Before someone closes your shop alone, check these arrangements

Make the decision before the other person leaves

A new retail worker described discovering they were scheduled to close alone without knowing key parts of the routine. The issue was not a missing tick box at the end of the evening; it was that the staffing arrangement had not been matched to preparation and support.

HSE states that employers must manage health and safety risks before people work alone. Consider your actual tasks, premises, hours and people. Do not copy another shop's policy or assume a person is ready because they have keys. Where the assessment says the work needs more than one person, provide that cover.

Further reading: New retail worker describes being scheduled to close alone; HSE: protecting people who work alone

Check competence and access to help

Ask the colleague to explain the closing sequence and what they would do if a key step failed. They should know which tasks they are authorised to perform, which require help and how to contact the person responsible. Include the practical arrangements for breaks and welfare in the operating plan.

Test the agreed contact route before the lone period begins. A name on a sheet is not useful if that person is unavailable. Keep emergency instructions appropriate to the premises and ensure the worker can access them. Do not put alarm codes, key locations or sensitive cash arrangements into a broadly shared checklist.

• Training and observed practice completed for the assigned work
• Tasks unsuitable for lone work removed or separately covered
• Working communication method and agreed support contact
• Clear response if the expected contact cannot be reached
• Arrangements reviewed when the shift or premises conditions change

Plan the work that remains after customers leave

List the actual closing jobs and dependencies. A person serving continuously may have no opportunity for pre-close preparation. Large cleaning jobs, movement of equipment or handling of bulky items may require different arrangements. Do not assume every task becomes suitable for one person just because trading has ended.

Use this example as a manager's preparation record, not as a complete lone-working assessment or a public security procedure.

Date and closing role:
Lone-working arrangement assessed by:
Person trained and ready for assigned tasks:
Work requiring additional cover:
Support contact and availability confirmed:
Communication check completed:
Conditions that trigger a changed plan:
Who makes that decision:
End-of-shift contact arrangement:
Outstanding concern and action:

Have a plan for the unexpected absence

If a second closer calls in sick, reassess the arrangement before leaving someone on their own. The response may require replacement cover or a change to the operating plan. Staff should know who can make that decision and when to escalate it. Avoid making them negotiate the issue alone at the last minute.

After a solo close, ask what was difficult, whether help was available and whether the task load matched the plan. Treat new concerns as information for the assessment, not an inconvenience to be coached away. Keep the preparation current when equipment, layout, trading hours or staff experience changes. The person responsible for the business remains responsible for organising the work; a completed task list does not transfer that duty to the closer.