Working Alone in Alberta: Rules, Employer Duties and Check-Ins

In Alberta, working alone is legal, but it is treated as a hazard. Part 28 of the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Code requires employers to assess that hazard, give lone workers an effective way to call for help, and contact them at regular intervals. This guide explains when the rules apply, what employers must do, and how to build a work alone policy that holds up.

Does Alberta have working alone rules?

Yes. Alberta is one of the provinces with specific working alone requirements. They sit in Part 28 of the OHS Code (Alberta Regulation 191/2021, sections 393 and 394), under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Working alone is also a hazard that must be covered by the general hazard assessment rules in Part 2 of the Code.

When is a worker working alone in Alberta?

The working alone rules apply when both conditions are met:

• the worker is working by themselves at a work site, and
• assistance is not readily available if there is an injury, illness or emergency.

If two or more workers are working together, Part 28 does not apply. Government guidance uses three tests to decide whether assistance is readily available:

• Awareness: will someone capable of helping know the worker needs help?
• Willingness: is it reasonable to expect that person to help?
• Timeliness: will help arrive within a reasonable time?

The higher the risk, the stricter the test: for high-risk work, readily available can mean immediately available. A worker driving the Calgary to Edmonton highway in daytime is usually not working alone; the same worker on a remote logging road, or on a quiet road at night, usually is.

Who typically works alone in Alberta?

• Workers who handle cash: retail clerks, food outlet staff, taxi drivers.
• Workers who visit clients away from the office: home care, social services, bylaw officers.
• Workers doing hazardous work without public contact: oil and gas, forestry.
• Workers who travel alone: truck drivers, field technicians.
• Workers exposed to violence because they are isolated: security guards, custodians.

What employers must do

When a worker works alone, the employer must:

1. Assess the hazard. Identify existing and potential hazards arising from the conditions and circumstances of the work.
2. Eliminate or control it. Reorganize schedules, overlap shifts or pair workers where possible; otherwise put controls in place.
3. Provide an effective communication system. A radio, phone or other electronic device, linking the worker to someone who can respond.
4. Contact the worker at regular intervals appropriate to the hazards of the work.
5. Train the worker to do the job safely alone.

If an effective communication system is not practicable at the work site, the employer must instead visit the worker, or make sure the worker contacts the employer at set intervals.

Retail fuel outlets and convenience stores

Workers alone at gas stations, retail fuel outlets and convenience stores fall under additional violence prevention requirements, including a personal emergency transmitter monitored by the employer and worn at all times. See the government guide BP031.

Check-in requirements: how often?

The OHS Code does not set a fixed interval. The interval must match the hazard: every few hours may be enough for low-risk office work after hours, while hazardous or remote work calls for much shorter intervals, plus a check at the end of the shift. Your procedure should also say exactly what happens when a worker misses a check-in: who calls, after how long, and when to send help.

How to write a work alone policy in Alberta

A work alone policy turns these duties into a procedure your team can follow. It should cover:

• which jobs and situations count as working alone;
• tasks that must never be done alone;
• the hazard assessment and the controls chosen;
• the communication system and the check-in interval for each job;
• the escalation steps when a worker does not respond;
• training, records, and a review at least once a year.

Can a worker refuse to work alone?

Under the OHS Act, a worker can refuse work they believe presents an undue hazard. The worker must report the refusal to the employer or supervisor, who must investigate and take action.

How a lone worker app helps you comply

A lone worker app does not make you compliant on its own, but it helps you run your procedure reliably. With VigieApp, Neovigie's lone worker safety app:

• the Lifeline runs timed check-ins: if the worker does not reset the countdown, the alarm goes off, even if the phone is broken or out of coverage, because it is enforced by the server;
• missed check-ins escalate automatically to up to 10 supervisors per level, across 5 levels, by SMS, email, call and push;
• fall and no-movement detection raise the alarm when the worker cannot;
• every alarm is time-stamped, so you keep a record of your procedure.

For remote Alberta sites with no cell signal, Neovigie also works with satellite messengers.

Frequently asked questions

Is it legal to work alone in Alberta?

Yes. Working alone is allowed, provided the employer meets the requirements of Part 28 and Part 2 of the OHS Code.

What is an effective communication system?

A radio, telephone or other electronic device that connects the worker with someone able to respond, combined with regular contact at intervals suited to the hazard.

Do the rules apply to workers driving alone?

They can. Government guidance treats a vehicle as a work site; whether the rules apply depends on whether help is readily available, which changes with the road, the time of day and the hazard.

Sources

• Government of Alberta, Working alone: OHS information for workers and employers (WA002)
• Alberta OHS Act, Regulation and Code

Disclaimer: this article is provided for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Neovigie is not a law firm and does not provide legal or regulatory compliance advice. Regulations change over time: always refer to the current OHS Act, Regulation and Code, and consult a qualified legal or occupational health and safety professional before making decisions for your organization.