Many laws and regulations are in place to protect workers in Alberta.
The employment standards code, OHS and other rights and safety legislation exists to ensure a healthy and safe relationship between employers and employees.
Can an apprentice be left to work alone in Alberta?
The answer is yes, but only if the work is deemed to be safe.
There is no law in Alberta that specifically singles out apprentices when it comes to this matter.
This is a legal standard that applies to all employees in all industries. Employers can be criminally responsible in some cases where safety is jeopardized.
What is the Alberta Lone Worker Legislation?
On October 4, 2000, the Government of Alberta created the Working Alone Regulation.
Since then, it has been absorbed into the Occupational health and safety (OHS) working alone requirements.
Full Occupational health and safety (OHS) working alone requirements
Employers are responsible for employees safety in general, regardless of apprenticeship status.
You can go through the entire OHS working alone requirements in your own time, but these are the main takeaways.
Employers have a responsibility to:
Assess the hazards of the workplace before the work begins.
- Implement preventive measures against these hazards.
- Ensure an effective method of communication in the event of an emergency. If direct communication is not possible, then check-ins are required at regular intervals.
What Does ”Work Alone” Mean?
Before applying any lone worker policies, it’s important to first understand what working alone means from a legal perspective.
A lone worker is defined as “a worker is considered to be working alone if the worker works by himself or herself at a work site in circumstances where assistance is not readily available when needed.”
In Summary
- Yes, an apprentice can work alone in Alberta, under certain circumstances.
- There is no specific rule or legislation pertaining to apprentices working alone.
- Employers are responsible for safe working conditions for all employees.
- There is OHS legislation in Alberta that lays out employer expectations when in comes to employees working alone.
