Remote and Isolated Worker Policy

Aunty Grace (the “Company”) is committed to providing a safe and healthy work environment for its workers and any other persons impacted by the workers’ conduct. This commitment extends to the subcontracted workforce the Company engages in Home Care Services for its clients.

What is remote or isolated work?

Remote or isolated work is work that is isolated from the assistance of other people because of the location, time or nature of the work being done. In this procedure, assistance from other people includes rescue, medical assistance and emergency services.

A worker may be isolated even if other people are close by. In some situations, a worker may be alone for a short period of time, while in other situations they may be on their own for several hours at a remote location.

Examples of isolated or remote work situations that may be encountered by the Company’s workers include:

• Physically working alone, for example, a worker working by themselves at a client’s home or in public
• Working in isolation, for example, working in a different room or area but with other workers on site
• Working in geographical isolation (e.g. stopping the car while travelling and performing some work in the isolated location)
• Working in isolation with members of the public, for example, taking a phone call in a public area while outside a vehicle (e.g. at a rest stop)
• Work in areas where communication systems do not work or are impaired, for example, working inside a venue/site in a known communication black spot
• Travel as part of work, for example, travelling to a remote location through known communications black spots.
• Working from home on a longer term, or permanent arrangement

Each activity or situation must be assessed according to its circumstances, considering all specific factors that may present a risk to the worker, to determine if the activity should be managed as remote or isolated work.

Who is considered a lone worker?

Lone workers are people who work by themselves and/or work in the community with only limited support arrangements, which therefore expose them to risk of being isolated from normal support.

What are the risks of remote or isolated work?

The potential risks associated with performing work activities increase significantly when the activity is performed in remote or isolated situations. Each work activity or situation that a worker encounters should be considered in terms of the inherent risks of the activity to determine the degree of exposure to remote or isolated work. Risks may include physical injuries, psychological injuries or both.

Assessing risks of working alone in client homes

Workers routinely deliver services alone in clients’ homes. While this is a standard aspect of home care, it is important that any risks associated with working alone or in potentially isolated settings are identified and appropriately managed.

A home safety screening is completed when a client first begins services with the Company. This screening considers but is not limited to:

• The physical environment of the home
• Known hazards or access issues
• The presence of other individuals in the home
• Any history of aggression, substance use, or other relevant behaviours
• Communication or mobile phone coverage limitations
• Geographic or emergency access challenges

Based on the home safety screening, relevant alerts or notes are recorded in the client’s file and communicated to workers before visits. This helps ensure workers are aware of any issues that may affect their safety when working alone. 

Where higher risks are identified, additional controls may be implemented such as:

• Adjusting visit times
• Providing additional training or support
• Implementing check-in/check-out systems or remote monitoring
• Escalation procedures for emergencies

Workers may refuse or delay a task if they reasonably believe it poses an immediate risk to their safety when performed alone. This includes newly emerging client behaviours, environmental changes, or personal fitness for duty.

Controlling remote or isolated work risks

The following sections provide a selection of risk control measures available to workers to manage the risks associated with undertaking remote or isolated work.

Additional risk control measures may be implemented to address specific risks e.g. wet weather, high fire danger.

Risk controls that will be used for a remote or isolated work activity must be identified and where applicable documented. Controlling the hazard is the responsibility of all involved parties as far as reasonably practicable.

Activities that must not be performed alone

Some tasks carry a level of risk that may make it unsafe for a worker to perform them alone. These situations will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, considering the specific circumstances of the client, the environment, and the task. In some situations where risk factors are present, lone work may still proceed only if a thorough risk assessment has been completed and management has approved appropriate risk controls.

Factors that will inform whether an activity should not be performed alone include (but are not limited to):

• Known or emerging behavioural risks from the client or others present in the home (e.g. history of aggression, cognitive impairment, substance use, or unsafe conduct)
• Tasks involving manual handling or heavy lifting beyond what is safe for one person to perform
• Work conducted at height (e.g. standing on ladders or unstable surfaces)
• Tasks involving complex or high-risk equipment
• Limited or no mobile phone reception, or other barriers to emergency communication
• Environmental hazards identified in the client's home (e.g. hoarding, poor lighting, unsafe flooring)

Where a task is identified as inappropriate for lone work, alternative arrangements will be made, such as:

• Scheduling a second staff member to attend
• Modifying or declining the task if it cannot be performed safely
• Implementing remote monitoring, check-in systems, or other risk controls

Job referrals are sent to potential workers with adequate information regarding any factors that may present a risk to the health and safety of the worker. This includes but is not limited to client behaviour, working environment and geographical location. These factors are considered against the worker’s credentials, ensuring that the selected worker has suitable knowledge and experience to conduct the work required, and has access to the information necessary to carry out the work.

Increasing the size or composition of the work group undertaking remote or isolated work is one of the most effective methods of managing risk. While this option may not be practical in all situations it should be implemented where the remote or isolated work risk assessment indicates that the risk to worker safety is unacceptable if the work is undertaken alone. Workers undertaking remote or isolated work must be fit for work and have the appropriate level of physical fitness, skills and training for the work being undertaken.

Monitoring worker movements whilst they are working remotely or in isolation is a critical risk control measure. Formal monitoring arrangements must be defined and implemented to ensure communication with remote or isolated workers is maintained. The level of monitoring required will depend on the nature of the work and the results of the remote or isolated work risk assessment. An example of this may include placing a check in call on a worker does not arrive at a planned location. 

Journey monitoring must be undertaken for the following types of journeys:

• Daytime journeys where there will be significant distances travelled through remote or rural areas (non-urban areas, areas with no houses/people in vicinity).
• Any vehicle journey undertaken in a Company vehicle outside of normal business hours (does not include travel to and from work for normal business hours)

Where a journey is being undertaken where several tasks are being performed on a round-trip basis over the course of a day, the journey can be registered as a single trip with call in durations appropriate to the trip and activity risks.

Workers that are required to work remotely or in isolation must have access to appropriate means of communication which enables:

• the worker to initiate and maintain a check-in process
• the worker to initiate a call for help in the event of an emergency

The preferred method of communication should allow for voice communications. Check–in frequency and procedure will be defined in the worker’s specific arrangement and must be documented before work commences.

The Company will ensure in so far as reasonably possible that workers required to work remotely or in isolation have adequate supplies, tools and equipment to safely undertake the work. When planning remote or isolated work the following supplies, tools and equipment should be considered:

• communication equipment (e.g. mobile phone)
• personal alarms (EPIRB, PLB, man down alarm, duress alarm) as required
• emergency plan and contact numbers

Additional equipment may be required dependent on the outcome of the remote or isolated work risk assessment.

Workers will be made aware of the requirements of remote and isolated work via recommended training and resources, also included in their work Instructions.

The requirements of this procedure shall be audited in accordance with the WHS Internal Audit Schedule.