Working Alone Legislation for British Columbia

In British Columbia, employers are required to comply with WorkSafeBC's Occupational Health and Safety Regulation when their workers must operate alone or in isolation. The regulation stipulates employers to identify and control hazards before solo work begins, establish written protocols for checking a worker's safety at predetermined intervals, provide emergency response measures if the worker cannot be contacted, train workers and designated contacts on those procedures, and review the procedures at least annually or whenever work conditions change.

Work Alone Resources for British Columbia

Working Alone or in Isolation

4.20.1 Definition 

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. 

4.20.2 Hazard Identification, Elimination and Control 

(1) Before a worker is assigned to work alone or in isolation, the employer must identify any hazards to that worker. 

(2) Before a worker starts a work assignment with a hazard identified under subsection (1), the employer must take measures: 

(a) to eliminate the hazard; and 

(b) if it is not practicable to eliminate the hazard, to minimize the risk from the hazard. 

(3) For purposes of subsection (2)(b), the employer must minimize the risk from the hazard to the lowest level practicable using engineering controls, administrative controls, or a combination of engineering and administrative controls. 

4.21 Procedures for Checking Well-Being of Worker 

(1) The employer must develop and implement a written procedure for checking the well-being of a worker assigned to work alone or in isolation. 

(2) The procedure for checking a worker’s well-being must include: 

The time interval between checks; and 

The procedure to follow in case the worker cannot be contacted, including provisions for emergency rescue. 

(3) A person must be designated to establish contact with the worker at predetermined intervals, and the results must be recorded by the person. 

(4) In addition to checks at regular intervals, a check at the end of the work shift must be done. 

(5) The procedure for checking a worker’s well-being, including time intervals between the checks, must be developed in consultation with the joint committee or the worker health and safety representative, as applicable. 

(6) Time intervals for checking a worker’s well-being must be developed in consultation with the worker assigned to work alone or in isolation. 

Check-In Methods and Intervals

Note: High-risk activities require shorter time intervals between checks. 

The preferred method for checking is visual or two-way voice contact. Where such a system is not practicable, a one-way system that allows the worker to call or signal for help and that will send a call for help if the worker does not reset the device after a predetermined interval is acceptable. 

4.22 Training 

A worker described in section 4.21(1) and any person assigned to check on the worker must be trained in the written procedure for checking the worker’s well-being. 

4.22.1 Late Night Retail Safety Procedures and Requirements 

Definitions

“Late night hours” means any time between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. 

“Late night retail premises” means: 

(a) a gas station or other retail fueling outlet; or 
(b) a convenience store or any other retail store where goods are sold directly to consumers that is open to the public for late night hours. 

Additional Requirements

(2) If a worker is assigned to work alone or in isolation in late night retail premises and there is any risk of harm from a violent act to the worker, then, in addition to any other obligations the employer has under sections 4.20.2 to 4.23: 

(a) the employer must develop and implement a written procedure to ensure the worker’s safety in handling money; and 

(b) when that worker is assigned to work late night hours, the employer must also do either or both of the following: 

(i) ensure that the worker is physically separated from the public by a locked door or barrier that prevents physical contact with or access to the worker; or 

(ii) assign one or more workers to work with the worker during that worker’s assignment. 

(3) A worker described in subsection (2) must be trained in the written procedure referred to in that subsection. 

4.22.2 Mandatory Prepayment for Refuel 

An employer must require that customers prepay for fuel sold in gas stations and other retail fueling outlets. 

4.23 Annual Reviews of Procedures 

The procedures referred to in sections 4.21 and 4.22.1 must be reviewed at least annually, or more frequently if there is: 

(a) a change in work arrangements which could adversely affect a worker’s well-being or safety; or 

(b) a report that the procedures are not working effectively.