Regulation 48: WHS Remote or Isolated Work

Regulatory citation: Model Work Health and Safety Regulations, Regulation 48

What Is Regulation 48?

Regulation 48 of the model Work Health and Safety Regulations requires a PCBU to manage the risks to the health and safety of workers associated with remote or isolated work. This includes providing a system of work that includes effective communication with the worker.

What Counts as Remote or Isolated Work?

Remote or isolated work is work that is isolated from the assistance of other people because of the location, time or nature of the work. Assistance includes rescue, medical assistance and the attendance of emergency service workers. Examples include lone field technicians, drivers on long rural routes, night-shift security guards, home care workers, farm workers and people working alone in a building after hours.

Core Obligations

1. Manage the Risks

PCBUs must manage the risks of remote or isolated work using the standard risk management process: identify hazards, eliminate risks where reasonably practicable and otherwise minimize them using the hierarchy of controls.

2. Provide Effective Communication

The system of work must include effective communication with the worker. Communication must work where the worker actually is, which may require satellite devices, two-way radios or other technology where mobile coverage is unreliable.

3. Enable Timely Assistance

Control measures should allow the worker to call for help and ensure help can reach them in an emergency, including rescue, medical assistance and emergency services.

Factors to Consider

• The length of time the worker will be isolated
• Time of day and travel conditions
• Communication options and coverage
• Location, terrain and distance from help
• The nature of the work and its hazards, including violence or fatigue
• The worker's skills, experience and any health conditions

Common Compliance Approaches

Check-In Systems

Set scheduled check-ins and a clear escalation process if a check-in is missed, including who responds and when emergency services are called.

Journey Management Plans

For travel-based work, document routes, stops and arrival times, and share them with a supervisor or monitoring service.

Duress and Location Devices

Provide personal duress alarms, GPS trackers or satellite communicators, especially where workers may face violence or serious injury while alone.

Avoid Lone Work for High-Risk Tasks

Where the risk is too high, such as confined space entry or work at height, require a second person rather than relying on communication alone.

Example: Remote or Isolated Work in Practice

A utility company sends technicians to inspect remote substations. Mobile coverage is patchy, so each technician carries a satellite communicator with SOS capability. Technicians log a journey plan before leaving and check in on arrival, every two hours and on departure. If a check-in is missed by 30 minutes, the monitoring team calls the technician, then escalates to a supervisor and emergency services. High-voltage switching tasks always require two people.

Note: This summary is based on the model WHS laws published by Safe Work Australia. Most states and territories have adopted them with minor variations, while Victoria has its own OHS laws. Always check the legislation and codes of practice that apply in your jurisdiction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is working alone the same as remote or isolated work?

Not always, but they often overlap. Work is remote or isolated when the worker is isolated from assistance because of the location, time or nature of the work. A person working alone in a busy office may have help nearby, while a person working alone at night or in a rural area may not.

Is a mobile phone enough for remote workers?

Only if it reliably works where the worker will be and they can use it in an emergency. In many rural and remote areas, mobile coverage is limited, so PCBUs may need satellite phones, satellite communicators, radios or personal locator beacons.

What should a check-in system include?

An effective check-in system includes agreed check-in times, a person or service responsible for monitoring, a clear procedure for missed check-ins, escalation timeframes and emergency contact details. The system must be tested so it works when needed.