Looking after personal safety as a surveyor on the road

It’s part and parcel of daily life for many surveyors to be out and about, meeting strangers in properties in areas that are unfamiliar. While the vast majority of site visits are carried out without incident, the Health and Safety Executive acknowledges that lone working does make people “more vulnerable” to a potential risk of violence or aggression.

Employers have a duty of care to keep their workers safe. But there are some simple steps you can take yourself to protect your personal safety. Two of our ambassadors share their thoughts – from the perspective of an SME and larger corporate firm.

I make a conscious effort to build safety into my routine, rather than treating it as an afterthought. That starts with planning the inspection – thinking about where I begin, how I move through the property, and simple measures like keeping door locks on the latch where appropriate. I also use location sharing and let someone know where I am and when I expect to finish.

When safety becomes part of your standard process, it stops feeling like an extra step and becomes second nature.

On one occasion, a seller closed the loft hatch while I was inspecting it as a “joke.” On another, during a mortgage valuation at an HMO, knives were pulled out, framed as a “friendly banter” because they wanted the mortgage to proceed. In both situations, I left quickly.

My advice would be: stay calm, don’t escalate, and trust your instincts. If something feels off, it probably is. You are always entitled to remove yourself from a situation, no instruction is worth compromising your safety. I would also add that managers need to be more supportive – many do not inspect properties anymore and are detached from the reality of the job.

Working alone can be isolating, and there are times it does feel lonely. I try to counter that by getting out for a walk every day and occasionally using a local co-working space, although I have to actively encourage myself to go.

For SMEs and sole practitioners, this can be even more pronounced. Without a team around you, there isn’t always someone to sense-check decisions with, debrief after a difficult inspection, or simply share the day-to-day experience. Online communities help, but they don’t fully replace in-person connection.