Common risks faced by lone working Vets and how to mitigate them

Understand more about the risks that those working alone in the veterinary profession may face and how best to mitigate them. 

Lone working in the veterinary industry happens more frequently than you may think. Whether it’s a vet handling a late-night emergency case, a veterinary nurse or cleaner staying late to clean a clinic, or a solo vet out in the field treating farm animals, lone working comes with unique risks. Understanding these risks and implementing effective strategies to mitigate them is essential for ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all veterinary professionals.

When does lone working happen in the veterinary industry? 

Lone working in the veterinary industry occurs in a variety of situations including:

1. After hours and emergency care: many veterinary clinics operate 24/7, meaning vets and nurses may be required to work alone during late-night shifts or on weekends, particularly in rural areas or smaller practices.

2. Fieldwork: Vets working in agricultural or rural settings often travel alone to treat farm animals or wildlife. This can happen during the day or in remote locations, leaving them isolated from immediate help if something goes wrong.

3. Solo practice: In some small veterinary clinics or solo practices, the vet may be the only staff member on site, handling all responsibilities, from patient care to managing administrative tasks.

4. Cleaning and maintenance: Even when the clinic is not open for patient care, veterinary nurses or assistants may find themselves working alone, performing routine tasks such as cleaning, disinfecting, and maintenance.

 

Risks faced by lone working vets 

There are many risks faced by lone working vets. The most common are;

• physical injury - this could be from being kicked, bitten or knocked over by an animal, falling on uneven ground when out in the field or a slip or trip in a vets practice. 
• lack of immediate assistance - this is of particular concern for vets working alone in remote areas, perhaps travelling between farms or houses where mobile phone signal may be intermittent. 
• stress, isolation and burnout  - many vets work long hours, or may work very unusual hours (for example when they are on-call). They may also have to deal with very stressful, upsetting situations and working for long periods of time alone. This can affect their mental health & wellbeing. 
• fatigue - tiredness can affect many vets, particularly when they are working long hours and/or driving long distances between visits. 
• physical and verbal abuse - whether working in the field alone or within a veterinary practice, vets, veterinary nurses & receptionists may have to deal with customers who are angry or upset. 
• robbery - veterinary clinics are at a higher risk of robbery due to the presence of controlled drugs on site. 
• increased risk of contracting diseases transmissible from animals to humans - this could lead to worry & stress over their health and increased sick days. 

• Out of hours working - vets, or those working in a veterinary practice, may work late evenings, at night and during weekends when less people are around. This makes them more vulnerable if they were to have an accident or encounter an abusive or angry customer. 

Ways to mitigate these risks 

Before identifying specific ways to mitigate these risks you should ensure that your veterinary practice has completed a lone worker risk assessment and a lone worker policy. 

Risk assessment

Your risks assessment should identify all of your lone workers as well as the risks that they may face (for example, working in remote locations or being kicked by an animal). Only once you know these risks can you implement appropriate measures to mitigate them. 

Lone worker policy

In addition to your risk assessment you will need a lone worker policy to inform lone workers about the arrangements that are in place to protect them and which clarifies roles, responsibilities and procedures. As well as covering preventative measures, the policy should also include the actions that will be taken if an incident occurs. 

Having up to date versions of both of these documents is essential for these reasons;

• ensures you comply with lone working regulations in the UK
• ensures safe working practices for lone workers in your organisation
• promotes a safety-first culture 

Mitigating the risks of lone working in a veterinary practice 

To mitigate the risks of working alone in a veterinary practice you must;

• Provide training - it is important that lone working staff are trained to deal with; difficult situations which may involve conflict or violence, what to do in an emergency situation, how to lock-up and secure your workplace (if applicable), how to handle potentially dangerous animals and how to use lone working technology (if applicable). 

• Provide safety equipment - your lone workers should be aware of any safety equipment, including PPE, needed to carry out their job role or a specific task. You must ensure they have access to this whenever they need it and that it is in good condition. 

• Consider implementing a lone worker solution - a lone worker device or app, with two way voice communication and an SOS panic alarm could be used to reassure & protect lone workers should the worst happen. This could be helpful in mitigating the risks of physical & verbal abuse, an accident in the workplace or a robbery. 

• Promote work-life balance and wellbeing - this can be done by encouraging staff to take the breaks they are entitled, use their quota of annual leave and flag if they are regularly working over their contracted hours. Your staff need to feel rested and energised to ensure they are motivated and able to do their job properly. It's also helpful to encourage your lone workers to speak up if they are feeling lonely, stressed or worried about something. 

   

Mitigating the risks of lone working on a farm or whilst on-call 

Just like vets working in a veterinary practice, those working on a farm or on-call should also be provided with safety equipment and PPE required for their job and should be encouraged to speak up if they are concerned about their mental health or wellbeing. In addition to this the risks to lone working vets on a farm, or on-call, can also be mitigated through;

• Comprehensive training - it is vital that vets working remotely are trained to; handle potentially dangerous animals, manage difficult situations which may involve conflict or violence, know what to do in an emergency situation, and know how to use lone working technology. 
  
  
• Forward planning - where possible it is ideal to plan ahead to ascertain if there are any other risks which may need to be taken into account (for example, working near overhead power lines or working with aggressive animals) or if they are likely to encounter bad weather. 
  
  
• Having a reliable means of communication - whilst your vets may have a mobile phone this cannot always be relied on as a form of communication, particularly in more remote locations. A lone worker solution would be a better form of communication, allowing lone working vets to set timer sessions, manually press an SOS button in a dangerous situation and automatically raise an alarm in the event of a fall. Some solutions use satellite connectivity which means your lone workers would remain connected and able to call for assistance wherever they are. 
  
  
• Establishing a way to "check-in" with colleagues or managers - This could simply be sending a message to say they have arrived at a job safely and have arrived back home safely or could be regular "check-ins" throughout their working hours. This could be done by a phone call or text message or through a dedicated lone worker solution which provides "check-in" and/or timer session features. 

Whilst lone working in the veterinary industry is common, with proper precautions and proactive measures, any associated risks can be minimised significantly. Ensuring risks assessments are up to date and your lone worker policy is effectively communicated across the organisation is the first step. From these, comprehensive safety measures can be implemented including, utilising technology for communication and providing thorough training. Prioritising mental health and wellbeing is also key in this industry. In being proactive about safety and wellbeing you will help maintain a safe, supportive workplace for your veterinary staff.