Educational checklist examples for safety, equipment and operational tasks — what a checklist covers, who uses it and how it connects to forms, inspections and training. Informational only — template examples to adapt, not official documents or legal advice; completing a checklist does not guarantee compliance and employers remain responsible.
What a lone working checklist is
A lone working checklist is a structured list of the controls and arrangements considered before and during work carried out alone or out of sight and earshot of others — contact methods, check-in times, what to do in an emergency and which activities are too high-risk to do unaccompanied.
This page is an educational overview with a simplified example of what such a checklist usually covers. It is not an official template, not jurisdiction-specific and not legal advice — the employer decides what lone working arrangements are needed.
Purpose
- Confirm the task is suitable to do alone, or identify why it is not.
- Set out how the worker stays in contact and is checked on.
- Plan what happens if the worker does not check in or raises an alarm.
- Create a record that lone working was considered and arranged.
Who completes it
- A manager or supervisor appointed by the employer, with the lone worker.
- Informed by the risk assessment for the task and location.
- Reviewed within the organisation’s own process before lone work goes ahead.
- It is the employer’s responsibility to decide what work may be done alone.
When it is used
- Before someone is asked to work alone or out of contact with others.
- When a task, location, time of day or worker changes the risk.
- After an incident or near miss involving a lone worker.
- On a review cycle set by the employer for regular lone working.
Typical items
- Worker, task, location and expected duration.
- Whether the task is suitable to do alone, and any limits or exclusions.
- Contact method, check-in times and who holds the schedule.
- Emergency steps if contact is lost or an alarm is raised.
- First aid, access to help and any device or alarm provided.
- These are example items only — adapt them to the task, location and your risk assessment.
Common mistakes
- Allowing high-risk tasks to be done alone that should never be.
- Setting check-in arrangements that no one actually monitors.
- Relying on a phone signal or device that does not work at the location.
- Never reviewing the arrangement after a change or a near miss.
Document workflow
A lone working checklist usually flows from the risk assessment for the task, which decides whether and how the work can be done alone; the checklist then records the contact and emergency arrangements. Where the lone work also involves higher-risk activity it may sit alongside a permit or a specific task checklist, and any incident triggers a review.
See the related documents below for what is commonly completed before, alongside and after a lone working checklist.
Retention (high level)
Employers generally keep lone working records for a period alongside the related risk assessments, in line with their obligations and data-protection duties. Specific retention periods vary by jurisdiction.
This page does not state a required period — confirm retention with the applicable law and the official authority.
Completing and sharing as a PDF
Lone working checklists are commonly completed, signed and stored as PDFs so the arrangements can be shared with the worker and whoever monitors the check-ins. Exporting to PDF supports documentation and version control; it does not make the arrangement official or guarantee compliance.
Employer checklist
- Decide which tasks may be done alone and which must not be.
- Set realistic contact and check-in arrangements that are actually monitored.
- Make sure any device or alarm works at the location and the worker can use it.
- Review after changes, near misses or incidents and keep records current.
Worker notes
- Follow the contact and check-in arrangements and keep your device with you.
- Do not take on a high-risk task alone that the arrangement excludes.
- Raise it if the contact method or the situation does not feel safe.
Country considerations
Most countries require employers to manage the risks of working alone, but the detail, terminology and record-keeping rules differ, and the official authority is different in each. This page is high-level and general — it is not a statement of any country’s law and not a guarantee that a checklist is valid anywhere.
Always confirm the current requirements with the official authority for your country and a qualified professional.
Who is responsible
The employer is responsible for assessing and controlling the risks of lone working, and for compliance. This page is an educational overview with a template example; it does not determine what lone working arrangements you need, does not make a workplace compliant and does not transfer responsibility.
Export, edit and share documents
The documents, policies and templates this involves can be exported, edited, signed, stored and shared as PDFs with the HELPERG PDF Editor.
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