4 Essentials for Protecting Your Employees When Working Remotely

Employee health and safety is always a priority in any workplace, but it’s an even bigger concern if you have employees working remotely or in isolation.

Remote or isolated workers often face more risks than regular employees, so you need to make sure you have the proper safety measures in place if you have them in your team.

Although these measures will vary depending on the nature of your business, these are some of the indispensable things you need to keep your remote or isolated workers safe:

1. Risk Assessment

If you don’t know what risks your employees are up against, you can’t manage and deal with them properly.

Risk assessment is central to risk management, helping you identify the risks and hazards your workers will face and finding the best ways to manage them.

When assessing risk, make sure to classify whether they’re controllable or not. If necessary, consult with third-party experts and specialists to provide the information you need to assess the level of risks your employees will face.

Your risk assessment should also include solutions for controlling these risks, providing the most effective and practical ways for dealing with them.

2. Proper Training

Knowledge is power when it comes to workplace health and safety, so you need to make sure your workers know what to do when an accident or critical event occurs.

This involves training your staff and employees. With proper training, your workers will know what to do if something goes wrong, including how to respond to emergencies and who to call.

• Orientation – educate your employees about the risks they’re facing and how to manage those risks proactively
• Emergency training – includes first-aid and medical training
• Role-playing exercises – practice responding to emergency cases, so they don’t get stifled when the moment calls for it

The more prepared your team is, the better they can respond to critical events and minimise the impact.

3. Monitoring and Communications

Make your workers feel safer by establishing a system for monitoring their activities and communicating with them whenever necessary. This way, they’re never truly alone when they’re off-site or work away from your team.

Some of the most effective ways to monitor and communicate with remote or isolated workers include:

• Periodic checks
• Scheduled reporting
• Work and activity logs
• Real-time off-site correspondence
• Using monitoring devices – e.g. panic alarms, duress alarms

4. The Right Tools and Equipment

Managing risks and keeping your workers safe requires using the right tools for the situation. Make sure your workers are equipped with everything they need to stay safe and healthy during critical events.

Keep in mind that the right equipment will depend on the nature of your business and the location your remote or isolated workers are in.

• First-aid supplies
• Emergency supplies – e.g. fire extinguishers, survival kits
• Monitoring devices – e.g. cameras, duress alarms
• Food and water

Always Prioritise Safety

When it comes to keeping your remote or isolated workers safe, preparation is critical.

Whether it’s providing the right training or acquiring the latest safety equipment, investing in your workers’ safety will help you minimise risk and manage the impact of hazards and critical events.

If you need more information about safety devices for workplace health and safety, contact us today to find out more.