a separate lone working risk assessment?

No. HSE says there is no legal requirement for a separate one, but the risks of lone working must be included in the employer's general risk assessment.

Does this course replace the training my employer must give me?

No. The law says employers must give adequate health and safety training when you start and when your risks change, during working hours. That training covers your own job and site. This course is background knowledge only.

What if I feel unsafe working alone?

Talk to your employer, a manager or supervisor, or a health and safety representative. If you face serious and imminent danger, you may leave and go to a place of safety.

O certificado é acreditado ou reconhecido oficialmente?

Não. É um certificado de conclusão privado, apenas para o seu conhecimento. Não é reconhecido, acreditado nem aprovado por nenhum governo, entidade licenciadora, regulador ou instituição de ensino e não substitui qualquer licença, certificação ou formação exigida por lei.

Lone Working Safety Course (UK) 2026

Pergunta 1 de 25

How does HSE describe a lone worker?

Someone who only ever works from home and never visits the office
Anyone who works more than 12 hours in a single day
Someone who works alone without close or direct supervision
Anyone who works part-time hours or on a zero-hours contract

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Resposta: C. Someone who works alone without close or direct supervision

HSE says lone workers are those who work by themselves without close or direct supervision.

Pergunta 2 de 25

A security officer works nights alone at a warehouse, with no supervisor on site. How would HSE describe this?

As not lone working, because a supervisor can be phoned
As not lone working, because the warehouse has CCTV
As lone working only if the shift lasts over 12 hours
As lone working, since there is no close supervision

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Resposta: D. As lone working, since there is no close supervision

Working by yourself without close or direct supervision is lone working under HSE's definition, whatever the shift length.

Pergunta 3 de 25

Is it legal for someone to work alone in the UK?

Often yes, but the employer must deal with the risks first
Yes, and the employer never needs to think about the risks
Only if the worker is over 25 and has a full driving licence
No, working alone is against the law in every type of job

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Resposta: A. Often yes, but the employer must deal with the risks first

HSE says it will often be safe to work alone, but the law requires the employer to think about and deal with the risks first.

Pergunta 4 de 25

Under which regulations must employers manage the risks to lone workers?

The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
The Working Time Regulations 1998

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Resposta: C. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

HSE says that under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, employers must manage the risk to lone workers.

Pergunta 5 de 25

Can an employer hand its lone worker safety responsibilities over to the lone worker?

Yes, if the worker is self-employed
Yes, if the worker has five years' experience
No, these responsibilities cannot be transferred
Yes, as long as the worker signs a form agreeing to it

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Resposta: C. No, these responsibilities cannot be transferred

HSE's lone working guidance says the employer's responsibilities cannot be transferred to any other person, including the people who work alone.

Pergunta 6 de 25

Do an employer's lone working duties cover a self-employed contractor it hires to do the work?

No, self-employed people are never covered
Yes, the duties cover people contracted to work for them
Only if the contractor is under 18
Only if the contractor works for them more than 40 hours a week

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Resposta: B. Yes, the duties cover people contracted to work for them

HSE says the employer's duty to manage lone working risks applies to anyone contracted to work for them, including self-employed people.

Pergunta 7 de 25

Does the law require a separate risk assessment just for lone working?

No, but the general risk assessment must cover it
No, lone working never needs to be assessed
Yes, a separate one must be done every month
Yes, and HSE must approve it before anyone works alone

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Resposta: A. No, but the general risk assessment must cover it

HSE says there is no legal requirement for a separate lone worker risk assessment, but lone working risks must be included in the general one.

Pergunta 8 de 25

An employer has 12 employees. What must it do with its risk assessment?

Write down the significant findings
Display it on the company website
Nothing, as risk assessments are only for large firms
Send it to the local council every week

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Resposta: A. Write down the significant findings

Regulation 3(6) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 says an employer with five or more employees must record the significant findings.

Pergunta 9 de 25

Which work does HSE say needs at least one other person present?

Driving a patrol car on public roads
Working in a confined space
Patrolling an empty office building at night
Staffing a reception desk alone

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Resposta: B. Working in a confined space

HSE lists confined spaces, work near exposed live electricity conductors, diving, vehicles carrying explosives and fumigation as work needing at least one other person.

Pergunta 10 de 25

Which of these should a lone working risk assessment consider?

How far the worker lives from the coast
The colour and style of the uniform the worker will wear
The worker's favourite radio station
Whether the worker is medically fit to work alone

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Resposta: D. Whether the worker is medically fit to work alone

HSE says employers should consider the medical suitability of the worker to work alone, along with violence, stress and the workplace itself.

Pergunta 11 de 25

According to HSE, how should the level of supervision relate to risk?

Supervision is only needed for new managers
Lower-risk jobs need the most supervision
Supervision should be exactly the same for every job and worker
The higher the risk, the more supervision is needed

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Resposta: D. The higher the risk, the more supervision is needed

HSE says supervision should be based on the risk assessment: the higher the risk, the more supervision lone workers need.

Pergunta 12 de 25

Why may lone workers need extra training?

Because they are always paid more than other workers on site
They cannot easily ask more experienced colleagues for help
The law says lone workers must not ask others any questions
They work fewer hours than others

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Resposta: B. They cannot easily ask more experienced colleagues for help

HSE says lone workers are usually unable to ask more experienced colleagues for help, so extra training may be appropriate.

Pergunta 13 de 25

Which is one way HSE suggests employers keep in touch with lone workers?

A letter sent at the end of each year
A single phone call at the start of each month, if time allows
Check-ins at pre-agreed intervals by phone, radio or email
No contact, to avoid distracting them

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Resposta: C. Check-ins at pre-agreed intervals by phone, radio or email

HSE suggests pre-agreed intervals of regular contact between the lone worker and the employer, using phones, radios, email and similar.

Pergunta 14 de 25

What should happen at the end of a lone worker's shift?

The worker leaves the site keys outside the door
A system confirms they are safely back at base or home
The supervisor deletes the check-in records
Nothing needs to happen, because the shift has already ended

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Resposta: B. A system confirms they are safely back at base or home

HSE says employers should have a robust system to make sure a lone worker has returned to their base or home once the work is finished.

Pergunta 15 de 25

How often should lone worker alarm systems and emergency procedures be tested?

Never, as testing may set off false alarms
Regularly
Only after a worker has been hurt
Only when the device is first bought

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Resposta: B. Regularly

HSE says employers should regularly test these systems and all emergency procedures so lone workers can be reached if there is a problem.

Pergunta 16 de 25

Your employer sends you to work alone at another company's site. What must your employer do?

Ask you to sign a form accepting all risks
Nothing, because the other company takes on all responsibility for you
Ask that company about the risks and how they are controlled
Tell you not to speak to the other company's staff

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Resposta: C. Ask that company about the risks and how they are controlled

HSE says that when a lone worker is at another employer's site, their employer must ask that employer about the risks and control measures.

Pergunta 17 de 25

Which incident fits HSE's definition of work-related violence?

A worker is hit by their partner at home over a personal matter
A customer threatens a lone shop worker with harm
Two strangers argue in a street far from any workplace
A worker trips over a loose cable

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Resposta: B. A customer threatens a lone shop worker with harm

HSE defines work-related violence as any incident in which a person is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work, including verbal threats.

Pergunta 18 de 25

What does HSE say about lone working and the risk of violence?

It always doubles the risk of violence, whatever the job or the place
It does not always raise the risk, but makes workers more vulnerable
It removes all risk of violence
It is only a risk for workers under 21

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Resposta: B. It does not always raise the risk, but makes workers more vulnerable

HSE says lone working does not automatically imply a higher risk of violence, but it does make workers more vulnerable.

Pergunta 19 de 25

A guard on a private site is punched by an intruder and is off work for 10 days. What does RIDDOR require?

The injury must be reported within 15 days of the incident
Only a note in the site diary
A report to the local council within one year
Nothing, because security guards are expected to face violence

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Resposta: A. The injury must be reported within 15 days of the incident

Injuries to workers from non-consensual physical violence at work are reportable, and an over-7-day injury must be reported within 15 days.

Pergunta 20 de 25

A lone worker is shouted at and threatened but not physically hurt. Is this reportable under RIDDOR?

No, and the worker should not tell anyone
Yes, every incident must be reported to HSE within 24 hours
No, RIDDOR covers physical injuries, but tell your employer
Yes, but only if the person is arrested

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Resposta: C. No, RIDDOR covers physical injuries, but tell your employer

HSE says RIDDOR only requires reports of deaths and physical injuries, so verbal abuse alone is not reportable. It should still be reported to the employer.

Pergunta 21 de 25

Under section 44 of the Employment Rights Act 1996, what protection do workers have?

They get extra pay for every night shift
They are protected if they leave serious and imminent danger
They can refuse any task they do not enjoy without giving a reason
They can never be asked to work alone without a colleague present

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Resposta: B. They are protected if they leave serious and imminent danger

Section 44 protects a worker from detriment for leaving, or refusing to return to, a place because of danger they reasonably believe is serious and imminent.

Pergunta 22 de 25

What must emergency procedures allow people to do if they face serious, imminent and unavoidable danger?

Finish the task before they leave
Wait for written permission from a manager
Stop work and go to a place of safety
Stay where they are until their shift ends

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Resposta: C. Stop work and go to a place of safety

Regulation 8 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 says procedures must let people stop work and go to a place of safety.

Pergunta 23 de 25

What may a lone worker's first aid training need to include?

How to choose and prescribe medicines
How to give first aid to themselves
How to drive an emergency ambulance
How to use hospital equipment for surgery

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Resposta: B. How to give first aid to themselves

HSE says some lone workers may need first aid training, including how to give first aid to themselves, and may need to carry first aid equipment.

Pergunta 24 de 25

Under section 7 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, what must employees do?

Write, sign and date the company's risk assessment each year
Inspect the workplace on behalf of HSE once a month
Pay for any safety equipment they need for their job
Take reasonable care and co-operate with their employer

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Resposta: D. Take reasonable care and co-operate with their employer

Section 7 says employees must take reasonable care for their own and others' health and safety, and co-operate with their employer.

Pergunta 25 de 25

Which body regulates workplace health and safety in Northern Ireland?

The Information Commissioner's Office for Northern Ireland
The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service
The Police Service of Northern Ireland
The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland

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Resposta: D. The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) covers lone working under the Health and Safety at Work (Northern Ireland) Order 1978.

Lone Working Safety Course (UK) 2026

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