Step 2: How to assess risks
The following questions could help determine risks:
- What is the likelihood of workers recognizing potential violence and understanding the action needed to eliminate the risk?
- How likely is it that someone will be injured or harmed if they are involved in a violent incident?
- How serious would the injury or harm be if something did happen?
- How many people would be affected?
- How often would these people be exposed to the risk of injury or harm from workplace violence?
In determining the degree of risk, one has to consider the possible consequences brought about by a violent situation. Sufficient information to recognize the factors for potentially violent situations is also necessary.
Risks could be classified as high, medium or low in several areas of your workplace. Prioritize situations that are most likely to occur frequently and those which could result to worst injuries. These should have high priority and should be addressed immediately. If a situation could potentially become violent but the possibility of occurring is almost nil it should be the least priority.
3. Risk control: Adopting measures to prevent or lessen the risk of injury and harm.
Step 3: How to control risks
The goal of this step is to emphasize the need for action to get rid of situations which lead to violence and to reduce the risk of injury or harm.
The best way to manage a hazard is to eliminate it. If this is not possible, the risk should be
minimized by applying the strategies in the hierarchy of controls. The first few control measures of the hierarch are more effective than those near the bottom and more practicable. Those near the bottom of the hierarchy are difficult to maintain, and serve as interim measures until more permanent controls can be implemented.
In many cases a combination of different actions may be required to reduce risk to manageable level.
a) Eliminate the hazard
Key principle: Change the system of work to totally get rid of the trigger for workplace
violence.
Recognizing the exact cause or trigger for workplace violence could lead to its removal and enable work to be done without risks of violence.
b) Use a safer alternative
Key principle: Replace a hazardous procedure with a less hazardous one.
Remove hazardous situation to reduce the risk. For example:
- For delivery people who receive cash payments, non-cash payments should be considered
- In situations where cleaners work alone at night, the night cleaning should be done by allowing cleaners to work together
- Where customers wait for a service, to avoid customers to confront workers, customers should be told what to expect and good communication should be established
- Removing potential weapons in public areas, such as paper spikes and scissors,
could prevent violent situation to erupt..
c) Use engineering solutions
Key principle: Design the building or structure to provide for safe systems of work.
Considering hazardous situations in designing building, vehicle or structure to reduce risk of workplace violence such as providing for security doors, permanent
screens, security lighting, alarm systems and communication systems.
Key principle: Make changes to the working environment.
In an existing building, structural changes can be added to lessen the risk of workplace violence such as:
- Improve security and lighting
- Redesigning waiting areas for more comfort
- Providing play corners for children
- Putting high counters and other needed barriers
Key principle: Use physical barriers to separate workers from customers, clients or members
of the public who may cause them harm.
Physical barriers can be used in a several situations, such as:
- Reception areas for possible aggressive clients
- Workplaces where drugs, cash or valuables are handled
- In prisons, hospitals and psychiatric facilities where possibility of attack from
inmates or patients may occur.
d) Reorganize the work
Key principle: Provide training in communication, how to handle aggression and how to
respond to aggression or violence.
Training could prevent the situation to become unmanageable. Training should include:
- Responsibilities
- Causes and kinds of violence
- Recognizing potential for violence in a person's conduct
- Identification, assessment and control approach for workplace violence
- Incident reporting and recording
- Customer service skills
- Negotiation skills
- Communication skills
- Basic self-defense
- Legal issues pertaining to violence and self-defense
- Emergency and response measures
- Worker assistance programs
Key principle: Set up work arrangements so that assistance is available when it is needed.
Stressful work situations could lead to short tempers. In these instances, it is prone to losing control of the situation.
Job rotation could help ease stress especially for new workers.
Avoid persons working alone in situations where risk is likely to occur or during peak times.
A new worker should work with a worker with more experience.
Refer clients such as those who need detoxification, drug and alcohol rehabilitation and psychiatric treatment to other services if your facility is not equipped for these problems.
