Protecting your lone workers from canine encounters

Picture this: your local courier driver approaches a gate, mail in hand. As he reaches for the letterbox, a blur of fur and teeth launches from behind a bush. Only quick reflexes and a well-placed mailbag save him from serious injury.

Sound familiar? For thousands of lone workers across New Zealand, dog encounters aren’t just an occupational annoyance — they’re a genuine safety hazard.

The rising tide of dog incidents in New Zealand

Let’s talk numbers for a moment (don’t worry, I’ll keep it brief). According to ACC data, dog-related injury claims have skyrocketed to over 29,000 in 2024 — a staggering 46% increase since 2015. The cost to ACC? Nearly $34 million last year alone.

For lone workers, the risk is particularly acute. NZ Post reported 299 dog-related incidents in a single year, with 112 resulting in actual injuries. That’s over five incidents every week for postal workers alone.

But it’s not just posties at risk. Healthcare workers making home visits, meter readers, social workers, delivery drivers — essentially anyone who enters private property alone as part of their job faces this threat. One large national health organisation reported 15 dog bite incidents in just one year, resulting in over 130 lost workdays.

The sobering reality? Dog attacks on lone workers have become more frequent, and more costly.

Why managers must take action

As a manager of lone workers, you might think, “That’s terrible, but what can I do? I can’t control other people’s dogs.” 

Fair point. But here’s the thing: under New Zealand’s Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, you have a legal duty to identify risks and take reasonably practicable steps to minimise them. Dog attack risk falls squarely under this mandate.

Beyond legal obligations, there’s the human cost. A serious dog attack can cause physical injuries requiring hospitalisation, psychological trauma, and extended time off work. One healthcare worker required over 150 stitches after being mauled by a dog that broke its chain. A postal courier suffered multiple bite wounds and a broken wrist when attacked by a pit bull.

These incidents aren’t just part of the job — they’re preventable trauma that managers have both a legal and moral responsibility to address.

So what can you do? Let’s look at three practical, actionable steps you can implement right away.

Step 1: Train your team to recognise and respond to dog threats

“But my staff already know to be careful around dogs,” you might say.

Do they really, though? Can they recognise the subtle body language that indicates a dog is about to attack? Do they know the difference between playful barking and warning barking? Do they have practical strategies for defusing a tense canine encounter?

Proper training is your first line of defence. Here’s how to make it effective:

• Invest in specialised training: Organisations like Dog Safe Workplace offer professional programs teaching workers how to interpret canine body language and respond correctly. This isn’t general “be careful” advice — it’s specific skills training.
• Make it practical and memorable: Use scenarios, videos of actual dog behaviour, or even bring in a dog behaviour expert for demonstrations. Role-play encounters so staff build muscle memory for proper responses.
• Cover the essentials: At minimum, ensure your team knows to:
  • Scan for dog presence before entering (look for bowls, toys, dog houses)
  • Never run (which triggers chase instinct)
  • Avoid direct eye contact with threatening dogs
  • Use objects like bags or clipboards as shields if necessary
  • Position themselves safely (keeping gates between them and dogs)
• Refresh regularly: Dog safety shouldn’t be a one-and-done training. Schedule refreshers and encourage staff to share experiences and tips.

With GetHomeSafe’s dynamic risk assessment tool, you can reinforce this training directly in the field. Workers can access quick reference guides on dog behaviour right from the app, ensuring critical information is available when they need it most.

Step 2: Establish clear pre-visit protocols

The best way to handle a dog incident is to prevent it entirely. Smart pre-visit protocols can dramatically reduce the chance of a dangerous encounter.

Here’s what an effective pre-visit system looks like:

• Flag properties with known dogs: Maintain a database noting addresses where dogs have been encountered before. GetHomeSafe’s system allows workers to flag and share this information easily, creating an institutional memory even as staff changes.
• Pre-visit communication: When possible, contact clients beforehand to ask about dogs on the premises and request they be secured during the visit. For scheduled visits, this can be built into booking procedures.
• Establish clear policies: Implement and communicate a “No Dog, No Entry” rule, where workers are explicitly authorised (and expected) to postpone service if an unrestrained dog is present. This removes the pressure workers might feel to “just get the job done” despite safety concerns.
• Empower workers to assess risk in real-time: This is where GetHomeSafe’s dynamic risk assessment truly shines. Before entering a property, workers can quickly complete a customised risk assessment that can include dog-related questions:
  • “Is there a dog visible on the property?”
  • “Is the dog properly restrained?”
  • “Does the dog appear agitated?”

Based on their answers, the system can automatically trigger appropriate protocols — from proceeding normally to requiring manager approval before entry, or even recommending the visit be postponed.

This kind of system can completely change how your staff approach potentially dangerous situations. They can — and should — feel empowered to make safety-first decisions because your risk assessments back them up.

Step 3: Create a responsive incident reporting system

Despite the best prevention efforts, incidents may still occur. When they do, having a streamlined reporting and response system is crucial.

Here’s how to build one that works:

• Make reporting easy and expected: Many minor dog incidents go unreported because workers consider them “not serious enough” or fear paperwork. Create a culture where every aggressive dog encounter is logged, even if no injury occurred.
• Collect comprehensive data: Your reporting system should capture details that help prevent future incidents — location, dog description, owner response, whether warning signs were present, etc.
• Act on the data: Regularly review incident reports to identify patterns and problem areas. If multiple workers report aggressive dogs at certain addresses, consider implementing special protocols for those locations, such as sending workers in pairs.
• Use technology to streamline the process: Manual incident reports often go uncompleted. GetHomeSafe integrates incident reporting directly into their safety monitoring system, making it quick and simple to document encounters.

The real power comes when you combine incident reporting with real-time monitoring. If a worker encounters a threatening dog, GetHomeSafe’s duress alarm feature allows them to instantly alert your response team with their precise location. This can be literally life-saving in a serious attack situation.

Even better, all information — from pre-visit risk assessments to incident reports — is stored in one complete system, creating a single source of truth that helps identify patterns and improve safety protocols over time.

Putting it all together: A comprehensive approach

The most effective dog safety strategy combines all three elements:

1. Trained workers who know how to recognise and respond to dog threats
2. Smart pre-visit protocols that prevent dangerous encounters
3. Responsive reporting systems that capture data and enable quick assistance

With GetHomeSafe, you can implement this comprehensive approach through one integrated platform. Our system combines dynamic risk assessment, real-time monitoring, and incident reporting, providing protection at every stage of a lone worker’s journey.

Perhaps the biggest change you’ll see is in worker confidence — they’ll feel protected knowing they can get immediate help if needed.

Taking action today

Dog attacks on lone workers aren’t just increasing — they’re causing serious injuries and costing organisations millions in lost productivity, ACC claims, and legal liability.

As a manager, you have both an obligation and a responsibility to protect your team from this growing threat. The good news? With the right approach, many dog incidents are preventable.

Start by assessing your current practices:

• Do your workers receive specific training on dog encounter safety?
• Do you have clear protocols for identifying and handling properties with dogs?
• Can workers easily report dog incidents — and is that data used to improve safety?

If you answered “no” to any of these questions, it’s time to strengthen your dog safety program. Your workers — and your organisation’s bottom line — will thank you.

Remember our courier driver from the beginning? In organisations with comprehensive dog safety protocols, he wouldn’t just rely on quick reflexes. He’d have the training to spot potential dog threats, a pre-visit risk assessment that flagged the property, clear authority to skip delivery if safety couldn’t be assured, and immediate backup available through his safety monitoring app if a situation turned dangerous.

That’s not just better for couriers and posties — it’s better for everyone.