HR & Workforce · Best Practice · Construction

Lone Worker Check-In Log

A log recording check-in and check-out times for lone workers on site.

Last reviewed: 29 March 2026 — This guide reflects UK law as of this date. MHSWR 1999 remains current with no amendments enacted as of 29 March 2026. Next scheduled review: 29 March 2027.

Legal basis	Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSWR) + Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSWA)
Lone worker definition	A person who works without close or direct supervision — they may be the only person on site or simply out of sight and earshot of colleagues
Construction examples	Security guards, night watchmen, surveyors, maintenance workers, workers in confined spaces, plant operators on remote areas of site
Check-in methods	Manual check-in (phone call, radio, sign-in board) or automated lone worker devices with tilt sensors, man-down alerts, and GPS tracking
BS 8484:2022	British Standard for the provision of lone worker device services — accredited monitoring centres must respond within 45 seconds of an alarm activation

1. Lone Worker Check-In Log

No worker on a construction site should ever be left without a safety line. The lone worker check-in log is the documented evidence that every person working alone has been identified, risk-assessed, and is subject to a systematic monitoring regime that ensures their welfare is checked at appropriate intervals throughout their working period. If something goes wrong — a fall, a medical emergency, an act of violence, a collapse of structure — the check-in log is the mechanism that triggers the alarm and brings help.

Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, employers must carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment for all work activities, including work carried out by lone workers. The risk assessment must consider the specific hazards that arise from working alone: the inability to summon help, the risk of sudden illness or injury with no one present to provide first aid, the risk of violence or aggression (particularly for security staff), and the increased psychological stress of isolation. HSE guidance HSG73 (Working alone: Health and safety guidance on the risks of lone working) provides practical advice on identifying and controlling these risks.

Check-in systems can be manual or automated. Manual systems involve the lone worker making a phone call or radio check at predetermined intervals to a designated person who records the check-in. Automated systems use dedicated lone worker devices that incorporate GPS tracking, tilt sensors (to detect a fall), man-down alerts (triggered if the device remains stationary for a set period), and a panic button. BS 8484:2022 sets the standard for lone worker device services, requiring accredited monitoring centres to acknowledge an alarm within 45 seconds and to have procedures in place for escalating to the emergency services.

BS 8484 accredited devices provide the highest level of protection

Where the risk assessment identifies a significant risk to a lone worker — such as working in a confined space, working at height, or working in a remote location with poor mobile signal — the employer should consider providing a BS 8484:2022 accredited lone worker device. These devices are connected to a 24/7 monitoring centre that can identify the worker's location via GPS and escalate directly to the emergency services using a unique reference number, bypassing the standard 999 triage process. This can significantly reduce the time between an incident and the arrival of help.

2. Content

The lone worker check-in log should capture the following information for every lone working period. Each entry must be completed before the lone working begins and updated throughout the working period as check-ins are made.

Field	Detail
Project / site reference	The name and address of the project or site where the lone working is taking place, together with any site reference number used in the project documentation.
Worker name	Full name of the lone worker, their employer (if subcontracted or agency), their role, and their direct contact number (mobile or radio channel).
Activity	A description of the work being carried out — for example, security patrol, structural survey, confined space entry, maintenance of plant, electrical testing.
Location	The specific location on site where the worker will be based — block, floor, room, external area, or zone reference. If the worker is mobile (security patrols), the patrol route should be noted.
Start time	The time the lone working period begins. The worker must confirm their arrival and check in before commencing work.
Check-in schedule	The agreed intervals at which the worker will check in — for example, every 30 minutes, every hour, or every 2 hours. The interval must be determined by the risk assessment and must be proportionate to the level of risk.
Check-in log	A record of each check-in, including the time, the method (phone, radio, device), and confirmation that the worker is safe and well. Any missed check-in must trigger the escalation procedure immediately.
End time	The time the lone working period ends. The worker must confirm they have finished work and left the lone working area safely.
Emergency contact	The name and contact details of the designated person responsible for monitoring the lone worker and initiating the escalation procedure if a check-in is missed.
Device used	If a lone worker device is used, the make, model, and asset number of the device, and whether it is BS 8484:2022 accredited.
Incident	A record of any incident, near miss, or welfare concern that occurred during the lone working period, including the action taken and any follow-up required.

3. Common Mistakes

No monitoring system in place for lone workers

Identifying someone as a lone worker but then failing to put any monitoring system in place defeats the entire purpose of the risk assessment. A lone worker who has no way of raising the alarm and no one checking on them is in exactly the same position as if no risk assessment had been done at all. The monitoring system does not need to be expensive or technologically sophisticated — a simple buddy system where a colleague makes a phone call at agreed intervals can be effective for lower-risk lone working — but there must be a system, it must be documented, and the person responsible for monitoring must know what to do if a check-in is missed.

Check-in intervals are too infrequent for the level of risk

The frequency of check-ins must be determined by the risk assessment and must be proportionate to the level of risk. A security guard patrolling a fenced and lit site compound may need to check in every two hours. A worker carrying out a confined space entry must be monitored continuously by a top person. A surveyor working alone in a partially demolished building should be checking in every 30 minutes. Setting a blanket check-in interval of once per shift for all lone workers, regardless of the nature of the work or the hazards present, is a failure to assess and control the risk properly.

4. Frequently Asked Questions

I am a sole trader working alone on my own project — do I need a lone worker check-in system?▾

Yes. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 places duties on every self-employed person to conduct their work in a way that does not put themselves or others at risk. Even if you are a sole trader with no employees, you are still required to assess the risks of working alone and to put appropriate controls in place. If you are injured, become ill, or are trapped while working alone and no one knows where you are or when to expect you, the consequences can be fatal. At a minimum, you should tell someone where you are going, what you are doing, and when you expect to finish, and arrange for them to raise the alarm if you do not make contact by the agreed time. For higher-risk work such as working at height, working in confined spaces, or working with hazardous substances, a more robust monitoring system — such as a lone worker device or a buddy system with frequent check-ins — is strongly recommended.

Generate your Lone Worker Check-In Log on Construction Suite

Construction Suite walks you through every required section with a guided Q&A — built to MHSWR 1999 — and generates a professionally formatted document in minutes.

Get started free