Lone Worker Safety Policy Guide For Saskatchewan

Our Guide To Lone Worker Safety Policy And Legislation In Saskatchewan

In Saskatchewan, lone workers face unique safety challenges, and employers are obligated to comply with provincial laws and federal regulations to address these hazards effectively.

This page will guide employers in Saskatchewan through the essential details of employing lone workers, emphasizing the importance of hazard assessment and control as defined by the Occupational Health & Safety Code (OHS).

How Saskatchewan Defines A Lone Worker

Saskatchewan defines a "lone worker" as someone working at a site where they are the sole worker of the employer or contractor and assistance is not readily available in case of injury, illness, or emergency. This includes situations where personal communication with another person is absent, potentially placing the worker's health or safety at risk.

Employing A Lone Worker In Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan emphasizes identifying and mitigating risks associated with lone work by consulting workers, representatives, or committees. Employers are required to establish effective communication systems, such as radios or phones, to ensure regular contact, with a check-in every two hours at minimum. Additional measures may include limiting hazardous tasks, providing personal protective equipment, ensuring training or competency standards, and creating safe work practices.

For remote or isolated worksites, emergency supplies like blankets, stretchers, and splints must be readily accessible. In underground mines, inspections must be conducted during each shift where lone workers are present, ensuring a written plan and documentation of findings to maintain safety.

How The Safe Lone Worker App Can Protect Saskatchewan Lone Workers And Employers

An important part of keeping your lone workers safe is providing quick and easy communication and monitoring in the event of an emergency.

With the Safe Lone Worker App, you can easily monitor your employees' while they are carrying out their responsibilities, even if they are travelling alone. The app works in tandem with a man down alert button that can be pressed in the event of an emergency. If the button is pushed, the lone worker will be immediately put into contact with a monitoring center that can send help immediately and contact the employer.

Saskatchewan Lone Worker Policies

The content below has been included as a direct reference for lone worker policies as provided by Saskatchewan. This content has been included to serve as more detailed information and an easy reference point. This information is provided for your convenience, but should not be taken as legal advice. We encourage you to conduct your own research into the laws and regulations of your jurisdiction before making any decisions.

Section 35 Working alone or at isolated place of employment

35. (1) In this section, "to work alone" means to work at a worksite as the only worker of the employer or contractor at that worksite, in circumstances where assistance is not readily available to the worker in the event of injury, ill health or emergency.

(2) Where a worker is required to work alone or at an isolated place of employment, an employer or contractor, in consultation with the committee, the representative or, where there is no committee or representative, the workers, shall identify the risks arising from the conditions and circumstances of the worker's work or the isolation of the place of employment.

(3) An employer or contractor shall take all reasonably practicable steps to eliminate or reduce the risks identified pursuant to subsection (2).

(4) The steps to be taken to eliminate or reduce the risks pursuant to subsection (3):

• (a) must include the establishment of an effective communication system that consists of:

  • (i) radio communication;

  • (ii) phone or cellular phone communication; or

  • (iii) any other means that provides effective communication in view of the risks involved; and

• (b) may include any of the following:

  • (i) regular contact by the employer or contractor with the worker working alone or at an isolated place of employment;

  • (ii) limitations on, or prohibitions of, specified activities;

  • (iii) establishment of minimum training or experience, or other standards of competency;

  • (iv) provision of personal protective equipment;

  • (v) establishment of safe work practices or procedures;

  • (vi) provision of emergency supplies for use in travelling under conditions of extreme cold or other inclement weather conditions.

Section 50 Interpretation

50. In this Part:

• (a) "agency" means a body, person, association, society or other organization that delivers first aid training courses and cardiopulmonary resuscitation training courses by one or more competent instructors;

• (b) "close", in relation to a place of employment or worksite, means a place of employment or worksite that is not more than 30 minutes' travel time from a hospital or medical facility under normal travel onditions using the available means of transportation;

• (c) "distant", in relation to a place of employment or worksite, means a place of employment or worksite that is more than 30 minutes' but less than two hours' travel time from a hospital or medical facility under normal travel conditions using the available means of transportation;

• (d) "high-hazard work" means work regularly involving any activity set out in Table 8 of the Appendix;

• (e) "instructor" means a person who has successfully completed first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation instructor training;

• (f) "isolated", in relation to a place of employment or worksite, means a place of employment or worksite:

  • (i) that is more than two hours' travel time from a hospital or medical facility under normal travel conditions using the available means of surface transportation; or

  • (ii) for which transport by aircraft is the normal mode of transport;

• (g) "low-hazard work" means work of an administrative, professional or clerical nature that does not require substantial physical exertion or exposure to potentially hazardous conditions, work processes or substances;

• (h) "medical facility" means a medical clinic or office where a physician or registered nurse is always readily available.

Section 60 First aid supplies and equipment

• 60. (1) An employer or contractor shall ensure that:

  • (a) all first aid supplies and equipment are protected and kept in a clean and dry state;

  • (b) no supplies, equipment or materials other than supplies and equipment for first aid are kept in the first aid box mentioned in clause 56(1)(a);

• (2) At a place of employment where a first aid attendant is required pursuant to section 54, an employer or contractor shall provide the additional first aid supplies and equipment set out:

  • (a) in Table 11 of the Appendix where a first aid attendant with a class A qualification is required; and

  • (b) in Table 12 of the Appendix where a first aid attendant with a class B qualification or an emergency medical technician's licence is required.

• (3) At a distant or isolated place of employment, an employer or contractor shall provide and make readily accessible to workers two blankets, a stretcher and splints for the upper and lower limbs.

Section 27 Working alone

27. (1) An employer or contractor must ensure that no worker is required or permitted to work alone at any worksite if the absence of personal communication with another person may place the worker's health or safety at risk.

(2) If a worker is working alone at a worksite, an employer or contractor must ensure that contact is made with the worker personally, or by radio, telephone or other suitable means, at least once every two hours.

Section 28 Regular inspection of underground mine

28. (1) An employer or contractor must prepare a written plan for regular inspections of an underground mine that:

• (a) identifies the parts of the mine to be inspected; and

• (b) subject to subsection (2), specifies the frequency of inspection for each part of the mine to be inspected, taking into account:

  • (i) the work to be done in the mine;

  • (ii) the conditions arising in the mine; and

  • (iii) the requirements of these regulations.

(2) Inspections must be made at least once during each shift in any underground part of the mine where:

• (a) mining is taking place;

• (b) drilling or blasting is taking place; or

• (c) a worker is working alone.

(3) An employer or contractor must:

• (a) appoint a competent person to implement the plan for inspection of a mine;

• (b) ensure that the person appointed pursuant to clause (a) records each inspection carried out; and

• (c) ensure that any condition relevant to the health or safety of workers on succeeding shifts is recorded in the shift record.

Loneworker.com is an aggregate resource and is not directly affiliated with government policies, legislation, or guidelines. Our site is intended to gather and display information for your use, but you are encouraged to conduct your own research.