Working Alone Policy
Answer
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to provide a safe environment for Library staff and volunteers through provision of procedures to be followed when working alone. The Boyle Public Library complies with the Provincial Occupational Health and Safety Act to ensure that employees required to work alone can do so safely.
Definitions
The Library considers an employee or volunteer to be working alone as work carried out in an area where normal means of contact (e.g. verbal, sight) are not available or where assistance is not readily presented creates the potential risk of existing hazards requires extra precaution.
‘Hazard’ means a situation, condition or thing that may be dangerous to the safety or health of workers.
Guidelines
- It is the responsibility of all personnel to perform work safely and to be accountable for their own safety. This includes, but not limited to, exercising prudent judgement regarding whether to perform potentially hazardous activities alone. For those occasions when, due to illness or other circumstances where working alone cannot be avoided the Working Alone Procedure document shall be closely adhered to.
- Relevant pre-existing medical conditions is up to the staff member to disclose.
- The Working Alone Procedure will be considered a “living document” and will be updated as needed to accommodate new arising hazards or adjustment to previously outlined hazards. It will be the responsibility of the Library Board and Manager jointly to update as needed.
- The Library Board, with assistance from Library Staff, will identify as part of a hazard assessment, the potential hazards of working alone and will take practical steps to eliminate or control the hazards.
- The Library Board is responsible to respond within 72 hours to unresolved safety concerns brought forward by the Library Manager, staff, volunteers or patrons.
- Establish that Library Staff and volunteers have an effective way of communicating with other people who can respond in the case of emergency.
- Ensure that Library Staff are trained and made aware of the hazards of working alone and the preventative steps to be taken to reduce potential risks.
- An initialed copy of the Working Alone policy will be placed in the employees file. The Library Manager will make available an up-to-date copy of the Working Alone Procedure at the Receiving Desk.