Working Alone
Some job functions at UTD may be performed by workers in isolation. This program serves to encourage awareness and promote practices and procedures to minimize the risks of injury or violence to staff, faculty, and students who, due to the nature of their work, are required to work alone and may require emergency assistance while working alone.
“Working alone” describes situations when an employee or student is:
- The only individual at the workplace
- Not directly supervised by the employer
- Working at a site where assistance is not readily available
- In an area where direct contact with a coworker or supervisor is not available
- In a dangerous area (due to work processes or other means)
- Traveling away from the base office to meet clients or other UTD community partners
Worker Responsibilities
- Recognize the hazards associated with their jobs and how to minimize them.
- Report hazards to supervisor(s).
- Participate in the Working Alone risk assessment and risk management decisions with their supervisor.
- Follow safe work practices outlined in safe work procedures.
- Maintain regular communication as directed by supervisors.
Working Alone Prohibited
There are certain situations when working alone will not be permitted. Working alone is prohibited under the following circumstances:
- Confined space entry
- Working on energized electrical conductors or equipment
- Power line hazards: use of a vehicle, crane, or similar equipment near a live power line where any part of the equipment or its load can contact the live power line.
- View obstruction: use of a vehicle, crane, mobile equipment, or similar material handling equipment where the operator does not have a full view of the intended path of travel
- The use of fall arrest equipment and scaffolds
- Work involving quick-acting, acutely toxic material as described by the Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
- Use of supplied air respiratory equipment or self-contained breathing apparatus
- Risk of drowning
- Welding operations where a fire watcher is required
- Tasks which, based on the risk assessment conducted by the supervisor in consultation with the employee and OIRSP, are deemed to require more than one person
