Lone Worker Safety Policy Guide For Manitoba

Definations

Working alone means the performance of any work function by a worker who:

• (a) is the only worker for that employer at that workplace at any time
• (b) is not directly supervised by the employer, or another person designated as a supervisor by the employer, at any time

"Working in isolation" means working in circumstances where assistance is not readily available in the event of injury, ill health or emergency.

The definition of working alone indicates that the regulation will apply to virtually all workers who are performing a job function when they are not in the presence of their employer, another person in a supervisory capacity (designated by the same employer), or another worker directly associated with the same employer, at the particular workplace location and during the same time period the working alone job function is being performed.

The definition of working in isolation refers to those persons whose work sometimes or regularly requires them to be at a worksite that is remote from other workers, depending on the physical set up of the facility in question, and in circumstances where assistance is not readily available in the event of injury, ill health or emergency

Many workers may fall into either category. However, in the case of working alone, they may be in contact with workers associated with a different employer or the general public. Such contact does not rule out the concept that the worker is working alone, and therefore this situation will require the same particular attention as outlined in the Regulation.

Manitoba Regulation (M.R.) 217/2006 Part 9

Working Alone Or In Isolation

Risk identification

9.2(1) When a worker works alone or in isolation, an employer must identify the risks arising from the conditions and circumstances of the worker's work in consultation with:

• (a) the committee at the workplace;
• (b) the representative at the workplace
• (c) when there is no committee or representative, the workers at the workplace.

9.2(2)An employer must, so far as is reasonably practicable, take steps to eliminate or reduce the identified risks to workers working alone or working in isolation.

Safe work procedures

Personal first aid kit for worker working alone

Part 5.13 of M.R. 217/2006 statesthat an employer must ensure a personal first aid kit, that meets the requirements of Schedule B of this part, is provided to a worker who works alone and who does not have ready access to a first aid kit required to be provided under subsection 5.12(1).

Risk Identification

As previously mentioned, subsection 4 (2), clause (b) of The Workplace Safety and Health Act states that every employer shall "provide to all his workers such information, instruction, training, supervision and facilities to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety, health and welfare at work of all his workers."

When workers are involved in working alone or in isolation situations, special consideration should be given to the fact that the worker may not be able to secure assistance, in the event of an incident, as readily as when working with a group of co-workers.

Within the context of ‘reasonably practicable’, both employers and workers have responsibilities and duties to undertake any job function in the safest manner, taking all reasonable care in each circumstance in order to minimize the possibility of an incident

Risk identification is normally referred to as a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) or Job Safety Analysis (JSA). Resource Material regarding job hazard analysis as developed by the Canadian Centre for Occupational Safety and Health (CCOHS) is appended.

When assessing the conditions or circumstances under which the worker is required to work alone or in isolation, particular job functions will have inherent hazards associated with them that may be deemed as high risk, low risk or combinations of both. The degree of risk involved will not eliminate the requirement for developing safe work procedures to minimize these risks.

Examples of work functions that present high risk hazards may include:

• Entering any confined space
• Working with:
  • high energy materials (radioactive, high temperature)
  • toxic gases, liquids, or solids
  • cryogenic (low temperature) materials/processes
  • high pressure systems (high voltage electrical systems)
  • logging industries
  • moving equipment or machinery
• Working in:
  • extreme weather conditions
  • laboratory functions
• Handling or transferring flammable liquids such as in oil and gas industries
• Industries where the job functions may not be hazardous but the work environment may attract criminal victimization (Eg: where cash or goods are handled as in retail stores, taxis, gas stations, etc.)

Examples of work functions that present low risk may include:

• Maintenance (other than on active processing equipment)
• Security personnel (except in hazardous locations)
• Janitorial or custodial (except in hazardous locations)
• Truck drivers or business people in transit
• Office work

Safe Work Procedures

The circumstances or conditions under which employees are required to work alone or in isolation must be assessed. Control methods / safe work procedures must be developed (in writing) and implemented to minimize the identified risks.

For the purpose of this regulation, the consultation process, with the safety and health committee or representative, is integral to the development and implementation of safe work procedures and training for employees…

The Workplace Safety and Health Act requires workplaces in the province of Manitoba to establish workplace safety and health committees where there are 20 or more employees. Workplaces with 10-19 employees must have a worker safety and health representative. For further information, refer to The Act, Manitoba Regulation 217/2006 Part 3, and the Workplace Safety and Health Division’s Guideline for Safety and Health Committees.

Under The Workplace Safety and Health Act, employers must consult and co-operate with the workplace safety and health committee or the worker safety and health representative. In workplaces where a committee or representative is not required (less than 10 employees), the Act requires employers to consult with workers at the workplace.

Written, safe-work procedures must include an effective communication system and a way for employees working alone or in isolation to get help if there’s an injury or other misfortune.

The following suggestions may be incorporated as part of the safe work procedures. Depending on the situation, the examples could represent control methods to minimize risks, ways to get help in an emergency or a combination of both.

Second Person or Buddy System

Using a buddy system may be part of a safe work procedure. Employees who are required to enter a confined space where the risk assessment has identified the space to be (or may become) hazardous must have a standby person (buddy) present at the entrance at all times while the employee is in the space. (Please see the Workplace Safety and Health Division’s Code of Practice for Confined Space Entry Work for detailed information on the requirements for confined space entry work.)

In all buddy system situations, consideration must be given to the buddy's qualifications. The buddy must be knowledgeable about the activities of the employee he/she is observing, be properly equipped with emergency equipment, and be capable of putting preplanned rescue or emergency operations into effect.

With the buddy system, a second person's presence is required at all times. However, where the probability of serious consequence is high, the two employees must not be exposed to the hazard at the same time. The second person should be within sight, but safely removed from the immediate area.

The buddy system may not be practical in some situations. The consultation must address all factors to decide the best approach in developing safe work procedures

Personal Check by Another Person

In many instances, checking the worker's well-being can be done through periodic visits at regular intervals by an individual, such as the employer, another employee or someone designated by the employer.

The length of time between checks will depend on the identified risks of the job function.

As indicated with the buddy system, the person designated to check the employee working alone must be knowledgeable about that employee’s activities and must be capable of putting preplanned emergency operations into effect. Contact with the general public (Ex: passers by) is not considered an adequate control method. However depending on the activity, this control method may become part of a safe work procedure for working in isolation.

Periodic Telephone Contact

Use of the telephone for communication at regular intervals may be adequate in low risk situations. Telephone numbers for routine calling and emergency situations must be posted prominently.

An example could include a night security person’s function at a location which has been determined to have low risk. Security personnel could call in to their dispatch offices at regular intervals, (Ex: every hour before starting their rounds). The intervals between these contacts would have to be determined by the estimated hazards at the workplace. Regulating phone calls to specific times during that work activity may reduce the number of false alarms.

Protection of employees who do routine jobs will change when that job is performed in non-routine conditions. This includes such things as the absence of other employees in the workplace or when the job is performed outside of normal working hours for that employee. Even for low hazard activities, such as office work, the employee should be instructed in safe work procedures for working alone.

Constant or Intermittent Mechanical or Electrical Surveillance

Mechanical or electrical surveillance equipment may be used in a working alone or in solation situation. The security systems in use at the workplace may be modified to monitor a particular employee who is working alone or in isolation as well as the status of the workplace itself.

Many workplaces use personal pagers, two-way radios, emergency sounding devices, visual monitoring systems and similar equipment. This equipment is used as part of everyday operations. Many workplaces use wireless or hard-wired systems as well.

The most important point to consider is the suitability of safety measures and systems to workers’ needs. For example, if an employee is deaf, visible alarms should be provided in the workplace.