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Amended Working Alone or in Isolation Regulations begin February 1st
Richmond, B.C., January 25, 2008—Amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation to improve the health and safety of workers that are working alone or in isolation take the effect of law beginning February 1, 2008.
These amendments will require mandatory pre-payment of fuel at gas stations throughout BC and will better protect workers in late night retail premises as well as other workers at risk of an injury or disease while working alone or in isolation.
The changes follow a period of extensive consultation across BC with employers, workers, police and other interested parties, including two sets of public hearings that were held in late 2006 and in 2007 in locations across BC. WorkSafeBC’s Board of Directors approved the amendments last fall following this process.
Pre-payment for fuel
These new regulations will require pre-payment for fuel at all gas stations throughout BC.
“We heard very strongly from stakeholders during the consultation process that they wanted these regulations to apply 24 hours a day, seven days a week and the amendments reflect that,” said Roberta Ellis, WorkSafeBC’s vice-president of Policy, Investigations and Review.
Consideration of these requirements, sometimes called “Grant’s Law”, resulted from WorkSafeBC’s investigation into the tragic death of gas station attendant Grant DePatie, a young worker who was killed while trying to prevent a ‘gas and dash’ robbery when working alone at a Maple Ridge gas station and a request from Minister of Labour and Citizens’ Services Olga Ilich.
“We want to make sure everyone returns home safely after a day’s work,” said Ilich. “I’m pleased that we are able to remember Grant DePatie through improved safety measures for thousands of workers throughout British Columbia.”
The requirements will change how some customers purchase fuel. In larger centres, the option to pre-pay at the pump is generally available. In smaller centres, customers may need to pre-pay at the cash register or with an attendant before fuelling.
“While we recognize this change may cause a small inconvenience for some customers, convenience cannot come at the high cost of violence to vulnerable workers,” Ellis said.
New safety requirements for workers at late night retail premises
Other amendments to the working alone or in isolation regulations are designed to protect workers in late night retail premises such as a gas station or a convenience store or other outlet that is open to the public between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
If a worker is alone or in isolation and there is risk of harm from a violent act, the employer must develop and implement written procedures to ensure the worker’s safety in handling money. The worker must also be trained in the written procedure.
In such cases, the new regulation will require that the employer:
- Prevent harm to the worker by way of a locked door or a barrier that protects the worker, and/or
- Schedule more than one worker to work during late night hours
New safety requirements for all workers working alone or in isolation
All employers are also required to identify hazards and eliminate or minimize the risk from any hazards that are identified. The Regulation identifies the usual occupational health and safety controls, including engineering the risk out and examining administrative practices to eliminate or minimize the risk.
“Workers around the province have raised their concerns about the unfortunate incidents of violence they face when working alone. They also expressed appreciation for the value the community places on their health and well-being,” said Ellis.
Find out more about the Working Alone or in Isolation amendments.
Serving 2.2 million workers and about 190,000 employers, WorkSafeBC is a provincial statutory agency governed by a Board of Directors and funded by employers. WorkSafeBC was born out of a compromise between BC's workers and employers in 1917 where workers gave up the right to sue their employers or fellow workers for injuries on the job in return for a no-fault insurance program fully paid for by employers. WorkSafeBC is committed to a safe and healthy workplace and to providing return-to-work rehabilitation and legislated compensation benefits to workers injured as a result of their employment.
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For more information, contact: |
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| Scott McCloy Director, Communications WorkSafeBC 604 276-5157 or Scott.mccloy@WorkSafeBC.com |
Donna Freeman Manager, Corporate Public Affairs WorkSafeBC 604 276-3141 or Donna.Freeman@WorkSafeBC.com |