How to write a lone worker check-in procedure

A good check-in procedure does two jobs: it keeps your people safe, and it gives you something to point to when an insurer or regulator asks how you manage lone work. Below is a template you can lift and adapt. Keep it short — a procedure nobody reads is worse than none, because it implies a control you don’t actually have.

1. Scope: who and what it covers

Define what counts as "working alone" in your context — out of sight or earshot of another worker, off-site, after hours, or in a low-cell-coverage area. List the roles and situations the procedure applies to so there’s no ambiguity.

2. Before leaving: the check-out

• Worker records their destination or work area.
• Worker sets an expected return or next-check-in time.
• Worker notes any relevant hazards (weather, equipment, site conditions).
• A designated contact can see this information.

3. Check-in intervals

Match the interval to the risk. Higher-hazard or more-remote work needs shorter intervals. A common pattern is a single end-of-task check-in for routine local work, and periodic check-ins (e.g. every 2 hours) for higher-risk or extended remote work.

4. Escalation: what happens when a check-in is missed

This is the part most procedures forget, and the part that matters most. Spell out the ladder:

1. Grace period: a short buffer after the expected time, to allow for a worker who’s simply running late.
2. First contact: the system or designated person attempts to reach the worker (call, text, app notification).
3. Manager alert: if there’s no response within a set window, a supervisor is notified.
4. Emergency response: if the worker still can’t be reached, the designated person initiates the emergency plan — which may include dispatching someone to the last known location or contacting emergency services.

5. Records

Log every check-out, check-in, and escalation with timestamps. These records are your evidence of compliance and your input for reviewing near-misses.

Automating the procedure

You can run all of this on paper and phone calls, but the manual version depends on a person never dropping the ball. Safir implements this exact template: check-out with destination and expected return, automatic overdue detection at the grace period you set, tiered reminders to the worker, manager escalation, and a complete timestamped audit trail — so the procedure runs itself instead of relying on someone watching the clock.