Working Alone

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Working Alone

Supervisors must establish and provide procedures and appropriate communication equipment for workers working in isolation of the rest of a work crew.  The procedures must be written and discussed in consultation with affected workers.  Use the pre-job safety meeting minutes for recording procedures and discussions.  Procedures and training are to include:

Routine, pre-scheduled communications, how often the worker in isolation shall be contacted and by whom.

Communications shall be recorded and include the time of the communication, the location of the worker and the activity performed.

Emergency response procedures if communications fail or the worker is not able to be contacted.
 

To work alone means to work where you cannot be seen or heard by another person and/or at a work site in circumstances where assistance is not readily available in the event of an injury, illness or emergency.  When field personnel (contractors or employees) are expected to work alone, all workers will be trained in the requirements listed below:

Potential hazards related to the work site and the tasks to be performed shall be identified and analysed by the senior Power Tech Industries Ltd. representative responsible for the job.  The purpose of this analysis is to ensure that the tasks can be performed safely in isolation (by one person).  Although the decision to allow someone to work alone is mostly subjective, some considerations for this hazard analysis must include:

Whether the hazards can be safely controlled, without the use of specialty PPE, (such as breathing apparatus), specialty training or complicated procedures.

Proximity to back up / response and support from other competent workers or emergency responders.

Communications equipment availability and the ability to communicate with outside resources.

Competence of the worker performing the task.

Involvement by the person who is to work alone.

Hazard analysis & issuance of the safe work permit are the same process.

Ensure that the person is provided with adequate communication equipment and that the equipment is able to function in the areas where the person will be working.

When responding to an emergency shutdown alarm at a process facility, the responder must contact a backup person (another full-time Power Tech Industries Ltd. employee or contractor, competent in the tasks / operations).  The responder must contact the backup person when first arriving on site and inform the backup person of the situation.  The responder must contact the backup person at least hourly until the responder is back at home.

If communication is lost with the person working alone or they have not called into either a call-out service or the designated employee, efforts shall be made to re-establish communications.  If communications cannot be re-established within a half hour of the scheduled call in, at least two competent personnel shall initiate the emergency response plan and travel to the last known location of the missing person.

Vehicle incidents (without exception) account for the greatest frequency and severity of losses the oil and gas industry experience.  Although there may be exceptions to the rule, personnel should not be driving for more than 8 hours without rest.  No one should be driving after more than 14 hours of work without at least 2 hours of rest.  Each worker’s good judgement should prevail.  If long hours have been worked or if a worker is tired, they should not be getting behind the wheel of a vehicle.

Where communications cannot be maintained, a Power Tech Industries Ltd. representative shall either visit the person working alone or ensure the person working alone contacts the Power Tech Industries Ltd. representative at intervals of time appropriate to the nature of the hazards associated with the worker's work.

When approaching a facility or working around a facility, especially alone, the following should be considered:

Park vehicles a safe distance from process equipment or potential gas sources.  Park vehicles close to entrances and pointed toward the facility exit.

Use personal monitors consistently to detect H2S, where required / provided.

Approach process equipment on foot slowly.  Look and listen for anything unusual, (smoke, escaping gas, etc.).  ALWAYS call a potential problem into another employee and consider waiting for backup before investigating further or responding to a potential problem.

Open building doors slowly and prop them open if working within, even for a short time.  Consider propping two doors open to ensure cross ventilation for larger buildings.

Stay in communication with others on a pre-determined schedule.