In Canada, employers are legally required to take steps to keep their employees safe at work. Workplace safety legislation includes lone workers. However, lone worker legislation differs between provinces and territories, so employers must learn local and federal regulations.
Federal Legislation
Canada has no federal lone worker laws; however, Bill C-45 does outline workplace health and safety requirements. Employers are legally required to mitigate risks and can be held criminals liable if they put their lone workers in danger. There are also severe penalties for employers who violate Bill C-45 and whose employees experience injury or death.
Provincial Legislation
Lone worker legislation varies from province to province and territory to territory. Consequently, it’s crucial to do your research and familiarise yourself with the laws in your area.
Provinces with Lone Worker Legislation:
- British Columbia
- Alberta
- Saskatchewan
- Manitoba
- Quebec
- Newfoundland & Labrador
- New Brunswick
- Prince Edward Island
Territories with Lone Worker Legislation:
- Northwest Territories
- Nunavut
You should expect that every one of these jurisdictions will require that employers:
- Conduct a hazard assessment. You should identify all existing and potential risks that workers may encounter.
- Take appropriate steps to control these hazards by eliminating them or minimizing the associated risks.
- Have an established communication system between lone workers and first responders.
- Have a check-in system is in place while workers are in a hazardous environment.
Ontario, Nova Scotia, and the Yukon do not have lone worker-specific legislation. However, they legally require a minimum number of workers in specific work scenarios.
Consequences of Violating Lone Worker Regulations
The consequences are severe if you have violated the federal Bill C-45 or your local provincial/territorial legislation. You will face extensive financial and legal repercussions, as well as potential lawsuits, high insurance premiums, increased WCB premiums, and criminal charges.
CommAlert Helps Keep Lone Workers Safe
As you can see, employers are legally required to take measures to protect their lone workers. Companies that neglect to have a lone worker safety policy and procedure put themselves at risk for significant financial and legal ramifications.
After you conduct a hazard assessment and minimize potential risks, implementing a lone worker monitoring system is the next step in keeping your lone workers safe. At CommAlert, we offer 24/7 customizable work alone monitoring solutions. Workers can check in via a phone call, text, or smartphone app. Our services are tailored to your organization and the unique working environment of each employee.
Our live operators check in with lone workers periodically to ensure they’re safe. If a worker misses their check-in, we initiate emergency procedures.
Contact us to learn more about our lone worker monitoring service.
