Canadian Occupational Safety

August/September 2015 17 devices for regular check-ins and to call for help. "Best practices in the oil and gas industry utilize full-time partner or group coverage solutions providing real-time monitoring with two-way, scheduled check-in protocols," says Jeff Moe, account manager at MicroWatt LifeSafety Solutions, a communica- tions technology provider in Calgary. There is also specifi c technology available for travel risks, notes Greg Mazniuk, Cisco Canada's Calgary- based regional director for southern Alberta. For instance, some companies now use video systems to monitor remote locations without visiting them in person, he says. Bechtold also points to emerging machine-to-machine (M2M) com- munication systems as a way for companies to reduce lone worker risks. "Rather than have someone go out and take a reading, we have that infor- mation fed back to us. And in some cases, it can trigger an action." An M2M solution could set off an alarm to alert someone at a centralized monitoring centre to adjust a valve or stop a pump. ISOLATION IS THE REAL PROBLEM On-the-job hazards are particularly acute for people who work solo, but that doesn't mean "lone worker" safety procedures are useful only for employees who spend time com- pletely alone on the job, says O'Dwyer. He points out that TransCanada only hires service providers that send work- ers out in pairs or larger teams — so they're not utterly alone, yet they're still working in the wild with just a few colleagues and no immediate access to outside help if something goes wrong. But the buddy system isn't fool- proof, according to Moe. "We've come across companies that rely on the buddy system, so there's always two workers at every site. Yet we've had scenarios where one worker goes into a building, the other worker goes to the truck to grab some tools, slips on ice, breaks his hip — and his buddy is inside working for a good 45 minutes before he even realizes he's on the ground outside, unable to move." PRACTICE FOR EMERGENCIES It's one thing for companies to develop lone-worker safety procedures, and another for the workers to know the safety steps, says Robin Weatherill, vice-president and general manager at Safety Canada, a Calgary consulting company. He points out that emergen- cies may occur infrequently, but when they do, workers should be prepared. "The emergency response plans must be practised on a regular basis," he says. These plans could cover a range of issues, including hazardous substance spills and inhospitable environmental conditions such as fl oods, blizzards and severe lightning storms. Work- ers should know where to turn if they need to contact outside agencies for assistance. Employers should also take the time to assess employees' skills and refrain from pushing workers into jobs that don't suit their capabilities. When O'Hara fi rst started working in the oil patch doing water transfer for a different company, he didn't really know how to control the equipment. Yet there he was, working alone on the night shift. Would he tell his employer that he lacked confi dence? No way. Why jeopardize his employment? That said, O'Hara now understands that employees can speak up. "You have the right to refuse to do unsafe work," he says. "That's the fi rst thing we hear in every safety meeting. So if you feel unsafe, just don't do it." Stefan Dubowski is a freelance writer based in Ottawa. He can be reached at dubowski@stiffsentences.com. BRITISH COLUMBIA: Part 4.20.1 of the province's occupational health and safety regulations discusses various aspects of lone-worker protection, including training, check-in procedures and hazard elimination and control. ALBERTA: Part 28 of the Occupational Health and Safety Code covers lone-worker safety, primarily focusing on communication protocols to make sure employees in insolated workplaces can stay in touch and call for help. SASKATCHEWAN: Part 3, section 35 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations are strict and specifi c laws relating to working alone. The regulations clearly outline the types of acceptable communication systems and other steps the employer must take to reduce the risks to lone workers. NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR: Service NL offers an online resource, Working Alone Safely Guidelines for Employers and Employees, that summarizes work-alone requirements for workers and companies, lists situations that could put lone workers at risk and explains what you can do to address the hazards. LONE WORKER SAFETY REGULATIONS they do, workers should be prepared. "The emergency response plans and other steps the employer must take to reduce the risks to lone workers. NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR:

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