Violence
Violence, and the threat of violence, is a major issue for many workers in the voluntary sector.
Violence is not, and never can be, "part of the job". No person should have to endure the threat of assault or abuse by a member of the public, or a client, as a result of their employment.
Every employer must assess the risk of violence in exactly the same way as for any other hazard. In the event of there being a reasonable possibility of violence or abuse occurring, then the employer must take action to remove or minimise that risk.
In the leaflet, "Violence to Staff", the Health and Safety Executive outlines an action plan for tackling violence. That is:
While these seven steps are a good start, they suggest that any action to prevent violence should wait until a violent or threatening incidence occurs. That is not the case. In addition it is important that the staff themselves are involved in all stages of the process.
Often management's reaction to violence will be to try to install a "fortress" mentality. In particular, through the use of shields and grids to protect staff from the public or clients. This is sometimes the case in advice centres and some other support agencies.
There are occasions when these steps are necessary, but experience shows that they often help make aggressive situations worse, and other options, such as increasing staffing levels and looking at service delivery, can also be effective.
It is also very important that all incidents of violence are reported, not only in the accident book, but also to the police. In the event of a worker being assaulted, and later claiming compensation from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board, consideration will only be given to the claim if it was reported to the police.
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