All three conditions must be met to be considered “not less accessible.” Workplaces that are remote or that cannot readily be reached by an ambulance travelling by land, or where BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) cannot safety access such as back country, down steep embankments, rough terrain, where high risk of avalanche, flood, etc. exist, will fall in this category regardless if the workplace has alternative provisions in place to safety rescue workers from hazardous areas.
Workplaces where workers may be working in hazardous areas should be considered less accessible, unless:
- The workplace is not remote, nor otherwise less accessible, and
- The employer has developed alternative provisions to safely rescue workers in accordance with the requirements of section 4.13 of the Regulation. For the purpose of this section, “safely rescue” will be taken to mean:
- Moving the injured worker from the hazardous area to an area accessible to BCEHS in a way that will not cause additional injury or further exacerbate pre-existing injuries or illnesses.
This will generally include packaging and transporting an injured worker in accordance with the practices taught in the transportation endorsement course, unless impractical to do so (for example, for workers working in a bucket truck that can be lowered to the ground, or workers working in confined spaces who remain on a harness that allows them to be pulled from the hazardous area)
- Where practicable to do so, and without putting the first aid attendant at unreasonable risk, nor delaying transport to an area accessible to BCEHS, provide immediate and on-going first aid to the injured worker during the rescue. The level of first aid provided during rescue should be sufficient to address injuries likely to arise in the less-accessible area.
