WHEREAS pursuant to Section 3 of the Municipal Government Act, the purpose of a municipality is to develop and maintain safe and viable communities and in accordance with 7(a) of the Act, a council may pass bylaws for municipal purposes respecting the safety, health and welfare of people and protection of people and property; and

WHEREAS municipal governments do establish bylaws, policies and provisions for the delivery of emergency services within their respective boundaries; and

WHEREAS commercial and industrial sites are located at remote locations within the County of Thorhild No. 7 and may not easily accessible for emergency response by land or air; and

WHEREAS under Part 7, Section 115 (1) of the 2009 Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Code, an employer must establish an emergency response plan for responding to an emergency that may require rescue or evacuation;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the AAMDC work with the provincial government to encourage commercial and industrial employers within the Province of Alberta to address and provide for emergency access at remote locations in their emergency response plans in accordance with current legislation.

The County of Thorhild No. 7 has numerous commercial and oil/gas industry related operations (i.e. well sites and pipeline corridors) within its boundaries. Many of these sites can be extremely difficult to access by emergency responders, both by land and air, depending on weather considerations, i.e. snow and drift winter conditions and wet summer conditions.

The AAMDC has no active resolutions regarding this issue.

Human Services:

As noted in the resolution, the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Code requires employers to establish an emergency response plan that includes procedures for rescue and evacuation.  For worksites in remote locations, it is expected this will include provisions for access by emergency responders as may be appropriate.

Section 180 of the OHS Code also requires employers to ensure arrangements are in place for transporting injured or ill workers from a worksite.  ‘Arrangements’ are considered to include a transportation plan which addresses situations in which an ambulance service is not readily available or when travel conditions are not normal.  Information on developing such a plan is available in the OHS Code 2009 Explanation Guide available on Alberta Human Services website at: http://employment.alberta.ca/documents/WHS/WHS-LEG_ohsc_p11.pdf. 

OHS Policy staff will be pleased to meet with officials of AAMDC or the sponsoring county to discuss application of these requirements.  

Municipal Affairs:

This issue is within the jurisdiction of Occupational Health and Safety.  Occupational Health and Safety Code 2009 – Part 7 requires employers to have emergency response plans in place for on-site emergencies.

The AAMDC accepts the response of Alberta Human Services and Alberta Municipal Affairs as the Occupational Health and Safety Code requires employers to have emergency response plans in place that include procedures for rescue, evacuation and transport.