Working alone or in isolation

As per Part 9 of The Workplace Safety and Health Act and Regulation, “working alone” means the performance of any work function by a worker who:

• Is the only worker for that employer at that workplace at any time.
• 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.

Workers who work alone or in isolation may be exposed to an increased risk of physical and psychological hazards. Failure to reduce or mitigate the risk to the
worker could cause serious injury or death.

What’s the hazard?

Most workers, at some point, have been assigned to work alone by their employer. Some jobs pose a higher risk of injury than others. Some examples of high-hazard work are:

• At heights.
• In confined spaces (such as tanks, grain bins or elevators, culverts, etc.).
• With electricity.
• With hazardous substances or materials.
• With hazardous equipment such as chainsaws or firearms.
• With materials at great pressure.
• With the public, where there is a potential for violence.
• With a colleague whose behaviour may present a risk of violence or aggression.

What’s the risk?

When working alone or in isolation, workers may be at higher risk of injury since they don’t have assistance in the event of an emergency.

• Physical injury such as slips, falls and accidents.
• Medical emergencies where help may be delayed.
• Psychological injuries, such as loneliness, anxiety or workplace violence.
• Emotional trauma from being exposed to repeated aggression or threats.
• Environmental hazards, such as thermal stress, working underground or chemical exposure, where help may be delayed if an incident occurs.

What could happen?

An example could involve a warehouse manager working for a plumbing distributor. He works within the warehouse, preparing all the deliveries. As he was preparing a recent delivery in the warehouse, a large object overturned and collapsed on top of him. He couldn’t move and tried shouting, but to no avail. Help only arrived as an external driver came to pick up the delivery and found him lying injured and exhausted.

Young worker safety

Young workers 13, 14 or 15 years of age are not allowed to work alone at any time and must be directly supervised by an adult who is in the workplace. Young workers under 18 years of age cannot work alone between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. Before employment, young workers must take the Young Worker Readiness Certificate Course.

What are employers’ responsibilities?

The employer must take steps to eliminate or reduce the identified risks when working alone or working in isolation is required. If working alone is unavoidable, consider the following steps and control measures:

• Identify the risks.
• Takes steps to eliminate or reduce the identified risks.
• Collaborate with the worker to develop a safe work procedure.
• Make sure the worker is properly trained before giving the task.
• Set up a check-in system by call or text between the supervisor and the worker.
• Plan high-risk activities during times when additional staff are available.
• Install an alarm system if working with the public.
• Establish a travel protocol if travelling alone.
• Identify the risk to the worker before assigning them to a certain location.
• Provide an emergency kit.

The employer must identify risks to all workers working alone or in isolation, in consultation with the safety and health committee or representative. When there is no committee or representative, employers must consult directly with the workers.

The employer must also develop a safe work procedure in consultation with the worker. The employer must set up a check-in system that involves calling, texting or using any other reliable communication device to monitor the worker’s safety and measure how frequently the worker should be monitored, given the risks involved.

Emergency situations must be considered when identifying risks to the worker and the control measures that should be in place.

It is the employer’s responsibility to provide information, instruction, and training to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the safety, health and welfare of the worker.

For further details of the topic, please see The Workplace Safety and Health Regulation, Part 9 and the Code of Practice for Workers Working Alone or in Isolation.

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