Lone worker - risks
Discussion
Posting on behalf of my mum.
Her job requires her to go all over the county assisting clients setting up home care. This can be from helping with interviews, conducting DBS checks or advice on a number of things.
Recently she had an experience that has left her and the others in the office a little worried.
When someone comes to them they and social services are required to fill out a form, I don't know what goes on the form other than there is a bit about risks at the house. Normally its things like 'dogs live here, but can put them away if required'.
Earlier this week a client asked if he would need to disclose to anyone who he employees that he has a conviction. Turns out it was for manslaughter and he is on licence for life.
She along with someone else who does these visits feels that something should have been mentioned beforehand.
Shes mentioned it to her manager who said that you could walk down the street pass someone with the same offence and not know. Which is true, but completely different. To me, its all about limiting the risk.
She along with her colleague have got a system in place, they need to text/call when they get home if they don't go back to the office so they know they are back OK. My step dad has this persons number and likewise a family member has my step dads number so they can phone them if they are worried.
Has anyone got any advice? Her manager seems to think its fine. I'd want to know if I was going to a house with someone who is on licence for manslaughter.
Her job requires her to go all over the county assisting clients setting up home care. This can be from helping with interviews, conducting DBS checks or advice on a number of things.
Recently she had an experience that has left her and the others in the office a little worried.
When someone comes to them they and social services are required to fill out a form, I don't know what goes on the form other than there is a bit about risks at the house. Normally its things like 'dogs live here, but can put them away if required'.
Earlier this week a client asked if he would need to disclose to anyone who he employees that he has a conviction. Turns out it was for manslaughter and he is on licence for life.
She along with someone else who does these visits feels that something should have been mentioned beforehand.
Shes mentioned it to her manager who said that you could walk down the street pass someone with the same offence and not know. Which is true, but completely different. To me, its all about limiting the risk.
She along with her colleague have got a system in place, they need to text/call when they get home if they don't go back to the office so they know they are back OK. My step dad has this persons number and likewise a family member has my step dads number so they can phone them if they are worried.
Has anyone got any advice? Her manager seems to think its fine. I'd want to know if I was going to a house with someone who is on licence for manslaughter.
I agree. I also think the text etc. is ok, but requires people to remember to send the text, and to look for it.
I'd suggest looking at an app called Lone Alert that we use.
I think the managers comment that you could walk by them on the street misses the point - their is a higher risk going into their home environment, and a simple risk assessment may mean for instance they need to ring before and after the appointment or not go in alone.
I'd suggest looking at an app called Lone Alert that we use.
I think the managers comment that you could walk by them on the street misses the point - their is a higher risk going into their home environment, and a simple risk assessment may mean for instance they need to ring before and after the appointment or not go in alone.
Sounds like a rather poor lone working policy.
When I was a Housing Officer, we used a Guardian24 app on our phones. We left a voicemail with G24 saying who and where you're meeting and type in a duration. If you didn't log back in and cancel the activity it started an escalation chain at the response centre. We could also press a button discretely for the call centre to listen in on what's happening through our phone and call the police if what they heard warranted it.
It was a disciplinary offense if you didn't use it and your voicemail logs didn't match your Outlook calendar.
During the tenancy sign up process we'd ask about convictions but it was down to the applicant to disclose them. I had one manslaughter tenant and he was the nicest guy. We could add amber and red flags on our system and important information at the top of the page so anyone checking their file would be made aware of risks or if two people needed to visit.
When I was a Housing Officer, we used a Guardian24 app on our phones. We left a voicemail with G24 saying who and where you're meeting and type in a duration. If you didn't log back in and cancel the activity it started an escalation chain at the response centre. We could also press a button discretely for the call centre to listen in on what's happening through our phone and call the police if what they heard warranted it.
It was a disciplinary offense if you didn't use it and your voicemail logs didn't match your Outlook calendar.
During the tenancy sign up process we'd ask about convictions but it was down to the applicant to disclose them. I had one manslaughter tenant and he was the nicest guy. We could add amber and red flags on our system and important information at the top of the page so anyone checking their file would be made aware of risks or if two people needed to visit.
Edited by Mark83 on Thursday 9th May 18:14
Edited by Mark83 on Thursday 9th May 18:15
http://www.hse.gov.uk/toolbox/workers/lone.htm
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg73.pdf
Lots of great info on HSE site.
If the employers risk assessments highlight potential "high risk" clients, then double handed visits need to be considered
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg73.pdf
Lots of great info on HSE site.
If the employers risk assessments highlight potential "high risk" clients, then double handed visits need to be considered
Carnage said:
Not wanting to add to your mothers understandable anxiety, but manslaughter doesn’t carry a life licence; only murder does.
I would suggest asking for a full risk assessment. In the interim, get her to google the chap in question. Often there’s more detail on there than PNC.
It was manslaughter under diminished responsibility due to his disability if that changes anything about the licence side of things. I would suggest asking for a full risk assessment. In the interim, get her to google the chap in question. Often there’s more detail on there than PNC.
Googling the name won't show anything as he was a child at the time (13 I believe).
That's what she is trying to get with a risk assessment, but her manager doesn't seem that bothered.
It's a small charity, not some massive company which I think is one of the reasons...the manager doesn't know what to do. My mum wanted to say this is what we can do to help etc.
LosingGrip said:
It was manslaughter under diminished responsibility due to his disability if that changes anything about the licence side of things.
Googling the name won't show anything as he was a child at the time (13 I believe).
That's what she is trying to get with a risk assessment, but her manager doesn't seem that bothered.
It's a small charity, not some massive company which I think is one of the reasons...the manager doesn't know what to do. My mum wanted to say this is what we can do to help etc.
It does slightly. Googling the name won't show anything as he was a child at the time (13 I believe).
That's what she is trying to get with a risk assessment, but her manager doesn't seem that bothered.
It's a small charity, not some massive company which I think is one of the reasons...the manager doesn't know what to do. My mum wanted to say this is what we can do to help etc.
Effectively there is an element of risk. The level is (currently) unknown. Appropriate control measures to reduce the risk need to be applied. I concur with the poster above who states that the situation is different from walking past.
In any event, your mothers employer has a responsibility for her workplace safety. Be polite, be firm, stick to your guns, and ask that it is treated like any other workplace risk. As a minimum, I would expect no lone visits.
If it helps, it’s very rare for offenders if that nature to reoffend. They are subject to fairly rigorous parole reviews and if they are reconvicted will be recalled to prison. The index offence being committed as a child also reduces the risk.
anonymous-user said:
I actually came back to post about this not realising it had been mentioned before! Worth everyone getting!
LosingGrip said:
Carnage said:
Not wanting to add to your mothers understandable anxiety, but manslaughter doesn’t carry a life licence; only murder does.
I would suggest asking for a full risk assessment. In the interim, get her to google the chap in question. Often there’s more detail on there than PNC.
It was manslaughter under diminished responsibility due to his disability if that changes anything about the licence side of things. I would suggest asking for a full risk assessment. In the interim, get her to google the chap in question. Often there’s more detail on there than PNC.
Either way, no employer can force an employee into a situation that they do not feel is safe without providing supportive measures to mitigate or manage any risk. Employee safety is a priority obligation of any company.
Gassing Station | Jobs & Employment Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff