4 ways to automate a lone working risk assessment

#1 - Simple assessment

Who it's for: Single-site businesses recording the lone working assessment themselves, where someone opens up, closes down, or works a quiet shift alone.

What it is: A lone working risk assessment records the risks to anyone working alone, the people at risk, the controls, and any further action. This version keeps each risk in one group: the hazard, who's at risk, controls in place, risk level, and further action. You add one group per risk, an accident with no one to help, aggression, or a medical emergency.

Available on: Basic.

In practice: A cafe where one person opens alone assesses it. For "accident or fall while opening alone", they note who's at risk (the opener), the controls (a check-in call when they arrive and open, phone kept on them, no risky tasks alone), rate it medium, and the further action: set up a buddy check-in system. Next risk, next group.

Why it works: Lone working isn't illegal, but the risks are higher because there's no one to help if something goes wrong. Keeping each risk in one group makes it a real assessment of what could happen and who would know.

Steps included:

• 1 grouped assessment (one group per risk): hazard, who's at risk, controls in place, risk level, further action
• Duplicate the group for each lone-working risk

When to upgrade:

1. A manager does the assessment and needs prompting
2. You want to attach evidence of the controls (a check-in log, an alarm)
3. You run more than one site and need a signed, dated record

#2 - With guidance

Who it's for: Businesses where a manager completes the assessment.

What it is: The simple assessment with a guidance note in the group, on the three big lone-working risks, an accident or sudden illness with no one to help, aggression or violence with no backup, and being unable to call for help, and the controls: regular check-ins, a way to raise the alarm (phone, lone-worker device, panic alarm), avoiding higher-risk tasks alone, and making sure someone knows when the lone worker should be done.

Available on: Standard.

What it adds to the previous template:

1. The three big lone-working risks are on screen
2. The manager knows the controls (check-ins, alarms, who-knows-when)
3. The assessment is consistent whoever completes it

Why it works: The guidance sits in the group with the fields, so the assessor thinks about "what if something happens and no one knows", not just the obvious hazards.

Steps included:

• 1 guidance note in the group (the three big risks, the controls)
• 1 grouped assessment: hazard, who's at risk, controls, risk level, further action

When to upgrade: When the assessment needs evidence of the controls (Lone Working RA #3) or a signed, dated record (#4).

#3 - With photo evidence

Who it's for: Businesses that want to show the lone-working controls are real, the panic alarm, the check-in arrangement.

What it is: The guided assessment plus a photo or attachment in the group, the panic alarm or lone-worker device, the check-in log, the secure entry. Evidence the controls exist.

Available on: Standard.

What it adds to the previous template:

1. A photo of the control (alarm, device, entry), captured at the time
2. A record that the controls are in place, not just named
3. A baseline to compare at the next review

Why it works: A photo of the panic alarm or the check-in system is proof the control exists, which matters most after any incident involving a lone worker.

Steps included:

• 1 guidance note in the group (the three big risks, the controls)
• 1 grouped assessment: hazard, who's at risk, controls, risk level, further action
• 1 photo in the group (the control)

When to upgrade: When the assessment needs a named, dated sign-off (Lone Working RA #4).

#4 - With photo and signature

Who it's for: Multi-site groups where each site's lone working assessment has to be signed, dated, and reviewable from head office.

What it is: The assessment plus a signature in the group. The assessor signs to confirm it and set a review date.

Available on: Standard.

What it adds to the previous template:

1. A signature confirming who assessed and when
2. A clear point to set the next review date
3. A complete, dated record an auditor treats as best practice

Why it works: The signature makes the assessment owned and dated, and across sites it lets a safety lead confirm every site where someone works alone has assessed it.

Steps included:

• 1 guidance note in the group (the three big risks, the controls)
• 1 grouped assessment: hazard, who's at risk, controls, risk level, further action
• 1 photo in the group (the control)
• 1 signature in the group (assessed by)

When to upgrade: When you want Poppi to run the check-ins itself, or pull every site's lone working assessments into one report. Those versions are coming in the next post update.

How to pick the right version

You don't need to know our product to choose. Just answer three questions.

Is it just you assessing, or does a manager do it?

If you do it yourself, a plain assessment is enough. The moment a manager does it, the three big risks and controls need to be on screen. If only you assess, #1 is fine. If a manager does, start at #2.

Do you need evidence, or is a written record enough?

A written assessment meets the duty. A photo of the alarm or check-in arrangement makes it stronger. If a written record is enough, stop at #2. If you want evidence, #3 adds it.

Does it need a signed, dated sign-off?

For a single site, the record can stand alone. Across sites, an auditor wants a signature on each. If no sign-off is needed, #3 is enough. If you run more than one site, #4 adds a signature.

Related workflows

• Violence risk assessment - lone workers face higher violence risk
• Closing safety check - the close a lone worker often does
• Opening safety check - the open a lone worker often does

Conclusion

Lone working is common in hospitality, opening, closing, quiet shifts, and the risk is simply that no one is there to help. A lone working risk assessment is how you show you've planned for that. The versions above move from a simple assessment to a signed, dated record.

Five more versions are coming in the next refresh that bring AI into the picture. Poppi can run the check-ins itself and escalate an overdue one, and pull every site's lone working assessments into one report. Those need more review time and will land separately.

→ Build your own lone working risk assessment on Pilla. The Basic plan unlocks the simple assessment today.