*Cette information n’est malheureusement pas disponible en français actuellement.*

 

What is Workplace Violence?

Broad Issue "Any act in which a person is abused, threatened, 
intimidated or assulted in his/her employment"
*Canadian Centre For Occupational Health & Safety - Violence in the Workplace Prevention Guide.
- Threatening Behaviour
- Verbal or Written Threats
- Harassment
- Verbal Abuse
- Physical Attacks
Location - All business related functions

Why Is Workplace Violence an Important Issue?

Affects all business sectors and occupations
Compliance to Government Regulation
Organizational Image
- Morale of Staff
- Recruitment of quality Staff-
- Strained Labour Relations
Productivity/Cost Organizations
Vicarious Liability (Due Diligence)
Objective

 

Assess the need for workplace violence programs in their organization.
Identify policies, procedures, and processes required to develop workplace violence prevention programs.
Implement steps to address workplace violence in their organizations.
Increase awareness of the need for workplace violence programs in your organization.
Identify exposures to risk and liability in the absence of workplace violence prevention programs.
Meeting the Needs

 

What's Been Done to Meet the Need?

Government Legislation
British Columbia
Saskatchewan
Manitoba
Provincial Health & Safety
Interest Groups
Unions
O.H.S.C.

Meeting the Needs

Each Organization is unique
Needs Analysis 
History
Type
Numbers
History
Demographic Risk
Age
Gender
Education
Demographic
Environmental Risk
Temporal
Geographical
Situational
Occupational
Environmental

Needs Analysis

Assessing Risk
Gathering & Interpreting Information
Determining Risk Levels

Training
- Video & Discussion

Four Key Elements
Nature of Interactions between employees & public
Past History
Attitudes of Employees
Work Environment
Action Plan

 

Action Plan - Developing a Program
Seven Key Elements to a Workplace Violence Prevention Program:

1. Written Policy Statement

Foundation of WVPP.
Goals:
Identify & acknowledge risks of injury to workers resulting from violence.
State the employer's overall approach to preventing incidents of violence.
Outline in general terms the responsibilities of managers, supervisors and workers.
Provide direction from senior managment regarding support for a WVPP.
Communicate the Policy
2. Regular Risk Assessment

Goals:

Establish time frames for regular risk assesments (After initital assessment).
Create a procedure for conducting and documenting risk assessments.
Provide a method by which the results of each risk assessment will be made available to all workers.
When to update risk assements?
Material Change in workplace

Major change in operations
Major change in physical design
Signicant change in staffing levels
Proximity, geography, location changes

3. Prevention Procedures
a. Prevention

Key Aspects	Procedures	Environment
Violence prevention procedures for workers. Detail work environment changes that will be implemented to prevent incidents of violence. Direction to staff for safe response methods.	Procedures that alter the way employees do their job. Review how employees conduct their work, interact with public. Specific prevention procedures to fit each function. "Reasonable Measures" Examples: - Termination - Work Alone - Sales Calls/Outcalls - Deposits/Cash Handling	CPTED Territoriality Hierarchy of Space Access Control Natural Surveillance 6. Design/Layout

b. Incident Response

Incident Response Protocols

Based upon risk assessment of most common type of occurences.
Minimize violence once incident occurs (Containment)
Key Points

]Assign Decision maker for major incidents
Individual responsibilities
When and Who will activate 911
Formal SOP with proper documentation
Plan Scenarios
Ensure appropriateness of response
Violence Response Teams

4. Employee Training

Type

1. Conflict Resolution
2. Bomb Threat
3. Non Violent Invervention
4. Defensive Techniques
5. Robbery Prevention/Response
6. VRT training

Resources

1. Consultants
2. Police Service
3. WCB
4. OH&S
5. Special Organizations

Document Training & Maintain Records

5. Procedures for Incident & Investigation Documentation

Incident Reporting & Investigation

Standard method (Protocol)

Outline expected action from staff

Who receives reprts
Who ensures corrective action
Standard mechanism for investigation

Outline how corrective action/s will be implemented

Medical treatment or referral

6. Incident Follow-up

Different from Investigation

Key Points:

1. Prevention Procedure effective
2. New or amended procedures
3. Response to incident appropriate
4. Response by management
5. Additional Training
6. Investigation corrective action - effective

WCB or OH&S regulations

7. Annual Program Review

Document All Corrective Action

Key Steps For Organizations
√ Communicating to all employees
√ Risk Communication procedure
√ Confidentiality

Key Benefits

A Sound Workplace Violence Prevention Program Will: 
1. Increase Safety of all employees
2. Reduce Cost to Organizations

1. Sick Leave
2. Turnover
3. Staff Morale - Productivity
4. Insurance
5. Workers Compensation
6. Vicarious Liability

3. Image of Organization
4. Improve Labour Relations

Next Steps

1. Workshops
2. Facilitation and Training of Staff
3. Consulting Services