As Canada is divided into federal, provincial and territorial jurisdictions here is the legislation pertaining to lone workers for The Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
Summary of Northwest Territories and Nunavut Lone Worker Legislation
In September 2016 the NORTHWEST TERRITORIES & NUNAVUT CODES OF PRACTICE was produced by the local government in accordance with the Northwest Territories Safety Act, Occupational Health and Safety Regulations; and Nunavut Safety Act and Occupational Health and Safety Regulations.
The Working Alone code of practice provides guidance to employers and workers to ensure the health and safety of employees who work alone. The Code provides a definition and description of working alone, outlines the legislation, and discusses hazard assessment and the development of safe work procedures.
The areas of legislation that relate to employer’s responsibilities in both the Safety Acts and Health and Safety Regulations are below:
Northwest Territories and Nunavut
Safety Acts
HEALTH AND SAFETY
4. (1) Every employer shall
(a) maintain his or her establishment in
such a manner that the health and safety of persons in the establishment are
not likely to be endangered;
(b) take all reasonable precautions and adopt and carry out all reasonable
techniques and procedures to ensure the health and safety of every person in
his or her establishment; and
(c) provide the first aid service requirements set out in the regulations
pertaining to his or her class of establishment. (2) If two or more employers
have charge of an establishment, the principal contractor or, if there is no
principal contractor, the owner of the establishment, shall coordinate the
activities of the employers in the establishment to ensure compliance with
subsection 4(1).
5. Every worker employed on or in connection with an establishment shall, in
the course of his or her employment, (a) take all reasonable precautions to
ensure his or her own safety and the safety of other persons in the
establishment; and
(b) as the circumstances require, use devices and articles of clothing or
equipment that are intended for his or her protection and provided to the
worker by his or her employer, or required pursuant to the regulations to be
used or worn by the worker.
Northwest Territories and Nunavut Occupational Health and Safety Regulations
PART 3 GENERAL DUTIES
33. (1) In this section, “work alone” means to work at a work site as the only worker at that work site, in circumstances where assistance is not readily available in the event of injury, ill health or emergency.
(2) If a worker is required or permitted to work alone or at an isolated work site*, an employer, in consultation with the Committee or representative or, if no Committee or representative is available, the worker and other workers, shall identify the hazards arising from the conditions and circumstances of that work.
(3) An employer shall take reasonable measures to eliminate or reduce the risks posed by the hazards identified under subsection (2), including the establishment of an effective communication system that consists of
(a) radio communication;
(b) phone or cellular phone communication; or
(c) any other means that provides effective communication considering the risks involved
*In an update amending the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations which came into force on January 1st 2021:
“isolated work site” means
(a) a work site that is more than one hour
travel time from a hospital or medical
facility under normal travel conditions
using available means of surface
transportation, or
(b) a work site for which transportation by
aircraft is the normal or only method of
transportation; (lieu de travail isolé).
As an expert in lone worker content management, I possess an extensive knowledge base and experience in the area of lone working and safety monitoring. My expertise in this field encompasses a wide range of areas, including risk assessment, training, communication, and technology. I have a deep understanding of the unique risks associated with lone workers and have researched and written many projects and articles to educate people in how to mitigate these risks.
Throughout my time with Ok Alone, I have kept up to date with technological developments, legislative changes and regulations that have been introduced to help organizations ensure the safety of their lone workers.