Purpose of the Working Alone Regulation

Purpose of the Working Alone Regulation

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The purpose of the Working Alone requirements is to ensure that workers working alone can do so safely. As a result, employers have responsibilities to minimize and eliminate risks associated with their workers who work alone.

If an employer has workers who work by themselves, the OHS Code requires the employer to:
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conduct a hazard assessment to identify existing or potential safety hazards in the workplace associated with working alone;
implement safety measures to reduce the risk to workers from the identified hazards;
ensure that workers have an effective way of communicating with their employer, immediate supervisor or another designated person in case of an
emergency situation; and
ƒregularly contact the worker at intervals appropriate to the nature of the hazard associated with the worker’s work.

No province in Canada prohibits working alone. Jurisdictions that have specific provisions regulating working alone include Alberta, British Columbia (B.C), Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Northwest Territories/Nunavut. All use a regulatory approach very similar to the one adopted in Alberta. Each of these jurisdictions requires employers to conduct a hazard assessment and to develop controls to reduce the risks associated with the identified hazards.

In B.C., if a worker is assigned to work alone or in isolation at a late night retail premise, the employer must

(a) develop and train the worker in money-handling procedures, and
(b) either assign more than one worker to work during late night hours or ensure the worker is physically separated from the public by a locked door or barrier during
those hours.

The locked door or barrier must ensure the worker cannot be physically contacted or accessed by a member of the public. The use of a barrier is being phased in over time as employer groups in B.C. develop a practical barrier design.

Also in B.C., an employer at a gas station or retail fueling outlet must ensure that customers prepay for all vehicle fuel. Fuel prepayment has been adopted to protect workers from the hazards of “gas and dash” activities. This requirement applies 24 hours a day, seven days a week and includes full-serve and self-serve establishments.

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Cititel Automated Work Alone Safety Monitoring Service, can help you meet safety regulations and protect your lone workers. Our service focuses on two crucial aspects of employee safety – monitoring and emergency response. Request more information.

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