Working Alone
The guidelines to determine if a worker is “Alone” are pretty easy to interpret, however, the situations aren’t always so. There are 2 conditions, 5 categories and 3 assessment factors (see resource table at the end of this article) that help you determine if your worker is “Working Alone”. If its determined there is a working alone situation, you must meet additional requirements, including a hazard assessment.
Lets make a deal. I’ll start this article off with a skill testing question…If you get it right, maybe you don’t have to read on. But lets face it, you’ve come this far, so you might as well read the whole thing. Interpret the scenario below, and select an answer.
Scenario…A worker, equipped with a cellular telephone, is working by themselves in an area where the worker cannot be seen or heard by others. Is the worker working alone?
Incorrect. In this scenario, despite having a cellular phone, the worker is still considered alone.
Do You Know How to Tell if You’re Working Alone?
The word “Alone” illustrates a pretty simple concept doesn’t it? If asked to define “Alone” you’d probably lay out exactly what it means using words like “By Yourself” and “Without Others”…and You wouldn’t be wrong. Occupational Health and Safety however, is particular about their use of the words “Working Alone”. So much so that they have developed a criteria, and requirements around it. (See section 28 of the current OH&S Manual).
Throughout COVID19 as a business owner or leader, you may be running minimal crews, and spreading yourself thin. Its important to know that working alone is OK, as long as you’ve taken a few important steps to ensure you, and your workers are educated.
Its important to know that working alone is OK, as long as you’ve taken a few important steps to ensure that both you, and your workers are educated about it.
My Workers and I are Competent…Why do I need to Worry?
If I had a nickel for every time I heard this comment, or something like it, I wouldn’t need to write these articles anymore. We often forget human factors when we consider these scenarios. For example…does your worker have a medical condition they didn’t feel like disclosing – which could result in a heart attack or stroke? That would leave them lying dead, without the ability to communicate….
Having a working alone plan in place will greatly increase the likelihood that you’ll recover you, or your workers alive, and at the risk of sounding a tad shallow, maintain your costs as low as possible.
We often forget human factors when we consider these scenarios. For example…does your worker have a medical condition they didn’t feel like disclosing – which could result in a heart attack or stroke?
Working Alone Table – Conditions, Categories & Assessment Factors
| 2 Conditions | 5 Categories | 3 Assessment Factors |
|---|---|---|
| (1) a worker is working by himself or herself; and | (1) Workers who handle cash. This includes convenience store clerks, retail and food outlet workers, and taxi drivers. | (1) awareness—will other persons capable of providing assistance be aware of the worker’s needs? |
| (2) assistance is not readily available to the worker if there is an emergency or the worker is injured or ill. | (2) Workers who travel away from their base office to meet clients. This includes home care workers, social services workers, and bylaw enforcement officers. | (2) willingness—is it reasonable to expect that those other persons will provide helpful assistance? |
| (3) Workers who do hazardous work but have no routine interaction with customers or the public. This includes workers in the forestry, oil and gas industries. | (3) timeliness—will assistance be provided within a reasonable period of time? | |
| (4) Workers who travel alone but have no routine interaction with customers or the public. This includes truck drivers and businesspeople in transit. | ||
| (5) Workers who are at risk of a violent attack because their work site is isolated from public view. This includes security guards and custodians. |
Partnering with BASTION for your Safety Program brings strategic advantages not found elsewhere in the industry. We’ll make the process of getting your COR and maintaining it almost seamless, using our software to drive your COR processes, and build it out into much, much more.
Contact Bastion to find out we can help you achieve:
1. WCB Discounts – Discounts on their WCB rates of up to 40%
2. Competitive Advantages: Reduced premiums result in larger profits.
3. Increased Client Base: Access to bigger jobs & more exclusive Clients.
4. Reduced Risk: In bids, insurance for both employers and the employee.
5. Efficiency Improvements: Establish workflows that support all facets of the business – not just safety.
