Articles Written by the Ok Alone Team

Duty of Care and Lone Working

Last Updated on: March 8, 2023 by Ok Alone

You will often hear the term “Duty of Care” use when people are discussing lone working. Have you ever wondered exactly what Duty of Care is? For those of you not up on your legal history, Duty of Care dates back to the 1800s with connections to both Tort and Common law. Originally, a Duty …

Simple safety advice for women driving alone

Last Updated on: September 17, 2024 by Ok Alone

Improving safety for employees who drive for work, from Ok Alone

The nightly news recently reported there are more people employed as drivers in Canada than any other job. Many of those drivers are women, and they are driving alone. Work alone is often thought about as a separate issue, but it is often coupled by assault and violence. As a result, we’ve compiled a list …

A collaborative approach to safety strategy in Canadian logistics

Last Updated on: December 6, 2023 by Ok Alone

I recently worked with a logistics company which delivers goods across Canada. They were interested in improving their Occupational Health and Safety Management System and their overall safety strategy. This company had the basics covered but were eager to develop a system that met all jurisdictional requirements. Over several months, I met with the company …

5 key elements to your fleet safety program

Last Updated on: December 6, 2023 by Ok Alone

The best fleet safety programs are designed to protect your staff against injury and you from liability. These programs set out the written policies and procedures you want followed as a preventive measure, and in the event of an unexpected emergency. In this blog, we are going to share five key elements of a good …

How to Create a Formal Hazard Assessment

Last Updated on: December 6, 2023 by Ok Alone

How to Create a Formal Hazard Assessment A formal hazard assessment is the basis for the organization’s entire occupational health and safety management system. It outlines the hazards, measures risk (to help prioritize hazards), and points to the necessary control measures. Levels of Hazard Assessment Formal hazard assessment Field-level hazard assessment Formal Hazard Assessment are …

Chemicals in the Workplace – Soup Theory for Laboratory Lone Working

Last Updated on: December 6, 2023 by Ok Alone

Chemicals used in the workplace and the soup we enjoy at home share in a common problem. It comes down to what I call the soup theory for laboratory lone working. Nearly everyone loves soup, as a child of the 70’s, canned soup was the ideal comfort food on a cold winter day. Occasionally when …

Sub-Contractors and your Health and Safety Program

Last Updated on: July 10, 2024 by Ok Alone

The first myth we need to disburse is that you are somehow not responsible for your sub-contractors health and safety while they are working on your job site or working in your name. This is not even a gray area anymore. For example Workers Compensation Board (WCB) in British Columbia looks at whether the sub-contractor …

Health and Safety Guidelines for Workers Exposed to Biowaste

Last Updated on: December 6, 2023 by Ok Alone

The handling of biowaste by lone workers is an area we hear more about each month. Health and Safety Guidelines across Canada, USA, UK Australia and New Zealand all cover the unique risks assosiciated with biowaste. In this blog, the team at SafetyON have kindly shared their thoughts on the subject. ————————- There are several …

High risk situations for Lone Workers

Last Updated on: March 8, 2023 by Ok Alone

I would like to share my views on lone worker duress communication, particularly when the clientele served is in high-risk situations. What I have found through my years as a crisis management consultant, leading various organization in minimizing risk and maximizing safety, needs to be shared. Individuals who are at the most risk are the …

Benefits of a Environmental, Health & Safety Management System

Last Updated on: July 10, 2024 by Ok Alone

Compliance with provincial and federal Occupational Health & Safety legislation plays an important role in the success of any business and contributes in worker productivity and morale.

Working from home. Working alone

Last Updated on: July 10, 2024 by Ok Alone

Home working has more than doubled in the US since 2005. In fact, the Huffington Post recently published an article about why the working from home trend is going to continue to grow or even explode. The social, economic and environmental arguments for this shift are very strong. In many major cities, a two hour …

Get grouping – Taking group actions with Ok Alone

Last Updated on: March 8, 2023 by Ok Alone

Ok Alone’s shows when a lone worker has left a designated “Safety Zone”. This feature may be very valuable if a person is working remotely, has limited phone coverage or in a designated work area.

Lone worker health and safety : Who is at risk?

Last Updated on: March 8, 2023 by Ok Alone

Lone worker health and safety: Who is at risk? A lot has been written about lone worker health and safety. Oddly, you rarely see a list of jobs or occupations that fall into the lone worker category. It’s almost assumed you will know who you are. At a high level, there are three categories of …

What does lone worker risk really mean?

Last Updated on: March 8, 2023 by Ok Alone

What does lone worker risk really mean? We often hear about lone worker risk. It’s talked about in a generic sort of way – you are on your own, so you’re at more risk. While this is true, it’s less common to see these risks broken down into meaningful categories that can be analysed. This …

How does health and safety fit with working alone?

Last Updated on: March 8, 2023 by Ok Alone

Health and safety is a term that’s been around for a long time. The general topic covers a wide range of activities from working with hazardous materials to agriculture. Health and safety legislation requires employers, amongst other things, to make sure all reasonable risks in the workplace have been reviewed and mitigated as much as …

Why Experiential Training is a Key Part of your Lone Worker Solution

Last Updated on: March 8, 2023 by Ok Alone

Due to the isolated nature of their work, lone workers face unique challenges regarding health and safety. There are no colleagues around to watch their back, to lend a hand, or to intervene when their actions become unsafe. Instead, lone workers must rely on their own skills, knowledge and experience to carry out the job …

Are you looking out for the mental health of your lone workers?

Last Updated on: March 8, 2023 by Ok Alone

When it comes to assessing the risks associated with working alone, it’s easy to focus on the physical dangers that can easily set off a lone worker alarm or man down alarm. Heights, loud noises, chemicals, extreme temperatures, tripping hazards—these are all things you can see, hear, and feel. But under the surface, there’s a …

I Think I Checked-In – Maybe not. Know your Status with Ok Alone

Last Updated on: March 8, 2023 by Ok Alone

Looking for ideas to improve your safety policies? This month you get two articles that take a interesting approaches. Marketing teams use them all the time, so why can’t Safety Departments too? Focus groups can provide powerful insights into the risks your teams face. This article gives you practical advice for using focus groups effectively. …

Work Alone Safety: Creating a Safe Space for Fixed-Site Lone Workers

Last Updated on: December 6, 2023 by Ok Alone

Work Alone Safety: Creating a Safe Space for Fixed-Site Lone Workers What comes to mind when you hear the term “lone worker?” An oilfield operator testing well production at an unmanned site? A biologist conducting fieldwork on a northern river? A truck driver making a delivery on an isolated stretch of road? These types of …