Disclaimer This publication contains information regarding work health and safety. It includes some of your obligations under the Work Health and Safety (National Uniform Legislation) Act – the WHS Act – that NT WorkSafe administers. The information provided is a guide only and must be read in conjunction with the appropriate legislation to ensure you understand and comply with your legal obligations. Acknowledgement This guide is based on material produced by Comcare at www.comcare.gov.au Acknowledgement goes to participants at the Remote Workers Forum in Cairns whose feedback at that forum and since has helped shape this guidance. Creative Commons All material presented in this publication is provided under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia licence. For the avoidance of doubt, this means this licence only applies to material as set out in this document. The details of the relevant licence conditions are available on the Creative Commons website as is the full legal code for the CC BY 3.0 AU licence.
Communication systems If a worker is working alone in a workplace, communication via the telephone may be adequate, provided the worker is able to reach the telephone in an emergency. In situations where a telephone is not available, a method of communication that will allow a worker to call for help in the event of an emergency at any time should be chosen. Risk / questions to identify risk Possible mitigation approaches Mobile phones cannot be relied upon as an effective means of communication in many locations. Coverage in the area where the worker will work should be confirmed before work commences. Geographical features may impede the use of mobile phones, especially at the edge of the coverage area, and different models have different capabilities in terms of effective range from the base station. What forms of communication does the worker have access to? Is voice communication essential for the safety of the person? Will the emergency communication system work properly in all situations? If communication systems are what arrangements are there to cover the worker when they are away from the vehicle? Is there a back-up system? Is there another organisation working in the same area that can be utilised in the safety approaches? If radios are used, what is the range of the unit, which frequency, and is there a maintenance program? Workers trained in the use, cleaning and maintenance of communication equipment. Mobile phones—consult the provider if there is any doubt about the capability of a particular phone to sustain a signal for the entire period the worker is alone. If any gaps in coverage are likely, other methods of communication should be considered. It is important that batteries are kept charged and a spare is available. Personal security systems, being wireless and portable, are suitable for people moving around or checking otherwise deserted workplaces. Some personal security systems include a sensor that will automatically activate an alarm transmission if the transmitter or transceiver has not moved within a certain time. Radio communication systems enable communication between two mobile users in different vehicles or from a mobile vehicle and a fixed station. These systems are dependent upon a number of factors such as frequency, power, and distance from or between broadcasters. Satellite communication systems enable communication with workers in geographically remote locations. Satellite phones allow voice transmission during transit, but their operation can be affected by damage to aerials, failure of vehicle power supplies, or vehicle damage. Distress beacons should be provided where life-threatening emergencies may occur, to pinpoint location and to indicate by activation of the beacon that an emergency exists. Communication procedures