Working Alone?

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What is working alone?

A school board employee was found drowned in a swimming pool. He worked alone on an evening shift. A nursing assistant was attacked and violently beaten. She worked alone on a night shift.

Many workers continue to be placed at risk because they are required to work alone.

"A person works alone in any environment absent of co-workers who have knowledge of the work and workplace, and who are available to effectively respond to unusual occurrences or emergencies; or in any other situation where the worker does not appreciate the hazards of the working environment (because of literacy problems or insufficiency of training) and where competent supervision and guidance is not directly present to ensure that appropriate controls are in place and safe procedures followed."

Who is affected?

The following CUPE members are affected: school board employees, hydro and utility workers, health care workers, road maintenance employees, municipal employees, police and guard and social workers.

Many CUPE members are put at risk because they have no policy or procedures that recognize and seek resolutions to the problem of working alone.

Why is working alone hazardous?

Many jobs require two persons to be done safely. Forcing workers to perform tasks alone increases the chance that accidents will occur. Jobs that have an inherent danger to them means that in the event of a serious accident, the worker will be denied help or assistance and may suffer further injury or death.

Types of hazards in this category include jobs that could result in: electrocution, drowning, falling, broken limbs, traffic accidents, freezing, severe burns, danger of objects falling, violence, working at nights, using explosives, using pesticides and lifting heavy objects. 

What can be done?

The first step is to identify any jobs that require workers to work alone. Assess the potential for danger and develop a written policy and procedures that are adequate to resolve the problems. This can be achieved by using the CUPE survey either with the co-operation of the employer, or if this is not forthcoming, the local union should conduct the survey on its own.

Survey results are used to pinpoint potential problem jobs and as a basis for recommendations to the joint health and safety committee or to the employer.

Recommendations may include the following:

a) Develop or revamp employer policies regarding working alone. Listing all jobs that, because of inherent dangers, should never be conducted alone and ensuring that sufficient staff are made available to enforce the policy.

b) Develop written procedures covering dangerous work situations; what to do in an emergency; how to get help; reporting of accidents or near misses; use of alarms and communication equipments; and responsibilities of supervisors.

c) Education and training requirements that will ensure that all workers fully understand the policy and procedures and are fully trained to recognize and deal with the hazards that they face in their work. Training must be offered to all new employees and update training provided for all workers on a regular basis.

How to effect change

To achieve these changes, workers will have to develop a winning strategy. This could include:

• collective bargaining;
• lobbying for legislative changes;
• public awareness campaign;
• forming coalition with other concerned groups.

This fact sheet is part of a more detailed CUPE guideline on working alone which should assist you in taking steps necessary to provide protection in the workplace.

For further information contact:
CUPE National Health and Safety Branch
1375 St. Laurent Boul.
OTTAWA, Ontario
K1G 0Z7
Tel: (613) 237-1590
Fax: (613) 237-5508
Email: health_safety@cupe.ca
Website:  http://cupe.ca/health-and-safety

Working_Alone.pdf
(480 kB)