Method statement for lone working
A lone-working method statement should define which tasks may be done alone, where and when, and which risks make lone work unacceptable. Delayed help after injury or illness, violence, remote travel, loss of communication and inability to complete a two-person task all require attention. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require a suitable and sufficient risk assessment and effective planning, organisation and control. Check the worker’s competence, health considerations and location, then set active check-in times and an escalation process if contact is missed. A phone app is not a complete control where signal or battery can fail. Record a reachable supervisor, precise location information and the point at which work must stop.
- ✓5 steps from preparation to completion
- ✓Covers: 3 key hazards and their controls
- ✓Plant, PPE and competence listed
In short
A method statement sets out how a task will be carried out safely, step by step: preparation, set-up, the work itself and completion, with the plant, permits, competence and supervision needed. It puts the controls identified in the risk assessment into a safe system of work.
What it must include
- ✓Task description, location and duration
- ✓Step-by-step sequence of works
- ✓Plant, equipment and materials
- ✓Permits and isolations required
- ✓Competence, training and supervision
- ✓PPE and emergency arrangements
You stay the duty holder: review the document for your site before work starts. SitePaper is a drafting tool, not a consultancy.