WCB P.E.I. clarifies emergency callout of workers policy

The Workers Compensation Board (WCB) of Prince Edward Island has amended its emergency callout of workers policy to make it clearer when coverage begins and ends in an emergency situation.

The policy, which hadn’t been amended since it was originally approved in January 2006, details the situations when a volunteer firefighter is considered to be in the course of employment and when a worker is considered to be in the course of employment in emergency situations.

“A worker is not considered to be in the course of employment while routinely travelling to and from work,” the policy said. “However, as part of their contract of employment, the worker might be called out at a time which is outside his/her normal working hours to deal with an emergency situation connected with his/her employment.”

A worker is considered to be in the course of employment when he first becomes aware of the emergency and is required to travel from his employer’s workplace or to some other place where the job has to be done. The worker continues to be in the course of employment until he returns to one of the following places: home, the place where the call was received or any place for refreshment or recreation.

A volunteer firefighter is considered to be in the course of employment while:

•in the act of responding to an emergency, which begins when the firefighter first becomes aware of the emergency

•at the site of the emergency

• in the act of returning from the site of the emergency to the place where the call was received, the worker’s regular place of employment or any place for refreshment or recreation, whichever is reached first

•participating in required or authorized firefighter training

•participating in required or mandatory fire drills

•involved in the repair and maintenance of the fire department’s property and equipment

•participating in required or authorized meetings related to the provision of firefighting services