All employees are encouraged to check in/out with Security when working outside normal operating hours (evenings, weekends, holidays).
Information from WorksafeBC effective February 1, 2008.
Guidelines Part 4 - Working alone or in isolation
G4.20.1 Definition of working alone or in isolation
Issued February 1, 2008; Editorial Revision November 20, 2008
Regulatory excerpt
Section 4.20.1 of the OHS
Regulation ("Regulation") states:
In sections
4.20.2 to 4.23, "to work alone or in isolation" means to work in
circumstances where assistance would not be readily available to the worker
(a) in case of an emergency, or
(b) in case the worker is injured or in ill health.
Purpose of guideline
The purpose of this guideline is to
provide information on when a worker is considered to be working alone or in
isolation. This includes criteria for determining if a worker has assistance
that is readily available.
Application
The requirements of sections
4.20.2 to 4.23 are intended to
safeguard workers, as defined in the
Workers Compensation Act ("
Act"), who are assigned to work alone or in isolation. If an individual
who is assigned to work alone or in isolation does not fall under the definition
of a "worker" then the requirements do not apply. In addition, the requirements
only apply when assistance is not readily available to the worker in the event
of an emergency, injury, or illness.
Assistance that is readily available
A worker is
considered to be working alone or in isolation when he or she does not have
assistance that is readily available in case of emergency, injury, or ill
health. In order to determine whether or not assistance is readily available,
the following conditions should be considered:
- Presence of others: Are other people in the vicinity?
- Awareness: Will other persons capable of providing assistance be aware of
the worker's need?
- Willingness: Is it reasonable to expect those other persons will provide
assistance?
- Timeliness: Will assistance be provided within a reasonable period of time?
Relying on customers for assistance
Different
circumstances may prevail that will require employers to make a reasonable
assessment to determine assistance is readily available. In a retail premises,
such as a convenience store, customers are not generally considered to meet the
definition of assistance that is readily available. However, if the worker is in
an area where there is a high volume of customers, such as a shopping mall or
sports stadium, there may be security staff or workers of other employers
available to provide assistance.
Agreements with other employers
If two or more workers of
different employers are working together or in the same vicinity and each worker
is capable of and willing to provide assistance in a timely manner, this can
qualify as assistance that is readily available. An example of this would be
where a coffee or donut retailer is situated within premises shared with a
retail gas vendor. Another example would be where a second worker is on the
premises for a short period of time, such as to make deliveries or pickups. In
this case, the worker only has assistance that is readily available for the
period in which the additional worker is on the premises, and is considered to
be assigned to work alone once the additional worker leaves the premises.
Employers would need to ensure that the workers of both employers are capable
of, and willing to, provide assistance and that the workers are aware of the
arrangement, and should put the arrangement in writing.
Communication systems
Providing workers with electronic
means of communication, such as a phone, radio, or personal alarm, does not
guarantee that the condition of "assistance that is readily available" has been
met. A "person check" system alone is also unlikely to meet the "readily
available" test.
If a worker cannot be seen or heard by persons capable of providing
assistance in a timely manner, then he or she should be regarded as working
alone or in isolation.
