Canadian Occupational Safety

20 Canadian Occupational Safety www.cos-mag.com under the general duty clause to protect the health and safety of employees who work alone. "It's really varied across our country. In some places, it's heavily regulated and in others, it's not regulated at all," he says. The defi nition of "working alone" in the various laws and guidelines are fairly similar, Alm says. A person is "working alone" if help is not readily avail- able to him in the event of an emergency, injury or illness. Generally, lone workers are those who go for a period of time with no direct supervision or contact with co-workers. Where there is specifi c work alone legislation (Brit- ish Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and New Brunswick), employers are at least required to: • conduct a risk assessment • develop safe work procedures and train workers in the procedures • establish an effective communication system (such as phone, radio or personal alarm) • establish a system of regular contact with the worker. One of the strongest set of regulations is in B.C. These set out requirements for the check-in proce- dures, such as the inclusion of set time intervals and emergency provisions. B.C. law also has regulations specifi c to late night retail premises, which include convenience stores and gas stations, requiring employ- ers to schedule two or more workers for a late night shift or ensure the worker is physically separated from the public by a locked door or barrier. In 2012, the law was amended giving employers a third alternative of developing a violence protection program. REDUCING RISKS In addition to outlining the hazards a worker may be exposed to and identifying ways to mitigate those hazards, the risk assessment should cover such questions as how long will the person be working alone and does the work involve high-risk activities, including hazardous materials or equipment, con- fi ned spaces, electricity, night work and potential for violence. There are many ways to reduce the risks of work- ing alone. Hazards may be eliminated by replacing the lone worker with technologies, such as using video surveillance to monitor an area instead of a security guard. Other controls, many of which are particularly relevant to retail workers, include: • installing a physical barrier to physically separate the worker from the public • scheduling at least two people on duty • using a locked drop safe • making sure there is good visibility around a coun- ter to help deter thefts or attacks • ensuring work stations face the door so workers can see anyone entering the room • installing panic buttons • making sure the workplace is well lit. Along with the risk assessment, companies should have a written lone worker policy that sets out who is considered a lone worker, individual responsibilities, risks of working alone and procedures that minimize those risk. CHECKING IN A check-in system is commonly used to ensure lone workers stay safe. In home health care, it is particu- larly useful. Home health-care workers are subject to a huge variety of risks, in part because their work environ- ment is unfamiliar, uncontrolled and unpredictable, says Tina Dunlop, regional health and safety con- sultant at the Public Services Health and Safety Association in Toronto. Typical hazards include haz- ardous materials, pet bites, body fl uids and exposure to communicable diseases. Other common hazards are musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), slips and By Linda Johnson I n late December, a clerk working the early morning shift in an Edmonton convenience store was confronted by masked robbers. He managed to press a panic button, alerting police. But before offi cers arrived, was been shot in the stomach. He died later in hospital. Only 15 minutes after that alert came in, a 911 call came in from another Mac's convenience store. There, police found a clerk dead in a storage room. Both men had been working alone and co-oper- ated with the robbers. In the two cases, the robbers made off with small amounts of cash. Since then, two men and one boy have been charged with fi rst- degree murder. "This was a barbaric and gratuitous act of violence upon two innocent persons resulting in a senseless loss of life," Edmonton police Chief Rod Knecht said at a news conference. When we think about lone workers, we often think fi rst about industries such as logging or oil and gas, where workers handle heavy machinery and are often in remote areas. But many people who work in what are generally viewed as low-risk occupations also work alone. Being isolated, they are often the target of robberies, violence and harassment. If they suffer injury or illness, they lack immediate help. The risk is greatly increased for those workers who handle valuables, such as cash, and who work out- side regular business hours. In addition to retail employees, lone workers in lower-risk industries include home health-care workers, real estate agents, security guards, gas sta- tion attendants, workers in food outlets and bars, warehouse workers, night shift employees and bus, truck and cab drivers. Not all Canadian jurisdictions have specifi c work- ing alone regulations, although — with the exception of Yukon — those that do not have legislation have guidelines, says Les Alm, CEO and president of Assert Safety in Allan, Sask. Where no specifi c legislation exists, employers must regard their responsibility Death of Edmonton convenience store workers sparks calls for updated work alone legislation under the general duty clause to protect the health under the general duty clause to protect the health Death of Edmonton convenience store AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH

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