Assessing Risk
Staff and faculty may engage in activities that require them to work alone, certain circumstances, situations, or environments can be unsafe and require special arrangements to minimize potential situations and hazards. To provide for measures to protect the health and safety of, and minimize risk to, any worker that works alone or in isolation during the course of their employment as defined in the WorkSafeBC, and in accordance with Policy 6410: Working Alone or in Isolation, employees will need to work with their supervisor to complete the working alone or in isolation Hazard Risk Assessment and Check-in Procedure.
A risk assessment provides an opportunity to think about foreseeable hazards associated with a task and the risks associated with those hazards. This information can then be used to establish controls to minimize the risk and create a check-in procedure. Please refer to the risk assessment guidance document for detailed instruction on how to complete the Hazard Risk Assessment.
If further assistance is required to complete the assessment, please contact Health and Safety.
Working Alone or in Isolation Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Is an instructor teaching in a classroom with students working alone?
A. According to the regulations, section 4.20.0 of the ohs regulation (“regulation”) states: 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:
- in case of an emergency, or
- in case the worker is injured or in ill health
Assistance does not need to be from another employee, it can be from anyone who has the ability to provide assistance. based on this definition, instructors who are working in a classroom with students are not classified as working alone or in isolation.
Q. If an employee is working outside of their regular business hours, is a check-in procedure required?
A. Yes, if an employee is working outside of their regular business hours they may require a check-in procedure, please use the hazard risk assessment to determine the necessity.
Q. Can a partner, spouse, friend or adjacent business be part of a check-in procedure?
A. Yes, an employee can check in with a partner, spouse, friend or adjacent business, etc., however, they must be informed that they are part of a formal check-in procedure. check-ins must be documented and they need to know who to contact if you miss a check-in.
Q. If I have employees who by definition are not working alone or in isolation do we still need to complete the hazard risk assessment?
A. Please only complete section one of the Working Alone or in Isolation Hazard Risk Assessment Worksheet and submit a list of the employees who do not work alone to Health and Safety.
Additional information can be found by visiting worksafebc or by contacting Health and Safety.