Explore lone working in the hospitality industry from its common risks, key safety regulations, to effective strategies to ensure worker protection.
Lone working in hospitality encompasses the different types of lone workers in the hospitality industry. Hospitality covers everything from accommodation (hotels, motels, resorts), to food and beverage services (restaurants, cafés, bars), as well as event planning, travel, tourism, and recreation Because hospitality depends on attentiveness, responsiveness, and meeting a wide range of guests’ needs, lone workers involved in it must juggle safety, communication, and customer service all at once, without immediate support and guidance.
The hospitality industry is a vast sector whose main goal is to create a positive experience for guests. This focus on creating a positive atmosphere for guests directly correlates to the role and challenges faced by lone workers in this sector, lone workers such as hotel front desk staff working night shifts, bartenders handling late hours alone, or event coordinators handling assignments solo.
Because the nature of hospitality management revolves around encounters with people, the risks are heightened due to the unpredictability of these relationships. These risks include:
High risk of abuse and violence: Known as the biggest risk lone workers face according to the BS 8484 standard, hotel employees and late-night workers often endure threats and may encounter violence from guests or intruders, both physically and verbally.
Sexual harassment: Due to the many tasks lone workers in hospitality need to do in various places, they are very likely to experience harassment from the guests or even colleagues when working in an isolated place.
Slips, trips, and falls: By being constantly on the move, lone hospitality workers are highly likely to face exposure to environmental factors like wet floors in kitchens, bathrooms, and guest areas.
Theft and robbery: In some cases, workers are left alone at the front-of-house of hospitality establishments, making them more susceptible to being robbed for cash or any valuable goods.
The hospitality industry is incredibly diverse, with roles that range from front-of-house service to behind-the-scenes operations. Because of this, the risks employees face can look very different depending on their job. Here are some of the types of lone workers you may come across in hospitality:
Types of Lone Hospitality Worker
In accommodation settings like hotels, motels, and resorts, lone workers include receptionists, cleaners, and maintenance staff who operate outside standard working hours. Their main job often includes managing guest interactions, overseeing security, and responding to emergencies, often with few or no coworkers nearby.
Additionally, according to the Lone Worker section of the British Security Industry Association, this type of employees are among those who face the highest levels of risk in the hospitality sector. They handle situations ranging from sorting out disputes between aggressive and intoxicated guests, coordinating emergency plans, or safeguarding guests during unexpected incidents—all while doing it without immediate back up or, in most cases, in isolation.
Lone workers can also be found in the food and beverage sector of the hospitality industry, such as restaurants, bars, cafes, and delivery services. They are often found during early morning openings and late night closings, responsible for starting or ending operations.
During work hours, lone workers can also be seen interacting with customers while juggling multiple tasks without immediate supervision or backup. Doing so can increase the already heightened risks of working in this sector. Some risks involved when working alone in the food and beverage industry include getting injured while dealing with preparation tools and equipment, facing agitated customers, and driving alone whilst delivering food to remote locations.
Lone workers in this sector are commonly seen in gyms, golf courses, swimming pools, casino staff, and wellness centers. Their duties are often carried out during the quieter periods, when fewer colleagues are present. These roles include lifeguards, fitness trainers or facility cleaners. Lone workers in the leisure sector of hospitality are typically involved in monitoring safety and maintaining equipment to provide assistance during medical incidents or injuries, which makes their jobs all the more demanding. Not only do these roles involve making a positive experience for guests, they also take into consideration their safety and wellbeing.
Lone workers in the travel industry include tour guides to ticket agents to cruise lines, airlines, and other transport services, or information desk attendants. When in situations like a tour guide scouting a remote location alone or a driver or airport staff handling baggage or security checks, the risks are significant. They may find themselves navigating new and sometimes unpredictable environments without immediate assistance and support from colleagues. Another factor to consider in this sector would be lone workers often deal with people who are moving from one place to another, increasing the likelihood of ending up in hostile interactions.
Lone working in the hospitality industry comes with unique safety challenges and regulatory responsibilities because of the isolated nature of some job roles. Thus, it’s essential for employers to understand these risks and put safeguards in place.
In the US, all lone workers in the hospitality industry are to be protected under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) General Duty Clause. However, some states have specific laws for them. One of which is the state of Illinois, wherein the Hotel and Casino Employee Safety Act requires hotels and casinos to have anti-sexual harassment policies in place and to provide employees with panic buttons for their safety. These panic buttons ensure that lone workers have access to help immediately when in trouble. The Act also makes it clear that workers are protected from retaliation if they use a panic button or file a complaint.
A similar bill was also passed in the state of New Jersey called S.2986, wherein hotel employers are required to provide a panic button to any employee working alone in a guest room without co-workers. If the device is activated, a designated staff member must respond right away to the employee’s location.
In Seattle, a similar bill was also passed to provide comprehensive labor protections for employees. The Hotel Employees Health and Safety Initiative aims to ensure that hotel employers take both preventive and responsive measures against violent or harassing guest behavior, while also protecting employees from potential workplace injuries. It states that employers must provide panic buttons to employees who work alone in guest rooms. Employees can stop work and seek safety without penalty after activating the panic button.
Lone working in hospitality can be physically and emotionally challenging, especially when urgent situations arise without immediate backup. This makes hazard awareness, reliable communication tools, and clear emergency procedures absolutely vital for protecting both staff and guests. Digital platforms offer organizations in the hospitality industry a way to centralize all these into one solution, ensuring operational effeciency and lone worker safety at the same time.
One such platform is Mitti (by SafetyCulture). This solution offers several key features specifically designed to protect and support lone workers in the hospitality industry, such as the following:
Panic or Duress Button: Ensure instant protection with the platform’s panic button, enabling workers to trigger duress alarms the moment they feel unsafe and receive immediate assistance.
Real-Time Location Tracking and Monitoring: Track lone workers with real-time GPS where supervisors can instantly see active jobs on a live map, such asovernight hotel maintenance, housekeeping in remote areas, or delivery drivers on the move.
Periodic Check-Ins and Automated Monitoring: Prompts workers to confirm their wellbeing at set intervals, where a missed check-in triggers a panic alert notifying supervisors immediately.
Training and Awareness: Deliver practical training that protects lone workers through accessible, tailored courses and modules to meet their unique safety and job needs.
Mitti (by SafetyCulture) is a mobile-first operations platform adopted across the manufacturing, mining, construction, retail, and hospitality industries. It is designed to equip leaders and working teams with the knowledge and tools to do their best work—to the safest and highest standard.
Stay connected with your team and manage lone worker risks through location sharing and discreet panic alerts that can escalate to emergency services. Foster a culture of safety and transparency by enabling constant communication with lone workers, allowing them to perform tasks with configurable durations and check-ins.
✓ Save time and reduce costs ✓ Stay on top of risks and incidents ✓ Manage compliance with safety standards ✓ Enhance communication and collaboration ✓ Monitor worker condition ✓ Make data-driven business decisions
