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Working Alone

Last updated: June 2024

Prepared by CCOHS

Listed below are sections of legislation which refer specifically to working alone. Situations requiring a safety watch or attendant may not be listed. For example, an attendant is often required for work in a confined space. Please see the Confined Space Entry topic for more information.

Enforcement and interpretation of any legislation or codes may vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Contact your local jurisdiction as listed in Canadian Governmental Occupational Health & Safety Departments (http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/information/govt.html). Legislation is amended from time to time and should be reviewed for the most current information about working alone.

This list is prepared by CCOHS as part of the Canadian enviroOSH Legislation service . This service is a comprehensive and easy to search compilation of the full text of Canadian health, safety and environmental legislation and critical guidelines and codes of practice from all jurisdictions. All the legislation is compiled into one convenient location and is regularly updated with amendments highlighted.

Subscribers to this service and paid learners of the CCOHS e-courses have access to the full text of the legislation listed in this document. To become a subscriber please contact Client Services .

Canada

As made under the Canada Labour Code, Part II (R.S.C. 1985, c. L-2),

Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (SOR/86-304)

Part VIII Electrical Safety

Section 8.8 Safety Watcher

Part XI Confined Spaces

Section 11.06 Emergency Procedures and Equipment

Section 11.07 Record of Emergency Procedures and Equipment

Part XII Protection Equipment and Other Preventive Measures

Section 12.15 Protection Against Drowning

Part XIII Tools And Machinery

Section 13.16

Part XIV Materials Handling

Division II Maintenance, Use and Operation

Section 14.25 Signals

As made under the Canada Shipping Act (S.C. 2001, c. 26),

Safe Working Practices Regulations (C.R.C. 1978, c. 1467)

Section 12

Section 31

Section 81 Pressure Vessels

See also:

905-1-IPG-062 Definition of Danger (October 2014 )

905-1-IPG-070 Danger as a Normal Condition of Employment (October 2014)

905-1-IPG-059 Workers working alone at a work place under the control of the employer (June 2016)

Alberta

As made under the Occupational Health And Safety Act (S.A. 2020, c. O-2.2),

Occupational Health and Safety Code (Alta. Reg. 191/2021)

Part 28 Working Alone

See also:

Working alone: OHS information for employers and workers (July 2022)

British Columbia

As made under the Workers Compensation Act (R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 492),

Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (B.C. Reg. 296/97)

Part 4 General Conditions

Working alone or in isolation

Section 4.20.1 Definition

Section 4.20.2 Hazard identification, elimination and control

Section 4.21 Procedures

Section 4.22 Training

Section 4.22.1 Late night retail safety procedures and requirements

Section 4.22.2 Mandatory prepayment for fuel

Section 4.23 Annual reviews of procedures

Part 8 Personal Protective Clothing and Equipment

Section 8.28 Working Alone

OHS Guidelines - Part 4 - General Conditions

Manitoba

As made under the Workplace Safety and Health Act (C.C.S.M. c. W210),

Workplace Safety and Health Regulation (Man. Reg. 217/2006)

Part 9 Working Alone or in Isolation

Part 34 Explosives

Blasting Procedures

Section 34.12 Blaster not to work alone

Operation of Mines Regulation (Man. Reg. 212/2011)

Part 2 Duties of Employers, Supervisors and Workers

Section 2.6 Workers working alone

Part 4 General Workplace Requirements

Section 4.14 Exception re first aid kits

See also:

Code of Practice for Workers Working Alone or in Isolation (November, 2006 )

New Brunswick

As made under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (S.N.B. 1983, c. O-0.2),

General Regulation - Occupational Health and Safety Act (N.B. Reg. 91-191)

Part VII Protective Equipment

Section 51

Part VII.1 Equipment for Firefighters

Section 51.6 Respiratory Protective Equipment

Part XII Explosives

Section 161

Part XXI Logging and Silviculture Operations

Sections 351 and 352

Code of Practice for Working Alone Regulation - Occupational Health and Safety Act (N.B. Reg. 92-133)

Underground Mine Regulation - Occupational Health and Safety Act (N.B. Reg. 96-105)

Part III General Requirements

Section 17 Working alone

Part XII Explosives

Section 162 Re-entering blasted area

Newfoundland and Labrador

As made under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (R.S.N.L. 1990, c. O-3),

Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2012 (N.L.R. 5/12)

Part III General Duties

Section 15 Working alone

Occupational Health and Safety First Aid Regulations (C.N.L.R. 1148/96)

Section 4 Duties of employer

Section 12 Status of workers

As made under the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Atlantic Accord Implementation Newfoundland and Labrador Act (R.S.N.L. 1990, c. C-2),

Offshore Area Petroleum Geophysical Operations Newfoundland and Labrador Regulations (N.L.R. 16/97)

Part III Occupational Safety and Health

Section 18 Crew safety requirements

See also:

Working Alone Safely Guidelines for Employers and Employees

Northwest Territories

As made under the Safety Act (R.S.N.W.T. 1988, c. S-1),

Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (R-039-2015)

Part 3 General Duties

Section 33 Working alone or at isolated work site

Part 20 Diving Operations

Section 295 Minimum crew

Section 305 Buddy system

Section 306 Free swimming diving

Working Alone Code of Practice (September 30, 2016)

As made under the Mine Health and Safety Act (S.N.W.T, 1994, c. 25),

Mine Health and Safety Regulations (R-125-95)

Part VIII Personnel Safety

Division I General

Section 8.09 Working Alone

Part XV Exploration

Section 15.08

Nova Scotia

As made under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (S.N.S. 1996, c. 7),

Occupational Safety General Regulations (N.S. Reg. 44/99)

Part 3 Personal Protective Equipment

Section 14

Part 11 Electrical Safety

Section 125 Hazardous work

Part 16 Equipment for Firefighters

Section 195 Respiratory protective equipment

Nunavut

As made under the Safety Act (R.S.N.W.T. (Nu) 1988, c. S-1),

Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (R-003-2016)

Part 3 General Duties

Section 33 Working alone or at isolated work site

Part 20 Diving Operations

Section 295 Minimum crew

Section 305 Buddy system

Section 306 Free swimming diving

Working Alone Code of Practice (September 30, 2016)

Mine Health And Safety Act (S.N.W.T, (Nu) 1994, c. 25),

Mine Health and Safety Regulations (R-125-95)

Part VIII Personnel Safety

Division I General

Section 8.09. Working Alone

Part XV Exploration

Section 15.08

Ontario

As made under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (R.S.O. 1990, c. O.1),

Confined Spaces (O. Reg. 632/05)

Section 15 Attendant

Construction Projects (O. Reg. 213/91)

Part III Excavations

Sections 224 - 225 Entry and Working Alone

Part IV Tunnels, Shafts, Caissons and Cofferdams

Section 246 Working Alone and Entry

Mines and Mining Plants (R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 854)

Part I General

Section 16

Prince Edward Island

Occupational Health and Safety Act (S.P.E.I. 2004, c. 42)

Administration

Section 9 Entry into isolated workplace

General Regulations (EC180/87)

Part 53 Working Alone

See also:

Guide to Working Alone Regulations (November 2019)

Quebec

As made under the Act respecting occupational health and safety (CQLR c. S-2.1),

Regulation respecting occupational health and safety (CQLR c. S-2.1, r. 13)

Division XXVIII Other High Risk Tasks

Section 322 Work performed in an isolated environment

Safety Code for the Construction Industry (CQLR c. S-2.1, r. 4)

Division III Construction Sites

§ 3.22 Work in isolated locations

Section 3.22.1

Regulation respecting sanitary conditions in industrial or other camps (CQLR c. S-2.1, r. 5.1)

Section 1 Definitions

Regulation respecting occupational health and safety in mines (CQLR c. S-2.1, r. 14)

Division II General

Section 15

Division IV Quality of the Work Environment

Section 85

Saskatchewan

As made under the Saskatchewan Employment Act (S.S. 2013, c. S-15.1)

Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2020 (c. S-15.1 R.10)

Part 3 General Duties

Section 3-24 Working alone or at isolated place of employment

Section 3-27 Safety measures - retail premises

Mines Regulations, 2018 (c. S-15.1 Reg 8)

Part V General Safety Requirements

Section 5-8 Working alone

Section 5-9 Regular inspection of underground mine

Yukon

As made under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (R.S.Y. 2002, c. 159),

Commercial Diving Regulations (O.I.C. 1986/164)

Sections 30 - 33

Section 35 SCUBA

Section 36 Surface - Supply Diving

Section 37 Deep Diving

Workplace Health and Safety Regulations (O.I.C. 2006/178)

Part 4 Hand Tools and Power Driven Portable Tools

Section 4.10 General requirements for chain saws

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