One of the hardest things for any individual worker to accept is that a constant possibility of threat exists for virtually all of us in whatever role we perform (not least because we come into contact with many different people in many different scenarios on a daily basis).
Having accepted the possibility of risk, you can look towards taking steps to either limit the chances of such threats occurring, or seek training on the best techniques to handle them.
Earlier this year, Health Minister Malcolm Chisholm came under pressure to introduce a 'zero tolerance' policy after figures showed that violence on hospital wards is escalating quite dramatically. Representatives from hospitals in the north of England called for greater security after bosses reported an average of 30 violent attacks on staff each month. In total, almost half of all casualty nurses had been assaulted by patients or visitors in the past 12 months.
Despite the relatively high number of violent incidents in recent times, many institutions cling on to the belief that the risks of incidences of violence are relatively low, and are often related to the type of work. This may be one of the factors contributing to the lack of company initiatives (in terms of policies or training) that appear to be in place for all staff when it comes to handling these situations. It should not, however, be a reason for any company to dismiss the risk altogether.
Jobs most likely to fall into the higher risk groups are generally those where the role requires them to deal with the public and, in particular, those handling money, complaints or working in positions of care. For example, roles with the highest related risks of verbal or physical threats are those in the security, nursing, social care or public transport sectors.
That said, there are some other factors related to the type of worker rather than the role performed which may increase the chances of an attack on an employee. Higher risk groups listed by the British Crime Survey include those employees with managerial responsibilities.
Stemming the rising tide
It's a fact that very few violent incidents occur that could not have been avoided (or at the very least detected in advance). Even if the possibility of certain types of threat had not been considered in an initial assessment of a position, trained staff could probably have spotted the signs and taken the appropriate actions to deal with them.
If you aren't alert and aware, you will not be able to see the danger signs. Many situations result from a history of problems or an escalation of issues that finally lead to a breakdown in communications – and that end in an assault.
It will be up to the individual to make the right assessment of a situation, and then to take early action that will hopefully lead to a more positive outcome. However, the security manager holds a certain amount of responsibility to ensure staff are well protected.
Many employers don't seem to realise that they have a legal obligation to ensure their employees' personal and physical safety. The Health and Safety at Work, etc Act 1974 states that employers are obliged to take such steps as are 'reasonably practicable' to ensure that employees remain safe from 'reasonably foreseeable dangers'. Any breach of this duty can provoke a claim by an injured employee for damages under the terms of both this Act and the laws of negligence.
Both employer and employee have a vested interest in reducing violence in the workplace. For employers, it can lead to poor morale and a poor image for the organisation concerned. The result? It then becomes difficult to recruit and retain staff. It can also mean an extra cost in terms of increased absenteeism, higher insurance premiums and more and more compensation payments.
Not only can violence at work be both frightening and dangerous for the individual involved, but the organisation as a whole will also be significantly affected. In a workplace where staff have been attacked or abused in the past, morale is likely to be low and absence rates high as worried or stressed workers take time out to recover.
For staff, assaults have a huge emotional (and often physical) impact on their way of life. In the worst scenarios, they suffer physical injury, disability or even death. Even a milder attack may result in depression, stress, fits or anxiety attacks. A person's entire personality may be affected – to such an extent that they might never be able to work again.
The first step: a risk assessment
What steps can the security manager take to ensure that his or her members of staff are not subjected to such attacks? The first step is to conduct a proper risk assessment of the risks to which employees are subjected in the workplace. When looking into the risks, it's generally accepted that all members of staff who have face-to-face contact with the public are normally at a higher risk, but all positions within the company must be assessed.
Carry out workplace inspections to glean a realistic view of conditions and practices. From the outset, you need to find out if you have a problem and, if so, what sort of problem it is. Encourage staff to raise any safety or security issues with you, the manager, so that systems and safeguards might be put in place to avoid any incidents occurring.
Having conducted your risk assessment, you should then be able to see where you and your staff might find yourselves exposed to problems in the future. Checking these against your existing arrangements allows you to determine the major areas of weakness. What precautions are in place? Are they adequate, or should more be done?
Security managers should regularly check that their assessment is a true reflection of their employees' current work situation. It's a good idea to check what incidents have been previously reported, and to ask staff when and how they have felt threatened in the past.
When reviewing current staff security arrangements, the in-house professional should examine the level of training and information provided to staff, the level of information and service given to customers or members of the public, the environment of the workforce and the working practices/patterns for each role.
Violence in the workplace is a problem that employers can ill-afford to ignore. Each year, more than three million working days are lost due to violent incidents. In 1997, workplace violence cost British businesses £62 million
Looking at preventative strategies
Training is one of the most important preventative measures in which an employer might invest. Employees can be trained to spot the early signs of aggression and either avoid it or cope with it. It's also important that staff fully understand any systems or policies established for their own protection to ensure greater adherence (and thus a better outcome).
Staff should also be kept fully informed of all incidences or potential risks. If employees are briefed on situations which could be problematical, or on groups/individuals with a history of conflict, they will obviously be better prepared and more able to handle them.
The most important – and effective – measures will be the physical security systems and policies implemented. Some of the measures that should be considered include: video cameras, alarms, security locks, access control systems, wider counters and transparent protective screens.
Those officers and other members of staff who handle cash are usually in the highest risk category when it comes to attacks. To make an attack less attractive, cheques, credit cards or tokens could be used and marketed as a preferred choice of finance. Cash should be banked more frequently, and those going to the bank should also try to avoid making themselves an easy target (eg by varying their route or timings for delivering the money).
As we stated in last month's Security Digest ('Full screen ahead', SMT, March 2002, pp36-38), employees should be fully vetted prior to employment for the safety of other staff as well as the business. It's also usually of benefit to implement some form of client or supplier/contractor screening.
Where employees have to make visits to difficult clients or venture into potentially volatile areas, arrangements should be made so that they are accompanied by a colleague or have the means to summon help.
Employers are also required by law to ensure that staff numbers are kept up by way of avoiding the lone worker scenario (wherever possible). It's also advisable to look into the security measures and travel arrangements of those working late or during unsocial hours to see where safety and security might be improved upon.
Time to take action
Most businesses have a safety policy or statement that may describe how best to deal with violence or aggression at work, but all employees need to be aware of where to find that information should they need to refer to it at some point. It may also help in encouraging your staff to follow procedures and to report any incidents in the right way.
Any statements should set out the objectives of the policy, definitions of categories, the management's philosophy, what areas/staff the policy covers, where it applies, what the employer is committed to, the employees' responsibilities and the monitoring and reporting methods enforced.
Consultations with staff, appraisals and reports should help to give you the necessary details for you to be able to evaluate how effective the systems, policies or training put into place have been in reality. This should show what progress is being made – if any – to tackle the problem, or if the problems are changing. If your present policies are effective, this will be reflected in the evidence gathered.
If incidents are reported, how an employer is seen to handle them will often have marked effects on staff morale, adherence to policies and the future handling of any situations that arise. The quicker an employer responds to an incident, the easier it is for staff to avoid long-term distress and for performance to 'return to normal' (within reason). It's extremely important that employee support plans have been drawn up before any incidents arise.
Staff will often need a debriefing session that goes over what happened in any given incident, what steps were taken and what should have been done – or needs to be done – to avoid these situations or how to handle them better in the future. Some victims or witnesses of assaults may feel the need to talk about what has happened, and you may need to record details of any conversations for police records. In serious cases, you will need to be able to provide specialist counselling.
The Home Office has produced a leaflet entitled 'Victims of Crime' offering plenty of useful advice on a whole host of matters arising from workplace incidents. You can also obtain a booklet published by the Health and Safety Executive and entitled 'Preventing Violence to Staff' which explains (by way of sample case studies) how to put these theories into practice.
Guidance for members of staff
There are several practical steps that employees can take to safeguard themselves from becoming a victim. Prevention is very often better than cure. Try not to take risks with your own personal safety while travelling to and from work, and while you are at work. Avoid travelling alone or late at night.
Whether you're at work or travelling to and from, stick to well-lit, (preferably) populated or secure areas. Be alert and aware of your surroundings, and any people within them. If a situation doesn't feel right to you then more often than not it isn't. Don't try to tackle verbal or physically abusive people on your own if you can help it. Be aware that any situation can turn out to be nasty or awkward, so make sure you're able to summon support if needed.
Try to recognise the danger signs, and learn the best methods for dealing with situations of conflict. The warning signs are often there to show you that something potentially threatening is about to take place – verbal or otherwise. A person's stance, gestures, facial expressions, complexion and speech can all be signals to you that an attack is imminent.
What, then, are the tell-tale danger signs? A pale or white face and tense facial muscles, exaggerated pronunciation with tight or thinning lips, a bowing of the head, a shifting of weight to draw closer, a dropping of the shoulders when ready to lash out, dialogue ceasing, clenched fists and aversion of gaze are the classic indicators.
Both employers and employees have their own responsibilities to tackle the issues surrounding staff safety. Although it's the employer who may be liable if adequate steps have not been taken to achieve this, it may be difficult to determine exactly what are considered to be 'adequate steps'.
What do you think?
Do you have any comments on this subject that you’d like to share with fellow SMT readers? If so, please write to: The EditorSMT
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Postscript
Alex Chambers is a consultant at specialist risk management consultancy Ian Johnson Associates, specialising in pre-employment screening and staff-related security issues
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