Legal Requirements, Check-In Procedures, and Emergency Planning
Working alone is common across many industries — a field inspector conducting an evening visit, a facilities worker in an empty building, a late-shift office worker. For all of them, the absence of a co-worker creates a specific and legally recognized hazard that Ontario law requires employers to address.
Bullivant Health + Safety | bullivant.ca | 905-664-4943 | 158 S Service Road, Stoney Creek, ON
This resource is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
1. What Is Working Alone?
Working alone means performing work in circumstances where assistance is not readily available in the event of injury, illness, or emergency. This applies to workers physically isolated and those who cannot quickly summon help even when others are nominally present.
Common Lone Worker Scenarios
- Field workers conducting site or property inspections, especially evenings or in isolated areas
- Maintenance workers in large or multi-building complexes
- Administrative staff in offices before or after regular hours
- Workers making client home visits or conducting community outreach
- Delivery or service workers on independent routes
- Security, cleaning, or grounds staff on overnight or early-morning shifts
2. The Legal Framework
O. REG. 851, SECTION 45
An employer shall ensure that a worker who works alone in circumstances where the worker may be in danger shall be checked at intervals of not more than one (1) hour. The means of checking shall be, in order of preference: in-person, by telephone, or by any other appropriate means of communication. (Ontario Regulation 851 — Industrial Establishments)
- OHSA Section 25(2)(h) — every reasonable precaution includes managing lone worker hazards
- OHSA Section 25(2)(a) — information, instruction, and supervision must be adapted for lone workers
- O. Reg. 67/93 — construction projects require communication and emergency access for isolated workers
3. Employer Obligations
| HAZARD IDENTIFICATION
Identify all roles and situations where workers may work alone — including not just designated lone worker positions but any scenario where isolation could occur. WRITTEN LONE WORKER PROGRAM Develop and communicate a program covering which workers are lone workers, what check-in procedures apply, and what happens when a check-in is missed. CHECK-IN PROCEDURES Establish and enforce check-in schedules at intervals no greater than one hour where a worker may be in danger. Supervisors must have a documented escalation protocol. |
RISK ASSESSMENT
Assess risks amplified by working alone — medical emergencies, violence, accidents, equipment failures. Document and review regularly. COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS Ensure every lone worker has reliable communication — a charged phone at minimum, radio or satellite device where cell coverage is unavailable. EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN Document what happens when a worker cannot be reached — who is called, what is the timeline, who has authority to dispatch emergency services. |
4. Check-In Procedures
- Before lone work begins, confirm work location, expected duration, check-in schedule, and that vehicle and communication devices are functional.
- At each check-in interval, the worker contacts a designated person to confirm their status and location.
- The designated contact logs each successful check-in with time, worker name, and location.
- If a check-in is missed, the contact immediately attempts to reach the worker by all available means.
- If the worker cannot be reached within a defined timeframe (typically 10–15 minutes), the escalation protocol is activated.
- After each lone work period, the worker confirms their safe return and the log is closed.
MISSED CHECK-INS MUST BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY
Every missed check-in must be followed up — every time. A worker regularly allowed to miss check-ins without consequence learns the system is not real. When a genuine emergency occurs, delayed response can be fatal.
5. Worker Rights
- The right to a lone worker risk assessment and documented procedures before working in isolation
- The right to functioning communication equipment before beginning lone work
- The right to refuse work in conditions they reasonably believe are unsafe
- The right to check-in procedures that are actually followed and escalated when missed
GENERAL INFORMATION NOTICE
This resource is for general informational purposes only. Contact the Ministry of Labour for regulatory guidance specific to your workplace.