Prevention of Workplace Violence Procedure

Health and Safety < Prevention of Workplace Violence Procedure

Authorised by Chief Executive Officer

Issue Date: 3 March 2014

Introduction

Workplace violence is recognised as a significant workplace hazard that impacts on workers, families and the community as a whole.  Disability work is recognised as an occupation with a high risk of workplace violence.

Organisations have a duty of care under the Work Health and Safety Act, to provide and maintain a safe work environment where workers and others are not exposed to hazards and can work without risk of injury or harm to themselves and others.

Work health and safety legislation requires employers to take all practical steps to eliminate as far as possible workplace violence risks. Where risk cannot be eliminated, it must be reduced. If a violent incident does occur, there should also be response procedures in place to minimise the impact of the event.

Kyeema Support Services Inc. aims to meet its responsibilities by:

•      providing an overarching policy on the prevention of workplace aggression and violence

•      providing information and guidance to workers and managers through induction, training and ongoing communication regarding strategies for prevention of violence

•      identifying a framework for grievance resolution

•      outlining relevant support mechanisms including internal support networks,  and an Employee Assistance Program

•      identifying risk management approaches i.e. Participant Strategies

•      promoting zero tolerance to workplace aggressive behaviour and violence by ensuring managers and support staff address all behaviours of concern

•      promote strategies for the management of workplace aggressive behaviour and violence

Strategies to reduce risks must be undertaken using a consultative framework with input from employees.

All managers and supervisors are responsible for promoting a workplace free of aggressive behaviour and violence. This would include the management of incidents involving aggressive behaviour and violence.

As with other aspects of WHS, all workers have a role in, and responsibility for, maintaining a safe workplace.

It should be recognised that police action will be taken when appropriate.

Prevention of Workplace Aggression and Violence Guidelines:

Workers have the right to work in an environment free from aggressive behaviour and violence.  Participants and others also have the right to receive services in an environment free from risks to their personal safety.

Workers who believe they are subjected to workplace violence and aggression are encouraged to report such incidents to their manager or supervisor.  All complaints will be treated seriously and will be investigated promptly.

Support mechanisms will be made available to all workers, through an Employee Assistance Program or the internal support network.

It is important to note that a worker or manager does not have the right to retaliate physically to an act of assault unless the responding action is deemed to be self-defence and of the minimal intensity required for that purpose, as per the Office of Professional Practice’s guidelines on Physical Restraint.

These guidelines provide information for managers and workers on how to promote a working environment free from workplace aggression and violence and how to resolve complaints if incidents are reported.

Consultation:

Consultation is pivotal at all stages of the risk identification, assessment and control process and an integral part of good management. Consultation with health and safety representatives, security experts, workers and any other relevant bodies should occur to identify risks and effective solutions.

Incident reporting:

Kyeema Support Services Inc. programs areas will implement a local system for reporting and recording violent incidents that involve workers regardless of whether or not the incident results in an injury or lost time.  The objective of local incident reporting is to identify trends and develop strategies to reduce and prevent these.

Workers are to be aware of reporting requirements, and be actively encouraged and supported in reporting all violent incidents.  A readily accessible, simple to implement reporting procedure will encourage reporting, sensitive and appropriate follow up.

Responding to Violence

Immediate response options:

Every effort should be made, via the risk management process and the use of positive behaviour support, to prevent violence occurring.  However, in the event that a violent incident does eventuate, it is important that workers are aware that they do have a range of response options.  These responses will depend on a number of factors including the nature and severity of the event, whether it is a participant, visitor or intruder and the skills, experience and confidence of the worker(s) involved.  Responses may include calling for backup or calling local police.

•      All participants to be supported in remaining safe. This may include assisting them to move away from an incident or a potential incident.

•      All staff/Admin/Managers in the vicinity to be informed of what is happening so that they are on alert, are able to maintain their own safety.

Examples of de-escalation techniques.

When a participant becomes violent, consideration should always be given to the possible causes of the behaviour.  A violent outburst may be secondary to a number of medical conditions.

Procedures and strategies must be communicated to workers, and workers should be provided with training to enable them to implement strategies effectively and legally, particularly those involving restraint.

Post incident response:

When a serious incident is concluded workers should be provided with clear guidelines regarding employee support as per the Employment Assistance Program(EPO) (if they have not already been provided), and the option of time out from duties.  Appropriate psychological and operational debriefing should be set up and coordinated. Staff and participants should be supported to access debriefing including counselling where needed.

In addition a management review of the incident by appropriate staff and experts should be included.  The purpose of a review is to critically analyse how the incident was managed with a view to setting new standards for management of future incidents.

Incident reporting:

Violent incidents must be reported and recorded using the appropriate form and forwarded to the manager or supervisor.

Depending on the nature of the incident, it may also be necessary to report to external agencies such as Workcover, Police or other appropriate organisations.

Incident investigation:

The most effective way to prevent a recurrence of an incident is to determine why it happened and if it was preventable.  Incident investigations should:

•      be undertaken promptly by the manager or supervisor in consultation with health and safety representative and/or relevant workers

•      not apportion blame

•      be conducted in a supportive and non-judgmental way

•      identify underlying root cause/s and contributing factors

•      consider all sources of relevant information for example witnesses, incident reports, relevant work policies and procedures, the working environment, equipment used, level of supervision at the time, relevant training provided and expert advice including occupational health and safety or risk management staff

•      include an operational review if relevant

•      identify and recommend control measures to prevent a recurrence

Working at External Locations

Risk management:

Workers working in the community face a particular set of risks associated with working in an environment not under the control of the organisation and away from the immediate support of their colleagues.   Where the threat of violence presents itself, workers should retreat and/or seek further assistance, for example police if required.  Where retreat is not an option that is the worker is trapped with an assailant, all non-physical strategies have failed and the individual is under imminent or actual attack, evasive self-defence may be the only option.

Any incident, whether threatened or actual needs to be reported as per local reporting procedures, investigated and solutions proposed and implemented as far as practicable to prevent a recurrence. 

Safety for Non-direct support staff (e.g. Admin and Finance)

•      Orientation and induction for new staff to include information about participant behaviours and protective practices.

•      Staff to be made aware of which doors and office windows can be locked.

•      Staff to maintain their own safety by leaving support workers to deal with challenging participants.

•      Where possible support staff are to alert admin and other support staff if they are aware that there is a higher than usual risk of aggressive behaviour from a participant.

Safety for Direct Support Staff and Managers

1.  Induction for new staff to include discussion re participant behaviours. e.g. Participant behaviour alerts.

2.  On the job training. This can include shadow shifts, strategies for positive behaviour support for individual participants, mentoring and advice from supervisors and other staff.

3.  Analysis of incident reports at staff meetings and briefings in order to take preventative approaches to avoid repeats.

Remote Services

Risk management:

Support workers in rural and remote areas face unique challenges such as isolation and limited support that can make implementing risk controls and managing violent incidents particularly difficult.

In particular, the risk management process may be influenced by such factors as:

•      position held by worker

•      type of community worked in

•      degree of isolation of the community

•      access to emergency services (for example the police)

•      working arrangements, for example, on call

Response Management

In rural and remote services, it is important that there is an appropriate and consistent response to violence. 

The effective management of incidents requires that workers are well prepared in the event of a violent incident.  Preparedness for remote or off-site locations includes:

•      Training and support of staff

•      Gathering information about the participant

•      Gathering information regarding social or physical risks associated with the environment

•      Having a mobile phone

•      Being equipped with information on emergency support systems in the local region. These may include friends or family of the participant, police or other agencies or individuals.

Conclusion

These guidelines have identified the importance of developing zero tolerance to workplace aggressive behaviour and violence and the requirement to train managers, and workers to recognise and manage potential aggressive situations.  The adoption of a risk management approach to violence that can be implemented in different work environments has been identified, concluding with the process for resolution of complaints if incidents are reported.

Relevant Legislation & Documents

Restrictive Interventions Guidelines from the Office of Professional Practice (previously OSP), particularly guidelines regarding Physical Restraint

Occupational Health & Safety Regulations 2007

Occupational Health & Safety Act 2004

Work Health and Safety Act 2011

Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011