Working Alone Guide

1. Purpose

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) is responsible for ensuring that the health and safety at work of every person employed by the employer is protected.

The Working Alone Guide is intended to help ESDC fulfill its duty as an employer under the authorities and references below. It is designed with flexibility to allow for site-specific initiatives and measures to address local situations, with the goal of eliminating or mitigating the potential risk of injury and illness in situations where employees are working alone.

This guide is a general departmental guideline applicable in a variety of situations. It does not remove management’s responsibility to address site-specific contexts and issues at the regional and local levels. Site-specific procedures should always be in place where required to further complement the content this guide and employees well informed on their implementation and details.

2. Scope

The Working Alone Guide applies to all work locations and all employees within the Department, including Service Canada, the Labour Program and all other service offerings managed within ESDC, as well as every person granted access to the workplace.

3. Authorities And References

• Departmental OHS Program Module II: Hazard Prevention Program
• Canada Labour Code, Part II, section 124.

4. What Is Working Alone?

An employee can be considered to be working alone if there is a reasonable expectation that a call for assistance will not or cannot be responded to and that the worker’s absence may not be noticed for some time. This includes employees who cannot be seen or heard by another person, and who cannot expect a visit from another worker.

Risks to workers’ health and safety may be higher when they are working alone. A fall, exposure to dangerous chemicals, or possible assault can have very different consequences if a worker is alone than if the employee has co-workers or capable assistants in the immediate vicinity.

Some examples of employees working alone could be:

• An employee working outside core business hours;
• An employee on travel status;
• Integrity Officers visiting clients;
• Health and Safety Officers visiting worksites;
• Some Citizen Service Officers working at Service Canada Centers;
• Citizen Service Officers performing scheduled outreach;
• Citizen Service Specialists performing mobile outreach; or
• An employee who is teleworking.

Working alone can be planned (e.g. an employee performing a site visit) or unplanned (e.g. two employees working together and one must leave due to illness or other emergency). In the case of an unplanned working alone situation, the employee must notify his or her manager/supervisor of the situation. This Guide applies to both planned and unplanned situations.

5. Responsibilities

Under the Working Alone Guide, responsibilities are as follows:

• 5.1 Employer Representative

  5.1 Employer Representative

  (Employer ... encompasses all senior management officials, directors, managers, team leaders, supervisors, management leads, and site leads)

  The employer representative shall:

  1. Ensure that the health and safety at work of every person employed by the employer is protected;
  2. Ensure that efforts are made to avoid employees working alone in higher risk situations;
  3. Ensure that the Working Alone Guide is implemented when required;
  4. Inform employees of their roles and responsibilities under this Guide either through in-person meetings or by providing time for employees to review the guide;
  5. Ensure that hazard information associated with working alone is available to employees either in electronic or paper format
  6. Review Module II: Hazard Prevention Program of the Departmental OHS Program to identify if the type of work presents an additional or increased hazard as the result of working alone.
  7. Participate in updating or completing new hazard assessments relating to employees working alone, in conjunction with the Regional Occupational Health and Safety Advisor (ROHSA);
  8. Establish a procedure for checking on an employee’s safety when working alone. The procedure should:
     • consider situations where an employee may be without the normal use of a phone and/or computer, including when they are in transit and/or in remote locations;
     • designate a person responsible for establishing contact with the employee at predetermined intervals and recording the results; and
     • establish an appropriate method of contacting the employee (e.g. appropriateness of method needs to consider how the employee conducts the work. For example, Skype may not be an appropriate method for a CSO working at a Service Canada Centre as that employee may not be at their computer to respond.);
     • establish a course of action to follow in the event the employee cannot be contacted;
  9. Lead the development and implementation of preventive measures for worksite specific hazards identified for employees who work alone
  10. Implement the action plans that address hazards associated with working alone;
  11. Provide education and training to employees on safe work procedures related to working alone (e.g. procedures for client access to the office when working alone), on the nature of the workplace (e.g. safety alarms and locking mechanisms), on the hazards that may be associated with working alone (e.g. as outlined in this guide), and on the preventive measures in place to address those hazards; and
  12. Provide the emergency telephone numbers that should be used in case of emergency.
• 5.2 Employees

  5.2 Employees

  Employees shall:

  1. Not work alone in certain situations (see section 6.1);
  2. Advise their manager/supervisor of the date, time, location and duration of working alone situations;
  3. Complete all required training relating to health and safety measures for working alone;
  4. Advise their manager/supervisor of all health and safety concerns relating to working alone, including hazards;
  5. Report any hazardous occurrence or security incident to their manager/supervisor;
  6. Be familiar with and follow the measures implemented for their protection in working alone situations;
  7. Use personal protective equipment provided by the employer; and
  8. Advise their manager/supervisor of all issues that occurred while working alone;
  9. Have emergency telephone numbers available.
• 5.3. Workplace Health and Safety Committee / Health and Safety Representative (WHSC/HSR)

  5.3. Workplace Health and Safety Committee / Health and Safety Representative (WHSC/HSR)

  For their applicable workplace the WHSC/HSR shall:

  1. Participate in implementing and monitoring the Working Alone Guide;
  2. Participate in maintaining a list of identified hazards and assessments for their workplace, including preventive measures relating to working alone;
  3. Participate in identifying and assessing hazards, as outlined in Module II: Hazard Prevention Program;
  4. Participate in establishing site-specific working alone procedures, which will include a plan to provide emergency assistance;
  5. When a new hazard related to working alone is identified in the workplace, notify the responsible employer representative and participate in the hazard assessment process; and
  6. Participate with the employer representative in a review of the check-in and emergency assistance procedures on a regular basis.
• 5.4 Regional Health and Safety Advisory Committee (Regional Advisory Committee)

  5.4 Regional Health and Safety Advisory Committee (Regional Advisory Committee)

  For their respective region the Regional Advisory Committee shall:

  1. In conjunction with the Regional Occupational Health and Safety Advisor, monitor regional health and safety issues related to employees working alone;
  2. Liaise with the WHSC/HSR in their region to ensure the implementation of this Guide.
  3. Monitor the application of the guide and the effectiveness of the working alone procedures in their respective region.
• 5.5 Policy Health and Safety Committee (PHSC)

  5.5 Policy Health and Safety Committee (PHSC)

  In conjunction with the National Occupational Health and Safety Office (NOHSO), the PHSC shall:

  1. Monitor national health and safety issues related to employees working alone via the results of occupational health and safety audits and the evaluation of the Hazard Prevention Program;
  2. Participate in any future consultations regarding the evaluation and review of the Working Alone Guide.
• 5.6 Regional Occupational Health and Safety Advisors (ROHSAs)

  5.6 Regional Occupational Health and Safety Advisors (ROHSAs)

  The ROHSAs shall:

  1. Monitor the application of the Working Alone Guide in their region in conjunction with the Regional Health and Safety Advisory Committee and the Workplace Health and Safety Committees or Health and Safety Representatives
  2. Provide advice and guidance to employer representatives and the WHSC/HSR on the Working Alone Guide; and
  3. Participate in updating or conducting new hazard assessments as required, in consultation with the employer and the WHSC/HSR.
• 5.7 National Occupational Health and Safety Office (NOHSO)

  5.7 National Occupational Health and Safety Office (NOHSO)

  The NOHSO shall:

  1. Coordinate the review and update of the Working Alone Guide, with the participation of the PHSC; and
  2. Provide advice and guidance on working alone to senior departmental officials.

6. Factors To Consider For Working Alone

The following factors for working alone should be considered:

• Tasks and the associated hazards (physical and psychological) involved in the work to be performed;
• Possibility that a critical injury or incident could prevent the employee from calling for help or leaving the workplace;
• Consequences resulting from a “worst case” scenario;
• Likelihood of other employees being in the area (buddy system);
• Emergency response time;
• Presence of Commissionaires/security guards, and the frequency of rounds being performed;
• Employee’s training and experience;
• Employee’s physical and psychological suitability;
• Effects of implementing preventive measures;
• Frequency of supervision;
• Time or shift when the job is to be done (e.g. would an alternate schedule be feasible); and
• Need for first aid training and access to a first aid kit (refer to the ESDC First Aid Program Guide (PDF, 708 KB)).

• 6.1 Prohibitions on Working Alone

  6.1 Prohibitions on Working Alone

  Occupational health and safety laws in Canada prohibit employees from working alone in certain situations. The Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations identify the following situations in which preventive measures must be put in place if certain work is being performed:

  • Certain types of electrical work [section 8.8 and subsection 16.3(3)];
  • Entry into confined spaces under specified hazardous conditions [paragraph 11.5(1)(c)];
  • Where there is a hazard of drowning [paragraph 12.11(2)(b)];
  • Repairs/maintenance work on a machine which cannot reasonably be locked out [subparagraph 13.16(2)(b)(ii)];
  • Operation of materials handling equipment with an obstructed view [paragraph 14.25(b)].
  • Underwater diving operations [section 18.10].
• 6.2 Site Specific Working Alone Procedures

  6.2 Site Specific Working Alone Procedures

  Each situation identified in which an employee is required to work alone, including situations in which employees are required to work outside regular core hours, shall be examined. Employer representatives, with the participation of the WHSC/HSR, must develop and implement site-specific procedures to ensure the health and safety of employees working alone. Procedures shall include implementing appropriate control measures to ensure that the whereabouts of an employee who is working alone are known, ensuring awareness of the hazards associated with that work situation, and ensuring that timely emergency assistance is available. See Annex E for a list of safe practices for working alone.

  Note: When an employee’s duties require them to work alone outside of a specific worksite, branch, business-line, or regional working alone procedures should be designed to complement those site-specific working alone procedures. (For example, while working in their office Health and Safety Officers would follow any site-specific working alone procedures that have been implemented for that site, but would follow any working alone procedures established by Labour Program when working alone outside of their office).

• 6.3 Expected Results

  6.3 Expected Results

  All situations of working alone shall be evaluated and reviewed proactively on an ongoing and regular basis to determine what preventive measures are in place to mitigate the identified and assessed hazards (physical and psychological) of working alone. The following factors should be considered:

  • Employee safety has been fully examined;
  • All necessary precautions to protect the employee are documented, understood and followed; and
  • Adequate monitoring and emergency response measures are in place and understood to assist the employee.

  Accordingly, a hazard analysis (refer to Module II: Hazard Prevention Program) shall be performed to identify hazards (physical and psychological) and determine preventive measures needed to prevent a hazardous occurrence.

7. Tools

• 7.1 Check-in Procedures

  7.1 Check-in Procedures

  Proper check-in procedures and a completed check-in sheet ensure that assistance can be provided in the event of a serious injury, especially in cases where employees cannot respond to or initiate emergency measures. Such procedures ensure that an employee is accounted for during an emergency evacuation, that regular contact is maintained with an employee who is working alone, and that an employee who is travelling, working alone, or at a location other than his or her usual place of work can be accounted for.

  • 7.1.1 Check-in Sheet

    7.1.1 Check-in Sheet

    A check-in sheet is used to record the information required by both the employee working alone and the person checking in on the employee. The sheet should be filled out and each employee should keep a copy with them for the duration of the time that the employee is working alone.

    The check-in sheet should include:

    1. The name and contact information of the employee;
    2. The name and contact information of the designated contact;
    3. The name and contact information of a backup person;
    4. The date and time period covered;
    5. An area to indicate the agreed upon procedure for check-in (e.g. telephone);
    6. An indication of how often and under what circumstances the employee or the contact will check in;
    7. A contingency plan if the employee working alone does not check in as required; and
    8. Emergency contact numbers (emergency services, department, manager).

    See Annex B for an example of a check-in sheet.

    If checking in by email, text or instant message, a code phrase or code word should be arranged. For example, when checking in to say that everything is all right, the code word may be “green” or some other word that both employees agree upon. Another code word would be selected to indicate that the employee working alone needs help. This makes it possible to confirm that the email, text or instant message was sent by the employee. These phrases and words should not be listed on the check-in sheet, but rather, agreed upon verbally or in person.

    When selecting a contact person, that person must be considered “readily available” to provide assistance or support. The following three assessment factors must be evaluated when making this determination:

    1. Awareness – will the contact person be capable of providing assistance and be aware of the employee’s needs?
    2. Willingness – is it reasonable to expect that the contact person will provide helpful assistance?
    3. Timeliness – will assistance be provided within a time period that is reasonable for the circumstances?
• 7.2 Safe Visit Plan

  7.2 Safe Visit Plan

  A safe visit plan is dependent on local situations, is site-specific, and should be reviewed and assessed to ensure proper precautions are being taken. Management, the employees working alone, and their contacts should review the plan to ensure all factors have been considered.

  A safe visit plan shall be established if employees are entering a potentially unknown situation. The plan should include the assessment of the hazards, as well as of the preventive measures in place. It should outline the control measures chosen to help the employer track the safety of a worker working alone, whether he or she is at the client's premises, completing a site inspection or performing outreach. Control measures include using an active communication system, switching the meeting place to a safer and more open location, or using "two workers" to eliminate working alone.

  The risk of workplace violence must be considered. Refer to Module IV of the ESDC Occupational Health and Safety Program.

  • 7.2.1 Safe Visit Plan Sheet

    7.2.1 Safe Visit Plan Sheet

    Before employees work away from their workplace, managers should review the measures in place to ensure employees are aware of safe work procedures and that a communication strategy is in place.

    An example of a safe visit plan that managers/supervisors and employees can complete is found in Annex C.

• 7.3 Safe Travel Plan

  7.3 Safe Travel Plan

  It is recommended that employees who travel as part of their work (e.g. employees on travel status, performing site visits, attending meetings off-site, visiting clients) put in place a safe travel plan. The plan should be agreed upon by the employee and his or her manager/supervisor, and should allow the manager/supervisor to ensure that the employee arrives at his or her destination safely. The plan may include an agreement for checking in at specific check-in times (e.g. when a plane or train arrives at the destination), or any other relevant information.

  One risk to employees who travel alone is injuries from motor vehicle accidents and weather. The risk is greater when employees cannot communicate in remote areas, are in unfamiliar areas, or are unable to summon help. Employees performing fieldwork by themselves and business people in transit are exposed to this type of risk.

  The prevention strategies for this situation focus on road safety. The following strategies should be addressed in the overall management of risk:

  • Safe Work Procedures
    • Employees must have full concentration on the road when travelling alone. An employer should allow sufficient rest time for employees who are travelling on long trips.
  • Equipment and Supplies
    • Well-maintained vehicles prevent exposing employees to unnecessary risk. Appropriate first aid and emergency supplies must be provided.
  • Travel Plan
    • An employer should consider a procedure that is appropriate to the hazards to track the whereabouts of an employee. The travel plan submitted by the employee can be used to assess the rest time available to the employee travelling alone.

  • 7.3.1 Travel Plan Sheet

    7.3.1 Travel Plan Sheet

    A travel plan sheet should be used if an employee is travelling as part of his or her work. Copies should be kept by the manager/supervisor and the employee, as well as by any other employee who is acting as a designated contact.

    A travel plan sheet should include:

    1. The name and contact information of the employee;
    2. The name and contact information of the manager/supervisor;
    3. The name and contact information of a backup contact;
    4. The dates covered;
    5. The itinerary, including:
       • flight/train/bus numbers;
       • arrival and departure times;
       • name of hotel; and
       • if travelling by car, proposed route.
    6. An area to indicate the agreed upon procedure for check-in (e.g. telephone);
    7. An indication of how often and under what circumstances the employee or contact will check in;
    8. A contingency plan if the travelling employee does not check in as required; and
    9. Emergency contact numbers (local emergency services, department, manager).

    See Annex D for a sample travel plan sheet.

8. Useful Links

• The Labour Program Interpretive Policy Guide: Workers Working Alone at a Workplace under the Control of the Employer
• Service Canada: Operational Guidelines for Scheduled Outreach Service
• Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety: Working Alone - General
• ESDC Safe Driving Guide
• Transport Canada: A Safety Guide for Aircraft Charter Passengers
• Occupational Health and Safety intranet site
• Hazardous Occurrence Investigation Report (LAB1070 Form)
• Security Incident Report Webform (previously ADM3061)

9. Enquiries

Enquiries regarding the Working Alone Guide or its interpretation must be directed to your Regional Occupational Health and Safety Advisor through the Human Resources Service Centre (HRSC).

10. Monitoring and Evaluation

The Working Alone Guide will be monitored and evaluated in accordance with Module VI: Reporting, Monitoring, and Evaluation of the Departmental Occupational Health and Safety Program including regular reporting and data collection methods and with the participation of the PHSC, Regional Advisory Committees, WHSCs and HSRs, management, employees and OHS advisors.

11. Effective and Review Date

Version 3.0 of the Working Alone Guide takes effect on February 28, 2020 and replaces Version 2.0 of the Working Alone Guide. It will be reviewed every three (3) years, or as required, to ensure consistency with changes to OHS-related legislation, regulations and directives. The next scheduled review will be 2023.

Annex A: Hazard Prevention Program

The purpose of the Hazard Prevention Program (HPP) is to prevent the occurrence of accidents, diseases and other losses in the workplace, and provide for the education of employees in occupational health and safety matters.

The Departmental HPP is available on the Occupational Health and Safety intranet site. Hazards within the Department have been identified and assessed using the framework of the Departmental HPP.

The hazard ranking will assist in determining the preventive measures needed to protect the health and safety of an employee.

The hierarchy of preventive measures outlined in the Canada Labour Code, Part II, are as follows:

1. Elimination of the hazard (e.g. removal of the hazard from the workplace or work process).
2. Reduction of the hazard, which can include engineering controls such as specialized equipment or modifications to the design of the workplace, with the intent of reducing the exposure.
3. The provision of personal protective equipment (PPE) to reduce exposure.
4. Administrative procedures such as “Safe Work Procedures”.

Key points to remember when addressing situations in which employees work alone:

1. If a hazard is not already identified: employees should consult their manager/supervisor and/or local Workplace Health and Safety Committee / Health and Safety Representative and follow the procedure outlined in the Departmental HPP.
2. Prevention: once a hazard has been assessed and assigned a ranking (A-D), the next step is to develop preventive measures to reduce the probability that the hazard will occur.

Annex B: Employee Check-In-Sheet

• Long Description

  The Employee Check-in Sheet(DOC Version, 202 KB) is completed by the employee and establishes the check-in procedures for employees who are working alone. The Employee Check-in Sheet contains information on:

  • Name and contact information for the employee, the designated contact, and an alternate contact;
  • Date(s) and time period(s) of working alone;
  • Check-in protocols;
  • Work-plan for safely working alone;
  • Procedures should employee fail to check-in as identified in the plan.

Annex C: Safe Visit Plan

• Long Description

  The Safe Visit Plan(DOC Version, 201 KB) is a checklist for employees who are working away from their workplace and their manager. The plan is established to ensure appropriate precautions are in place to keep employees safe while visiting client sites. The Safe Visit Plan contains information on:

  • Training;
  • Safe work procedures; and
  • Communication / check-in requirements.

Annex D: Travel Plan

• Long Description

  A Travel Plan Sheet(DOC Version, 201 KB) should be used if an employee is travelling as part of his or her work. It is completed by the employee and establishes the check-in plan for employees in travel status. The Travel Plan Sheet provides information on:

  • Name and contact information for the employee, manager, and an alternate contact;
  • Travel itinerary information, such as dates; times; destinations; flight/train number;
  • Check-in protocols; and
  • Procedures should employee fail to check-in as identified in the plan.

Annex E: Safe Practices For Working Alone

• Use an employee check-in sheet (see Annex B).
• Establish safe work/visit procedures and procedures for situations where employees cannot be reached or check-in is overdue for jobs where an employee is working alone.
• Follow established branch, business-line, or regional working alone procedures in conjunction with site-specific procedures.
• Safe Visit Plan - A safe visit plan should be established if an employee is entering a potentially unsafe situation. The plan should outline preventive measures chosen to help the employer representative track the safety of an employee. Preventive measures include using an active communication system, switching the meeting place to a safer location, or using two employees to eliminate working alone.
• Develop a travel plan (See Annex D).
• Employees working alone must have an effective means of communication: regular telephone, cellular or satellite telephone, two-way radios, personal pagers, security pendants, visible alarms for the hearing impaired or other electronic communication device.
• Be familiar with emergency exits, evacuation procedures, location of first aid kits and fire extinguishers.
• Be aware of safe routes and safe places in case an employee must escape a situation.
• Telephone list: ensure employees have a telephone list that includes emergency and other contact numbers.
• Ensure telephones or other means of communication have emergency numbers pre-programmed.
• Use the “buddy system”, and arrange to work early or late with a co-worker.
• Before dark, move your car to a well-lit area, close to the building, where possible.
• When travelling, plan your route and your method of transportation (e.g. taxi, shuttle bus, rental car).
• Do not enter an elevator with anyone who makes you feel uneasy—wait for the next elevator.
• Avoid strenuous physical work if possible when working alone.