Lone Working in the Cannabis Industry

As it is nearly 18 months since the legalisation of Marijuana in Canada, there has been a boom in the Cannabis industry.

Cannabis is a very versatile plant. It can be grown, and its buds harvested and sold, its seeds can be eaten whole, cold pressed into oil or milled into powders.

There are many different steps involved in processing the plant and there are often lone workers carrying out the work.

What jobs could lone workers be doing?

In some of the high-tech facilities plants are grown in the Tissue Culture lab by lone technicians who are tasked with micropropagation, the cloning of plants from a mother plant. This occurs in highly sterile labs where the worker could be away from their colleagues for long periods of time.

In similar facilities that work on a large scale, the oil extraction and processing of the seeds is automated. This means that instead of a team of workers there would be one person there to oversee the process and ensure it ran smoothly. This lone worker would be by themselves on the factory floor.

At smaller scale factories or on small independent farms there could be lone workers harvesting the crops. These workers would be by themselves amongst the plants and unable to be seen by other staff.

How can cannabis growers or hemp processers ensure their lone workers are safe?

Lone workers are owed a duty of care by their employer. Staff who work alone should be using a lone worker system that enables them to be monitored correctly. The system should ensure all workers are safe and able to check in or request help if needed. This is crucial to staff well-being, but also necessary to comply with some countries lone working regulations.

Ok Alone offers a solution for the Cannabis Industry

Ok Alone offers a solution to this problem. A simple, easy to use lone worker app that is downloaded onto a worker’s phone, so there is no need to buy additional devices.

Ok Alone’s solution gives workers a sense of security as they can call in support and assistance when they need it.

Workers have access to a ‘help’ button that contacts members of staff in the office or a 24-hour call centre to alert them that they need immediate support. There is also a man down feature – popular for all lone workers. But most importantly, Ok Alone can offer peace of mind to lone workers by letting them know that if something happens (a help alert is sent or a check in is missed) someone in their company or at the Live Monitoring facility will be alerted.