Violence in the Workplace
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IN THIS ISSUE |
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WELCOME |
Once again, as CEO of EDP Health and Safety Consultants, I would like to welcome you to this month’s issue of our newsletter.
I wonder if, when commuting to work, you positively look forward to meeting colleagues and customers without fear of being intimidated, threatened or possibly even injured. In today’s world, it is a sad fact that more and more of us face violence in some shape of other simply as a result of doing our jobs.
In this month’s article I want to draw your attention to this issue that brings fear and misery to more and more workers – the fear that they could become victims of abuse or violence while at work.
Perhaps as an employer you believe that everybody is safe and serene in your organisation – but can you be sure that is always the case? If any of your employees are being bullied or are feeling under threat, then the law demands that, as an employer, you take effective action.
But how do you go about it, where do you find the time and where can you get sound counsel? That is where we can help and we are only a ‘phone call away. If you need practical support or advice on anything mentioned in this newsletter or any other aspect of health and safety, get in touch with us. You can find our contact details below.
David Skews, (CEO)
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VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE |
Recent surveys reveal that ‘violence at work’ is still a major issue and in some cases is on the increase. For example, the British Crime Survey (2004/5) confirms what a number of trade unions and industry bodies have been stating for some time.
Violence Can Take Many Forms
If you work as a policeman or security guard, maybe you anticipate some level of threat as part of your job. But perhaps you belong to a different profession – one that you don’t normally associate with violent conduct. Nevertheless, as you read the daily news, you may be feeling more uneasy about your safety. A few recent findings may serve to illustrate the point:
- 1 out of 10 teachers have experienced violence from pupils or their parents
(according to the NASUWT)
- 4 out of 10 nurses report having been threatened or abused by patients
(according to the Royal College of Nursing)
- 7 out of 10 shop workers have been threatened with violence from members of the public
(according to the British Retail Consortium)
- 9 out of 10 parking attendants and traffic wardens report some form of violence
(according to UNISON)
You may not have experienced violence from disgruntled members of the public, but what about threats, intimidation, harassment or other forms of inappropriate behaviour from your colleagues or bosses at work
Violence is Expensive
Apart from any physical damage and personal distress that you may experience, violence at work can be costly whether you are an employer or an employee. Consider for a moment the impact of low morale, increased stress levels, high staff turnover rates and, of course, the direct costs of absence due to sickness, investigating incidents and the heavy expense of compensation claims.
A teacher in a recent case was awarded £330,000 compensation from Birmingham City Council after she was threatened by an intruder in the school where she worked. Employer or employee, you cannot afford to be complacent. If you feel unsure about how to address the issue yourself, then call in one of our advisors and we will conduct an assessment for you.
Violence is not Inevitable
Regardless of where threats or acts of violence come from, avoid the trap of thinking they are “an inevitable part of the job”. Employers are responsible for identifying hazards, assessing levels of risk, identifying who is at risk and taking precautions to eliminate or mange risk, just as they are for any other workplace hazards.
If you want your policy against violence to be successful and defeat the idea that violence is inevitable, you must make it part of your organisation’s culture. For that to happen, all senior managers must embrace it as well as every employee. So how are you to go about it?
What You Should Do
As I mentioned earlier, you first need to assess the extent of the risk and that means undertaking a systematic enquiry. Rather than “assuming” that there isn’t a problem in your workplace, you need to assemble some hard facts.
You also need to publish a policy document that expresses your organisation’s determination that no employees will be exposed to unacceptable threats of violence from any source and broadly speaking what actions you have taken to minimise the risks. Your policy should include precautions to prevent incidents arising in the first place and then measures to effectively deal with incidents that do occur, before they escalate out of hand.
To ensure widespread acceptance and cooperation, you need to communicate the information to all your employees and then actively consult them in order to monitor how successful you have been in implementing the policy.
Make it Part of the Culture
If all this activity is treated as a one-off project it is unlikely to have any long-term impact. To make it part of your culture, you need to be regularly bringing the issue up with your staff, using whatever means of communication you have available, such as in-house newsletters, Intranets, notice boards, training, management briefings, etc. Emphasise zero tolerance and remind people about the precautions that are in place and their responsibility for helping to counteract violence.
As an employer who is a regular reader of our newsletter, you are genuinely concerned about the welfare of your staff, but perhaps you are unsure how to tackle the risks and in any case you may not have sufficient time to devote to the practicalities. This is where we can help by providing the expertise and resource to ensure you comply with legal requirements and provide a safe working environment for all your employees.
Call 08456 44 53 52 with your concerns and let us suggest ways in which we can help.
See edpFRAMEWORK for a broader perspective on Managing Health & Safety
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CASE LAW |
A little bit of bullying can go a long way in terms of serious consequences. An accident recently came to court that occurred in December 2003, in which two drivers of heavy goods vehicles died in a head on collision.
One of them worked for R&B Drivers Agency – a company supplying agency drivers to the haulage trade. Investigators concluded that this employee probably fell asleep at the wheel after driving for 33 hours with less than 8 hours rest. In part, they put the reason down to bullying tactics by the bosses of R&B, who pressured staff to exceed legal driving hours by threatening to withhold further work if they refused to do so.
One of the business partners went to jail for two and a half years under health and safety regulations, along with other offences. The other partner paid out £2,500 in fines and costs. In addition, a number of other drivers employed by the firm received fines and the haulage company that hired the driver also received fines and costs amounting to £9,000.
On top of the deaths of two drivers, that amounts to a custodial sentence along with numerous fines and, of course, the risk posed to many other road users - and all from a disregard for driver’s hours due to greed.
Read further details of the case on the BBC News Site at
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/4524850.stm
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LEGAL MONITOR |
After the introduction in April of a number of changes to UK health and safety regulations, you might be able to relax for a while before the next changes that are scheduled to arrive in October.
However, one item of recent news is the publication of a draft document for new “Carriage of Dangerous Goods Regulations”, planned for 2007. You will be affected if you need to transport any classes of dangerous goods by road or rail.
The intention is to replace some existing regulations, including:
- - Radioactive Materials (Road Transport) Regulations
- - Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations
You can find background information on this proposal on our website at
http://www.edp-uk.com/law_changes.htm
View anticipated Changes to Health & Safety Law. Then decide how you might be affected and if you need to make changes in preparation.
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David Skews, (CEO)
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EDP Health Safety & Environment Consultants Ltd
Lakeside, Alexandra Park, Prescot Road, St. Helens, Merseyside, UK
Telephone: 08456 44 53 52
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