Occupational Health and Safety investigators have been gathering evidence at the Elk Island Youth Ranch near Lamont, where a caregiver was seriously injured while at work Saturday night.
Two OHS investigators interviewed people at the ranch east of Edmonton on Sunday and again on Monday.
As part of their probe, investigators will look at staffing ratios, including whether the injured woman was working alone at the time, said Kathy Kiel, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Labour.
Police say the woman, in her early 60’s, was attacked by two teenage boys who were residents of the facility.
The two boys used a weapon to assault the woman inside a building at the ranch just after 11 p.m., according to Fort Saskatchewan RCMP.
The teenagers, aged 14 and 15, drove off in a stolen truck. They have since been arrested and now face a series of charges, including attempted murder.
The Elk Island Ranch describes itself on its website as a facility that provides intensive treatment for children and teenagers.
Province funds services at ranch
The province funds some services at the ranch through the department of Children’s Services.
A department spokesperson said all agencies that do contract work with the government are required to have safety plans in place as a precaution to protect staff and clients.
There are cases where staff sometimes work alone in such settings, the spokesperson said.
Staff levels at such facilities would vary, with more staff generally needed during the day and fewer at night, when residents are asleep.
While the injured worker was not a member of AUPE, the union said it is watching the case closely, given that many of its workers face possible confrontations with clients on the job.
“We have a number of government workers that are faced with volatile situations, such as our social workers who are having to do unannounced home visits or investigations, and they don’t necessarily know what they’re going into,” said Carrie-Lynn Rusznak, a vice-president at the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees.
Rusznak said the incident on Saturday and the release last week of a fatality inquiry report into the death of Valerie Wolski should lead to serious discussions about added protections for women caregivers working in potentially risky situations.
“It’s already an added level of volatility based on some of the behaviours these facilities can tailor to,” said Rusznak, who chairs an occupational health and safety committee at the union.
Elk Island Ranch runs several facilities
The Elk Island Ranch has several live-in facilities for children and teenagers who may have behavioural issues or developmental delays, as well as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
On its employment page, the ranch lists a starting wage for a youth-care worker at $17.05 an hour, plus benefits.
The woman who was injured Saturday remains in hospital in stable condition.
The RCMP investigation continues.
Police say no court date has been set for the two boys.
The department of Children’s Services will review the final OHS report to try to learn from what happened and prevent any future incidents, the department spokesperson said.
The OHS investigation could take months to complete.