Can a Tradie Work Alone? Risks and Insurance

Working alone is an option many tradesmen take when they start their own business. It can be a good way to keep costs down and focus on your work. However, working alone comes with risks that you need to be aware of if you're going to do it. Here are some of the dangers you should know about.

The dangers of working alone

Working alone means everything is on you: buying materials, finding clients, doing the job and sorting out problems. There's no one to share the load or spot a hazard you've missed.

Theft

Working alone, nobody's watching your gear while you're up a ladder or under the house. Lock tools in the ute or a site box when you're not using them, keep laptops and phones out of sight, and take them with you on breaks. See our 10 tips to stop tool theft.

Covers to ask about

• Public liability insurance: Public liability insurance can cover you if your business is held liable for someone else's injury or property damage.
• Personal accident and illness insurance: This can pay a weekly benefit if an injury or illness stops you working. How much it pays, and for how long, depends on the policy.

Personal accident and illness cover is the cover we arrange for when an injury or illness stops you working.

What a policy covers depends on its wording, limits, excesses and exclusions, and the insurer decides whether a claim is paid, so read the PDS (product disclosure statement) or policy wording before you decide.

Injury

Injuries can happen to anyone, and when you are working alone it is even more important to be aware of the risks. If you're hurt, how you're covered depends on whether you're an employee or work for yourself (see below). These steps can cut the chance of getting hurt:

• Always wear the correct PPE (personal protective equipment) for your job. This includes sturdy boots and hearing protection where necessary.
• Be careful when using machinery or tools like drills or saws; make sure that they aren't faulty before starting work with them.
• Stay aware of what is happening around you and keep your work area clear.

If you are hurt with no one on site

An injury on a solo job can be worse because there is no one there to give first aid or call for help (Safe Work Australia). Safe Work Australia asks businesses to think about how long someone will work alone, the time of day, what communication tools they have and how far the job is from emergency services. The same questions are worth asking before you start a job on your own: tell someone where you are and when you expect to finish, and keep a way to call for help on you.

If an injury stops you working, workers compensation insurance doesn't cover you as a sole trader. Accident and sickness insurance from a private insurer can pay you for loss of income while you recover (business.gov.au), depending on the policy.

Legal

When you are self-employed, you need to be aware of the legal implications of workplace dangers and the insurance policies that cover them. There are many things to consider: health and safety in the workplace, choosing a business structure for your self-employment (such as sole trader or Pty Ltd company), paying tax on profits made from work done as a tradesman, getting insurance for yourself and any employees you hire (if applicable), and dealing with issues arising from accidents involving another party. It's important that you understand these issues before starting your career as a tradesman so that they don't catch up with you later on, when things could get complicated very quickly.

Working alone: the big picture

There are ways to cut the risks of working on your own:

• Look at public liability insurance for tradies. This type of insurance can cover you if someone is injured, or someone else's property is damaged, because of your work, whether at your place of business or on site. It can also cover injury or damage caused by faulty products you supply, depending on the policy.
• If you work from home, don't rely on your home and contents policy to cover your business. Check whether it covers business use, and whether fire damage is covered if you work with flammable materials like paint or chemicals. A broker can help you look at business cover for these risks.

Have a look at the types of cover we can help with for more information.

Health, mental and physical

When you are self-employed, it can be hard to find the motivation to take care of yourself. It's easy to forget that you need to take care of your mental health as well as your physical health. Here are some tips:

• If you have a project that requires heavy lifting, make sure the area where you work is safe and clear of anything else that could fall on top of you or cause an accident.
• Make sure your equipment is in good working order and safe to use before starting any task. If something isn't right with your toolbox or other equipment, get it fixed as soon as possible so no accidents happen while you are working alone.

Working on your own can be isolating. Stay in touch with other tradies, and talk to someone if it's getting to you.

Dangerous weather and working conditions

Working in extreme weather conditions can be dangerous. Working in hot weather can cause heat exhaustion and heat stroke; cold, wet conditions bring their own risks. Without others watching over you, it's more likely that you will not be as careful about your safety when working alone as when working with a crew of people who are also looking out for each other. This could mean that if there is a risk of dropping something heavy on yourself or another person, you will not stop to consider how to avoid it until after it has happened.

Yes, a tradie can work alone

You may be wondering, can a tradesman work alone? The answer is yes, but insurance matters, and not just for legal reasons. On your own, there's no one around to warn you of a danger you haven't noticed, and it can be harder to raise the alarm with people in other parts of the building or site if something goes wrong. If you'd rather work as part of a team, make sure your employer has suitable health and safety procedures in place at all times: these should include regular check-ins by trained staff members, and making sure everyone understands which parts of the job each person is doing before starting work.

Having insurance in place can give you more work opportunities

Having insurance in place can give you more work opportunities, as well as more confidence on the job. Policies can be chosen to suit the work you do, so you can ask for cover for the risks that may arise on site. You'll also have a range of options when it comes to finding new clients, which is important if you're working alone, because there are no subcontractors or other tradesmen on site who could refer work your way. Insurance also gives your clients confidence that if an issue arises while you work together, there is a policy in place to respond, subject to its terms.

Tradies365 brokers help self-employed tradespeople like electricians, plumbers and builders arrange sole trader insurance and other cover with insurers.

Conclusion

Working alone is fine, but it carries extra risk: nobody's there if you fall, and nobody's watching your gear. Tell someone where you are, keep a phone on you, and check your insurance fits the work you do. Contact us to talk it through.