SAFER

Working Alone Risk Assessment & Check-In

Working alone regulations apply only if the worker is assigned to work alone

WorkSafeBC describes working alone or in isolation as working in circumstances where assistance is not readily available in case of an emergency, injury or poor health.

Isolation includes situations such as two employees working together but unable to get emergency help quickly due to their remote location.

A flexible work arrangement may find you working in your home office, driving in remote areas, visiting a client at their home or assigned to work after regular office hours with no staff around. Such situations of working alone call for a risk assessment and may require a check-in procedure to ensure staff safety.

Working alone regulations apply only if the worker is assigned to work alone. They do not apply when employees are at work on their own accord, such as if they choose to come in early, work late or on a day off.

Risk Assessment
If you answer yes to any of the situations listed below, your supervisor will need to create a check-in procedure.

• Do you work alone in your home office?
• Do you work alone for periods of time, including before or after normal working hours?
• Do you work away from your regular work location to meet clients or regulatory staff, social workers?
• Do you work along remote routes (such as resource and rural roads) where assistance may not be readily available?
• Does your position require you to be in remote areas, for example to conduct inspections in the field?
• Do you perform hazardous activities (such as work in confined spaces)?
• Do you work or travel in extreme weather conditions?
• Do you work in places of isolation from public view, where you are at risk of violent attack? Examples are enforcement officers in correctional facilities or social and health care workers visiting clients in their homes

When working alone what potential risks/hazards are apparent?

• Face-to-face contact with clients
• Mechanical hazards (for example, operating a chainsaw)
• Compliance/enforcement duties
• Environmental hazards
• Driving a vehicle
• Working with money, drugs or other valuables

Based on the type of working situation and the potential risks or hazards, have a discussion with your supervisor and create a check-in procedure that works for your situation.

Working Alone Check-in Procedures
The Occupational Health and Safety Regulation requires all B.C. employers to establish check-in and other procedures to protect employees working alone or in isolation, whether in the field or in an office. The ministry may determine what check-in procedure meets both operational and occupational safety requirements. A formal Working Alone Plan, including a check-in process, must be created.

If your supervisor determines that you meet the requirements for working alone or in isolation, your supervisor is responsible for setting up a suitable check-in procedure. The first step in creating a check-in procedure is a Working Alone Risk Assessment, explained above. The Working Alone Program Checkup (PDF, 41KB) can help assess risks and create a plan.

A formal check-in between the supervisor and employee is a requirement of the Telework Agreement. If you're a teleworker and your supervisor has not formalized a procedure for working alone, you need to initiate that conversation.

Here are some check-in options:

Email & Communicator
The procedure may be a simple email or Office Communicator check-in at the start and finish of each day. In higher risk occupations, more frequent check-ins are required.

Automated Call-in Procedure
Supervisors and workers may subscribe to an automated service such as SafetyLine to sign-in and out of each day, if Article 22.11, Radio Contact or Employee Check of the BCGEU Master Agreement does not apply. This program will also alert the supervisor if the employee does not check-in, allowing for an emergency response.

A written procedure must state that the time that lapses between checks and check-ins will be documented. Written procedures must also include the steps to take if a check-in/out is missed. The time between checks must be developed between the supervisor and the employee, in consultation with the local Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee. At a minimum, this schedule would include contact at the start and end of the business day.

Written procedures must also include the steps to take if a check-in/out is missed. The interval between checks is based on the risk involved in the work assigned.

Read the WorkSafeBC Working Alone Guide (PDF, 2MB) for more information on working alone procedures.

This story was courtesy of WorkSafeBC.

Back to Top

Working Safely Around Conveyors

Sadly, conveyors that are designed to help workers can also seriously injure or kill them

There was a time, long ago, when the term “hard labour” meant heavy, backbreaking work that had to be done by humans. With the age of automation came ingenious labour-saving machines in factories, sawmills, and other industrial workplaces, freeing the worker to work more comfortably and safely.Unfortunately, those very machines that are designed to help workers can also seriously injure or kill them. Each year, workers lose limbs and lives because of a lack of instruction on how to work safely with machinery, or because protective measures such as lockout and guarding aren’t taken.

Here are a few examples of recent workplace accidents involving conveyors:

In a bakery, a worker was working on the bread line when he noticed that dough balls were sticking at the infeed chute of the overhead proofer. He removed a cover panel on the proofer without turning off the power to the machine. He then reached through the pinch point of the conveyor chain and the drive sprocket. His arm got caught in the machine, resulting in broken bones and severe cuts.

In three separate accidents involving conveyors in sawmills, one worker had a leg amputated, one young worker lost his arm, and another worker broke his hand.

In a fish processing plant, a worker’s glove was caught on the moving belt conveyor, resulting in cuts when his hand was drawn into a shear point.

A worker was removing debris from the tail drum of a chain conveyor in a rubber recycling plant. When the conveyor was started from the control station, the worker’s foot was pulled around the tail drum, resulting in crushing injuries to the leg and foot.

Safe Work Practices
Make sure that workers who work near conveyors receive training and safe work procedures that include clearing debris and lockout.

• Do not remove guarding, such as panels that protect workers, from moving parts while the machinery is in operation.
• On conveyors, install guards or devices to prevent inadvertent contact with pinch points.
• Do not wear loose clothing or jewellery when working near machinery. Confine long hair.
• Shut down and lock out moving parts before servicing or cleaning machinery or doing maintenance and repairs. To clear jams, use a tool — not your hand!

Young Sawmill Worker Loses His Leg
Almost ten years ago, a conveyor accident in a sawmill almost took the life of a young worker. All Michael Lovett wanted from his first job was to earn money to buy his own vehicle. But instead, a serious workplace accident cost him a leg.

While working cleanup in sawmill, Michael Lovett slips and falls into waste conveyor and is subsequently caught up in conveyor return flights and is pulled into the tail drum. For some reason the conveyor stops after the tail drum consumes his left leg.

This WorkSafeBC video illustrates how unforgiving conveyors can be.

These workplace safety pieces are courtesy of WorkSafeBC Magazine and the WorkSafeBC YouTube Channel.

Working together: strategies to improve your employee-supervisor relationship

Working Together: Strategies to Improve Your Employee-Supervisor Relationship

Developing an effective working relationship with your manager isn’t always easy and usually takes a willingness to build trust and find common ground

Your relationship with your manager, supervisor or leader can have a major impact on your job performance and job satisfaction. Good managers not only inspire, but can also give you the tools and direction you need to achieve your best. They provide the mentorship, acknowledgement and constructive feedback necessary to build a rewarding and successful long-term career.

However, some people may struggle to maintain a positive relationship with their supervisor. Even with the best intentions, differences in personality, values and work style can create tension. You may become frustrated if you feel your manager:

• Gives harsh or excessive criticism
• Doesn’t properly acknowledge or reward achievements
• Poorly communicates expectations
• Offers inadequate training or guidance
• Is not accessible
• Has too much involvement in day-to-day tasks (i.e., is a micro-manager)
• Doesn’t offer enough constructive feedback
• Makes unfair or unreasonable decisions

Of course this list barely scratches the surface when it comes to potential points of disagreement. Unfortunately, it’s often unrealistic to expect managers to dramatically change their personality or management style, especially in the short-term. But when a manager-employee relationship isn’t working, there are many strategies you can use to minimize or eliminate areas of tension and work more effectively with your supervisor:

Look within. Ask yourself what you can do to improve the relationship and excel at your own job. Since you can only control your own actions, focus on consistently meeting deadlines, exceeding expectations and having a positive attitude. Even if your efforts aren’t always acknowledged, you’ll quickly earn the trust that is the foundation of any good manager-employee relationship.

Just ask. If your manager hasn’t provided enough feedback or clarification, it may simply be that he or she isn’t aware you need it. Sometimes the easiest way to get what you need to do your job effectively, resolve any doubts and clear the air is to speak up before issues arise and clarify details.

Manage expectations. Before beginning any major project, spend some time with your manager to clarify objectives, deadlines and other expectations. If you don’t think you’ll be able to achieve the goal within the timeline, or need extra support to do so, discuss it with your boss well in advance. Keeping yourself and your manager on the same page can help avoid unnecessary conflict and unwelcome "surprises."

Adapt to your supervisor’s preferences. Every boss has their own management style and communication preferences. Some like to have hands-on involvement in all aspects of a project, while others may expect you to take the initiative and run with it. Similarly, managers may want you to check in often or by particular methods (e.g., voicemail, face-to-face or by phone). You’ll likely have a more positive working relationship if you can align with your manager’s working style.

Step into your manager’s shoes. Take time to understand the challenges your boss faces and how these may affect his or her behaviour towards you. Your manager, for example, may not be returning your calls because of a busy schedule, or may be on edge due to increased pressure from clients and his or her own boss. Recognizing the reasons behind behaviour straining your relationship can give you the empathy to better handle tense moments, ensure you don’t take your boss’s stress personally and help you deal with challenges more effectively.

Avoid heated confrontations. While sometimes difficult, do your best to avoid responding with emotion when addressing harsh criticism or controversial decisions. Instead, calmly and rationally outline any objections with supporting evidence. Treat all criticism as a learning experience and focus the conversation on how you can improve your work for future assignments.

Get to know your manager as a person. Like anyone, your manager is a complex person defined by their experience, hopes and interests. While you may never become friends, getting to know your manager on a more personal level can help you better understand and appreciate your boss’s motivations and actions.

Encourage good management practices. If your manager does something you appreciate, acknowledge it. Highlighting your supervisor’s good management practices reinforces this kind of behaviour and makes your boss more likely to continue with these positive actions.

Consider other options. Sometimes things just aren’t meant to be. If your relationship with your manager appears irreconcilable, consider making a change for the better.

Developing an effective working relationship with your manager isn’t always easy. It usually takes a willingness to adapt, as well as a concerted effort to build trust and find common ground. The effort is well worth it though, as a healthier employee-supervisor relationship can make your work days more productive, rewarding and enjoyable.

This wellness article is courtesy of Shepell at workhealthlife.com.

Back to Top