A Short Guide for Betting Shop Staff
Betting shop staff often find themselves in a position of single—staffing their shops for a variety of reasons. Working alone in the betting shop environment can be stressful or create difficulties in taking breaks ( see “Hours of Work” leaflet in this series) , not to mention potentially dangerous in certain circumstances.
Community—trade union believes that bookmakers should avoid situations where staff are working alone in shops. However, where this is not yet current practice, it is important that betting shop staff know their rights and the obligations of employers to meet minimum legal standards.
As a lone worker you are entitled to the same rights and have the same responsibilities as is the case when working with others. This means that your employer has a duty to assess risks to lone workers, the impact on the worker concerned, and take steps to avoid or control risk where necessary. As an employee, you have a responsibility to take reasonable care of yourself and other people in the shop and to co-operate with your employer in meeting their legal duties.
There is no general legal ban on working alone in shops, but the duties imposed by the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSW) and the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSW) still apply.
Employers have responsibilities for the health, safety and welfare at work of their employees, and those affected by the work e.g. customers. HSW and MHSW require employers to:
- Identify workplace hazards
- assess the risks involved
- put measures in place to avoid or control the risks
While employers must consult generally with staff and safety representatives on safety matters, the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) state that employees should be involved in the process as they are a “valuable source of information and advice” in ensuring all hazards have been identified and controls put in place.
Employers should ensure that control measures are used and the risk assessment should be reviewed periodically to ensure that it is still adequate and up to date.
If the risk assessment shows that it is not safe for the work to be done by someone on their own, arrangements for providing back-up should be put in place.
Introduction
Legal Standards
Health & Safety law is based on the operation of risk assessments. These are studies of workplace hazards (things that could cause harm) and risks (potential of someone being harmed by the hazard). In workplaces where individuals are expected to work alone, this should be addressed by the risk assessment.
There are 5 main steps to Risk Assessments:
- Look for the hazards
- Decide who might be harmed and how
- Identify the risks and decide whether existing precautions are adequate or whether more should be done
- Record the findings
- Review the risk assessment and revise where necessary
Where violence is an issue, this should be included in the risk assessment and appropriate measures taken to reduce and control the risk ( see “Tackling Workplace Violence”) Lone workers should not be at more risk than other employees. The HSE guidance states that companies should identify the particular problems faced by lone workers and determine what measures need to be put in place. Key questions need to be asked about the job itself and the individual(s) undertaking the work:
- Can one person control the risks of the job?
- Does the workplace present a special risk to the lone worker?
- Is there a safe way in and out for one person?
- Is there a risk of violence? ( see “Tackling Workplace Violence” leaflet )
- Are women especially at risk if they work alone?
- Are young workers particularly vulnerable working alone?
- What training is required to ensure safe working practices?
Training is essential in helping staff to deal with uncertain situations. Lone workers need to be trained to fully understand risk control. Employers should set limits on what can and cannot be done alone. Lone workers should be trained in how to handle aggression.
How will the person be supervised?
Employers duty to ensure safety of lone workers. Extent of supervision is dependant on risk assessment. It is not down to individuals to decide whether they require assistance. Lone workers should be monitored to ensure they remain safe.