Gas station worker safety
Changes to improve safety for retail fuel and convenience store workers come into effect June 1, 2018.
Overview
In recent years, “gas and dash”, robberies and other violent incidents at retail fuel outlets and convenience stores have resulted in worker deaths and serious injuries.
An Act to Protect Gas and Convenience Store Workers was passed (in October) to improve worker safety.
The act updates the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Code to make prepaying for fuel and violence prevention plans mandatory in Alberta’s fuel and convenience stores.
The new measures take effect on June 1, 2018.
Prepay fuel
Prepaying for fuel may include:
- paying at the pump
- paying the attendant before fueling
- preauthorizing a debit or credit card or leaving cash with the attendant before fueling
- having an account at the fuel outletViolence prevention plans
Violence prevention plan elements include:
- cash handling procedures and minimal cash on premises
- time-lock safes that cannot be opened between 11 pm and 5 am
- limited quantities of certain items available between 11 pm and 5 am
- good visibility inside and outside premises
- video monitoring
- signage to inform of time-lock safes, limited quantities and video monitoring
- personal emergency transmitters for workers working alone
- mandatory training for workers in all violence plan aspects
News
- Bill to protect fuel and convenience store workers (Oct 30, 2017)