Workplace Violence Prevention: 5 Quick Steps to Assessing Risk!

Workplace Violence Prevention: 5 Quick Steps to Assessing Risk!

There are lots of reasons to look earnestly at the issue of workplace violence prevention for employees.
There are 5 critical steps to doing just that. Over the next few blogs, I’ll examine each of these steps in closer detail.
Workplace Violence has always been serious business…..but in 2004, it got really serious.

Bill C-45 Became Federal Legislation.

Bill C-45 amended the Criminal Code of Canada and became law on March 31, 2004. The Bill created new legal responsibilities for workplace health and safety, and imposed serious penalties for violations that result in injuries or death. The Bill provided new rules for attributing criminal liability to businesses, their representatives and those who direct the work of others. Bill C-45 was also known as the Westray Bill as a result of a disaster that occurred at the Westray Mine in Nova Scotia where 26 lives were lost after a methane explosion.
Workplace Violence Prevention Is Serious Business…..

Step 1: Identify The Hazards.

A hazard is something that can cause harm – in this case violence or aggression. You can gather this information from your staff as well as looking back and also look back at accident/WorkSafe reports.

Step 2: Decide Who Might Be Harmed and How?

Work out whether and how violence, or the fear of violence, could affect
employees and other people within the workplace. Spend some time thinking about whether there are any special groups of employees who have different or
additional risks. For example: employees who are on their own or new trainees.

Step 3: Evaluate the Risks and Decide on Precautions

Work out what you’re already doing, whether your current control measures  are working properly and whether there is anything else you need to be doing. This will assist you in deciding whether you’re doing enough. You could also ask your employees for their suggestions and feedback.

Step 4: Record Your Findings and Implement Them.

When you have decided what you need to do to keep your employees safe, settle on how you’ll put these actions in place. Who will be responsible for what action and how will you share this information with your employees?
A useful link: http://www.worksafebc.com/publications/health_and_safety/posters/assets/pdf/RiskAssessment.pdf

Step 5: Review Your Risk Assessment and Update if Necessary.

You should review your risk assessment regularly in case any of the risks within the workplace have changed or if an incident occurs.
Workplace Violence Prevention Is Serious Business!
I’ll examine each of these 5 steps in detail over the course of the next 5 blog postings. Assessing Risk is not easy and needs to be taken seriously in order to avoid missing potential loopholes or gaps.
Phil Eastwood