Our Commitment

Riverdale Falls is committed to protecting the health, safety and welfare of all employees, contractors and others who may be affected by our work. This includes specific arrangements for lone workers, particularly where work is carried out in or around water, such as ponds, streams and water features.

Lone working is only permitted in strictly controlled, low‑risk circumstances and must be managed through robust planning, communication, supervision and emergency arrangements. Safety is always prioritised over speed or convenience.

This Lone Working Policy applies to:

• All employees (full-time, part-time, fixed-term and temporary)

• Self-employed contractors and subcontractors working on behalf of Riverdale Falls

• Agency workers

It covers any work activity where an individual is:

• Working without direct, immediate supervision, and/or

• Working without another Riverdale Falls employee present on site

This policy applies in particular to:

• Installation, maintenance and servicing of ponds, streams and water features

• Site visits and inspections

• Finishing or “snagging” works where one worker remains on site

• Maintenance tasks around existing water features

For the purposes of this policy:

• Lone working means working without another Riverdale Falls worker physically present and able to provide immediate assistance.

• Typical lone working situations at Riverdale Falls may include:

  • One worker remaining to finish a job (e.g. checking pumps and flow, filters, tidying site)

  • Maintenance visits to existing ponds, streams and water features

• Normal working practice:

  • Most jobs are carried out by two workers.

  • Even if the task itself could be done by one person, a second person is normally present as a lookout and to manage any emergency.

Lone working is the exception, not the norm.

• Lone working is permitted only where the risk is assessed as acceptable and appropriate control measures are in place.

• Safety controls must never be bypassed in order to save time or reduce cost.

• No worker is required to work alone if they feel unsafe or unsure.

• Vulnerable workers (for example, young workers, inexperienced staff, those with relevant health conditions) will never work alone or without close supervision.

Lone working may be permitted for low‑risk, defined tasks, for example:

• Maintenance and basic servicing on ponds and streams (e.g. cleaning filters, checking pumps, checking flow rates)

• Visual checks on completed installations

• Tidying and making good the site at the end of a job

These tasks are only permitted as lone working when:

• A suitable risk assessment (RAMS) has been completed and reviewed for that day and site; and

• Office Administration has formally authorised the lone working arrangement for that specific job and day.

Under no circumstances will the following be done by a lone worker:

• High-risk construction or installation tasks around water (digging, forming or lining ponds, structural work, heavy lifting, confined spaces, working at height, or use of heavy machinery and power tools in unstable locations)

• Any task where a fall into deep or fast‑moving water could occur and no other person (Riverdale worker or other competent person on site) is present to raise the alarm

• Any task identified in the site-specific RAMS as requiring two persons or more

In high‑risk situations, lone working is prohibited under all circumstances.

The primary risk for Riverdale Falls lone workers is water. Even shallow water can be life‑threatening if a worker:

• Slips and falls,

• Is knocked unconscious, or

• Falls face down into water and is unable to self‑rescue.

Workers will be regularly reminded that:

• It only takes a small amount of water for drowning to occur.

• A simple slip, trip or knock to the head can quickly become fatal if no one is present to help.

When working alone in or around water, the following rules apply:

• The worker must wear a suitable life jacket (kept in the van) at all times whilst at risk of falling into water.

• The life jacket used is specifically designed to turn an unconscious person onto their back to help keep their airway clear.

• The location of life jackets and how to use them will be explained during the Van Induction and Lone Working induction.

• Life jackets must be inspected before use and any defects reported immediately.

No lone working around water is permitted without appropriate PPE.

Lone working around water is only permitted when:

• The worker has completed relevant training (water safety, PPE, emergency procedures, this policy).

• The worker has been authorised to use the van and life jacket (via Van Induction and management approval).

• Office Administration has:

  • Assessed the job for that specific day,

  • Reviewed the site-specific RAMS, and

  • Confirmed whether lone working is acceptable and under what conditions.

If the office assesses that the job or site is too risky, two workers will be required, even for maintenance.

10.1 Communication Methods

Lone workers must maintain communication with Office Administration using:

• WhatsApp (work group or direct)

• Phone call

• Email, where appropriate

Where possible, WhatsApp is preferred due to read receipts.

10.2 Before Starting Work

Before any lone working around water begins, the worker must:

1. Contact Office Administration (by WhatsApp, call or email).

2. Confirm:

   • Location and job reference,

   • Tasks to be carried out,

   • Whether any other people will be on site and within visible or shouting distance (property owner, grounds staff, etc.),

   • Mobile signal strength and any limitations.

3. Await confirmation/instruction from Office Administration.

The worker must not commence work until the office has:

• Acknowledged the message (e.g. WhatsApp read receipt or verbal confirmation), and

• Confirmed the check-in intervals and any specific conditions.

10.3 Setting Check-In Intervals

Office Administration will set check-in intervals based on the risk of the task and site conditions:

• High-risk lone working around water (no other people in visible range, poor access, higher hazard tasks):

  • Check-ins may be as frequent as every 10 minutes.

• Lower-risk lone working around water (other competent persons on site, lower hazard tasks):

  • Check-in may be set for expected completion time or a longer interval.

These intervals are to be strictly followed, even if this slows down the work. Safety is paramount.

10.4 During the Task

• Lone workers must check in at each agreed time via WhatsApp, call or email as instructed.

• Messages must be clear, for example:

  • “10:30 – Still working on filter cleaning, all OK. Next check-in 10:40.”

• If the task changes or new risks are identified, the worker must inform the office immediately.

Office Administration is responsible for:

• Assessing each lone working situation on the day, using:

  • Site-specific RAMS,

  • Information from the worker about who else is present and visible on site,

  • Weather, location, access and signal conditions.

• Deciding whether lone working is permitted, restricted or prohibited for that job.

• Setting appropriate check-in intervals.

• Monitoring check-ins and acting promptly if a check-in is missed or overdue.

• Ensuring the job sheet includes:

  • Job address and site contact details,

  • Location of nearest accessible landline, where mobile signal is poor.

Lone workers must:

• Wear all required PPE, including life jacket when working around water.

• Ensure their mobile phone is charged, switched on and kept on their person.

• Check mobile phone signal on arrival and report any problems to Office Administration.

• Follow the check-in schedule exactly as agreed.

• Immediately inform the office if:

  • The situation on site changes,

  • Additional risks appear,

  • Other people leave site and they become fully alone, or

  • They feel unsafe or unwell.

• Use the nearest accessible landline (as per job sheet) if mobile signal is unreliable or lost.

Workers must never:

• Quietly ignore or delay check-ins,

• Continue working alone if they lose contact with the office and cannot re-establish it quickly,

• Work alone outside standard hours unless explicitly authorised in exceptional circumstances.

If a lone worker fails to check in at the agreed time:

1. Office Administration will attempt to contact the worker within 1 minute of the missed check-in.

2. They will make up to 3 phone call attempts.

3. The lone worker must, where possible, stop work and answer the phone.

If there is no contact after 3 attempts:

4. Office Administration will contact the site supervisor or premises owner/client (if details are available).

5. If they cannot be reached, or cannot quickly confirm the worker is safe,

6. Emergency services will be called and provided with:

   • The job address,

   • Nature of work,

   • Last known status and time of contact,

   • Any relevant risk information (water hazards, access issues, etc.).

This procedure is deliberately strict to protect life. All workers must understand the seriousness of missing check-ins.

Riverdale Falls expects all workers to treat check-ins as a life-saving control measure.

• Genuine emergencies, accidents or situations where the worker was physically unable to make a check-in will not lead to disciplinary action.

• However, failure to check in without a good reason, or repeated failure to:

  • Follow check-in procedures, or

  • Answer calls after a missed check-in,

may result in:

• Formal investigation into the incident,

• Retraining on lone working procedures,

• Removal of authorisation to work alone, and/or

• Disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal, where negligence or wilful disregard of safety procedures is found.

The aim is to protect workers, not to punish genuine emergencies, but also to ensure that emergency services are not called out unnecessarily.

Before any job, and especially before lone working is authorised:

• RAMS must be reviewed to identify:

  • Site-specific water hazards,

  • Slips, trips and falls risks,

  • Access and egress routes,

  • Mobile signal limitations,

  • Presence (or absence) of other people capable of raising the alarm.

• On arrival, the worker must:

  • Check the site matches the RAMS,

  • Identify who else is present on site and whether they are within visible or shouting distance,

  • Report this information to Office Administration as part of the first check-in.

If the worker finds conditions are worse than expected, or RAMS do not reflect reality, they must stop and contact the office before proceeding.

• Workers considered vulnerable due to age, experience, medical conditions or other factors will not be allowed to work alone around water.

• They will only work under direct supervision or as part of a multi-person team.

• Any health-related information that could affect lone working suitability must be disclosed confidentially to management or office administration so appropriate controls can be put in place.

• Lone working outside standard working hours is not permitted unless:

  • There is a genuine business need, and

  • It has been specifically authorised in advance by senior management.

• Where out-of-hours lone working is exceptionally authorised, this policy still applies in full, with extra caution due to reduced availability of others on site and slower emergency response.

All workers who may work alone will receive training on:

• This Lone Working Policy

• Hazards of working around water and risk of drowning

• Correct selection, fitting and use of life jackets

• Communication and check-in procedures

• Emergency escalation and what to do if they feel unsafe

• RAMS and site-specific risk assessment awareness

Lone working (especially around water) will not be authorised until this training and relevant induction (including van induction) is completed.

Riverdale Falls will:

• Monitor lone working arrangements and any incidents, near misses or failures to check in.

• Review this policy at least annually, or sooner if:

  • There is a serious incident or near miss,

  • Legislation or guidance changes,

  • Work methods or services change.

• Update RAMS, procedures and training where improvements are identified.