Accident while lone working

[Hotlollygirl]

Hi, I'm looking for advise. I've recently been diagnosed epileptic. My boss has allowed me to drop from five days to four which I'm grateful for. However I have an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening when I'm on my own. I was advised against this by social services, they also said I should be provided with an alarm. My boss said none of this is there responsibility. Anyway after weeks of just carrying on I had a clonic tonic seizure. Luckily anougher worker came in and found me but it's really shaken me up. All my boss said was they'd make sure someone rings me when I'm on my own. I've told them that won't help as I get no warning. Does anyone know where I stand with this matter? I feel like I'm now regarded as a nuisance and they'd like it if I resigned. X

What kind of work do you do? Have they done a risk assessment on the hours worked alone?

That’s terrible. I’m sorry.

Is there a risk assessment for the lone working?

Our company rules on lone working mean you have to ring the security team every hour if you're working alone in a building and tell them when you go home. If you don't check in they come to find you and make sure you're okay.

What do you think the alarm would be useful for if you get no warning? I'd definitely see if there can be a change in being alone, why are you alone for an hour each morning and evening?

Your boss is an idiot and you need to get your union rep in and potentially even threaten to sue. It’s not just awful for you but for incredibly stressful for your colleagues as well.

What do you think would be a reasonable adjustment for your work to put in place? Could you drop your hours so you weren’t lone working? What solution would you like your boss to agree to?

Other PPs have given good advice, it's also worth checking out the access at work scheme to see if any of that is relevant to you.

Ask to be referred to occupational health. Your company will likely buy into a service like Bupa.
OH can then look at your medical condition and the risks and advise on a plan for the workplace.
Anyone I've ever worked with who had seizures the advice is always no lone working unless the seizures are well controlled and the person hasn't had one for years.

Thanks for your replies. I have been in touch with occupational health and they just said I was fine to carry on as normal. I work as a school cleaner so I'm in at six in the morning then second cleaner arrives at seven. Then I'm two till six in the evening and often the only one there after four thirty. I've also had locking up inside and outside added to my role, although that's not on my contract. I've tried to tell them I could hit my head or have back to back siezures which would require an ambulance but they don't seem to understand.

I've been diagnosed with epilepsy while working shift work lone working ages ago I don't remember a risk assessment being carried out. In your situation I'd go to the union if you have one and go above your immediate manager, h.r, school or council whoever employs you direct. Inform gp too as you are out in a dangerous situation.

im so surprised about OH. That’s rubbish. Has there been an investigation/ report following your seizure? Under the equalities act you could ask for a workplace adjustment. Maybe call ACAS or citizens advice?
also look here https://www.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments-for-disabled-workers