By
Siobhann Provost
Senior Writer, My Business
In this scenario, we look at a company running a call centre that has two employees on the night shift.
Due to limited call volume, it is clear they will only require one employee. They have a complete lockdown procedure, all doors are locked and checked at 8pm and not reopened until 8am. Also, an emergency mobile phone to ensure immediate contact is available if required.
What are some potential issues and measures they may have to consider to make this viable?
In most Australian states and territories, health and safety laws require that the risks of working alone must be managed. In particular, if a person is engaged in work that is isolated from the assistance of other persons because of location, time or the nature of the work – including working the night shift alone in a call centre – it must be possible for them to call for assistance (eg rescue, medical assistance or the attendance of emergency service workers), if they need it. This means the person working alone must have a reliable means of communication.
By providing a mobile phone to ensure that a means of contact is available to the person in the event of an emergency, it seems that you have already met the requirement for a means of communication – provided of course that the phone is kept charged and operable, and that the employee has a list of appropriate numbers to call in an emergency.
With regard to the safety and security of the person working alone, by having a lockdown procedure so that doors are locked and checked at 8pm and not reopened until 8am, it would appear you have already taken suitable steps to manage security risks.
If the call centre is in Western Australia, there is an additional requirement to be met. There must be a procedure for regular contact to be made with an employee, and the employee must be trained in the procedure.
A reasonable interpretation of this requirement is that employers should ensure that people working alone anywhere must be provided with an effective means of communication, so that they can call for help in an emergency.
