Violent Behaviour at Work

Violent Behaviour at Work (KELSI Guidance)

Last modified 24 April 2012 15:25

KCC’s policy is to give full support to members of staff who are threatened or assaulted during the course of their duties. The county council encourages the reporting of all incidents and is committed to preventing such incidents, where possible. KCC will train staff, as appropriate, provide information to managers and give all possible help and support to those affected by violent incidents. Employers are required to assess and address any risk to the health, safety and welfare of staff, service users, pupils, contractors and anyone else who may be affected by our actions including volunteers who, for the purpose of this guidance, will be referred to as staff. Some staff are at greater risk of violence because of their job and these guidelines are intended to help managers meet their responsibilities to staff and others who may be affected. This guidance should be used in conjunction with KCC ‘Dignity and Respect at Work’.

Definitions

The Health and Safety Executive leaflet Violence at Work: a guide for employers defines violence against staff as ‘Any incident in which an employee is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work”.

Violence could also be described as ‘behaviour that produces damaging or hurtful effects, physically or emotionally, on other people. The violence may be intentional or not; it may result from serious threats, abuse or assault; it may relate to sexual, racial harassment or other discriminatory behaviour’.

Violence includes:

Physical assault
Harassment, verbal aggression or abuse, face to face or by telephone/email.
Threats of violence to staff or their families
Attacks by animals incited by their owners or keepers.

Scope

During the last few years there has been a national increase in the number of incidents of both verbal and physical abuse of staff who are in contact with the public. At the same time, many staff work in isolated situations (e.g. visiting people at home or working outside normal working hours) and/or deal with emotive subjects and people with behavioural difficulties.

KCC has already taken a number of steps to provide information and support for staff and their managers and some directorates already have detailed procedures and reporting mechanisms in place (ask your line manager or contact a Health and Safety Adviser).

This guidance is intended to sit alongside directorate practices and enable managers, in partnership with their staff, to be aware of their responsibilities to reduce and manage risks. Managers and staff should build upon this guidance by:

Writing specific guidance for their own team/establishment.
Providing safe places and systems of work.
Assessing and managing risks to staff so far as is reasonably practicable.
Reviewing and improving working conditions, practices and procedures.
Identifying training needs and providing relevant information and training.

The why, what and how

Guidance for Managers

The procedures outlined below are designed to help managers fulfil their requirements under the appropriate legislation. These requirements are to ensure that all acts of violence and aggression are taken seriously, investigated and that appropriate action is taken. Action should include providing immediate help and support to the victims as well as introducing preventative measures. It is vital that incidents are thoroughly investigated so that managers and staff can learn from them and avoid similar situations happening in future, where possible.

The following procedures will enable managers to meet their responsibilities:

Ensure that your staff have received guidelines and procedures. These should be discussed with staff to ensure they are understood and to identify any risks that could arise.
Identify training requirements for your staff and ensure that arrangements are made to meet them. Remember that the focus should be on prevention rather than cure.
Be satisfied that, so far as is reasonably practicable, you have reviewed the risks which are present in the workplace, which includes all areas visited in connection with work, and preventive measures taken action to reduce the risks. This may involve producing a safe system of working.
Where a staff member tells you about any threats of violence or suspicions regarding a risk of violence you should clarify the risk through the risk assessment process with the staff member, and any other relevant parties, and decide what action to take. This must be noted and passed on to other staff who could be involved with the client/member of public involved.
Where a staff member tells you about acts of violence you should:
Check the emergency or situation is under control.
Ensure appropriate action has been taken to provide help and ensure that they and their staff and other clients are safe.
Investigate what took place by talking to the staff member and all other relevant people, with a view to learning from the incident.
Decide whether or not the police or KCC’s Insurance Section should be approached for advice concerning prosecution or other matters.
When there has been an accident/incident complete the required report form (HS 157). Refer to KELSI for further details about accident reporting and investigation procedures.
Review the risk assessment of the activity involved in the incident.
Seek support from your directorate Health and Safety Adviser, where required.

To further assist the Manager examples of good practice and safe systems or work are outlined below:

Set out procedures for visiting clients at home.
Consider layout of rooms and premises - fit a panic button in reception areas and/or implement a coded message to be used by the receptionist to summon help from another office and ensure the response arrangement is workable, individuals are trained and this is tested regularly.
Introduce a requirement for staff to telephone the office after leaving a site or a client and implement systems necessary to make this possible e.g. mobile phones, Lonestar etc..
Monitor incidents and near misses and feed results into the risk assessment process.
Ensure that staff are adequately trained and know what to do if an incident occurs.

Risk Assessment - Reviews, Implementation and Controls

Managers need to ensure that appropriate risk assessments are carried out for activities under their control. Once risks have been identified, managers are responsible for taking appropriate action and producing an action plan to manage the situation. Managers
also need to ensure that significant risks are recorded, control measures put in place and a regular monitoring and review process implemented.
Managers have a responsibility to ensure that risk assessments are carried out by a competent member of staff and that any control measures are implemented. Further information on risk assessment responsibilities can be found in the Risk Assessment topic on KELSI.

Identifying risks

The following lists give some examples of situations or circumstances that could increase the risk of violence. They are designed to help managers assess risks and can also be used as an aid to investigating incidents.
Examples taken from KCC experience: -

Dealing with “emotive” situations such as a child abuse investigation.
Statutory work where there may be a perceived infringement of the customer’s rights.
Inconsistent or unexplained treatment of customers.
Situations in which a staff member is blamed for refusing a request.
Situations in which staff could be blamed for police or court action.
Where a receptionist or other member of staff may be felt to be preventing access to another member of staff or facility.
Where a staff member is perceived to be challenging the customer’s behaviour, imposing sanctions or restraining them.
Where the customer considers they have been discriminated against or “labelled”.
Where staff do not have the necessary background information to judge the situation or are inexperienced.
Where customers are kept waiting.
Where staff are tired or stressed for any reason.
Money transactions

Customers/clients are more likely to be violent if they:

Have been violent in the past and/or have previously threatened violence to the member of staff who is dealing with them.

Have recently been behaving in a potentially violent manner e.g. carrying a weapon or damaging property.
Bear a grudge, feel victimised in any way or harbour a sense of injustice.
Suffer from a mental disorder.
Are under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Possible warning signs:

Obvious tensions within a group
Restless or agitated behaviour
Unusually quiet
Voice pitch
Muscular tension
Being deliberately provocative / attention seeking

Buildings and layout

Managers also need to consider the physical environment. Factors that should be taken into account in reducing risks are:

Ensuring interview rooms are not isolated i.e. a long way from an exit or out of ear shot.
Fitting alarm buzzers.
Designing interview rooms or other rooms so that staff can exit quickly.
Ensuring that while reception areas are designed to be welcoming, objects with the potential to be used as weapons (e.g. heavy plant pots) are either avoided or securely fixed.
Ensuring that doors to restricted areas or areas where staff work are secure from unauthorised entry.
Installing alarm systems and/or using coded telephone messages in areas to which the public have access. All staff need to be aware of what action to take when an alarm is raised.
Ensuring that the outside of the building is well lit, particularly if staff have to walk to parked cars in the morning or evening.

Guidance for staff

Examples of guidelines that can be shared with or issued to staff are:

Read procedures and any directorate guidance concerning what should be done in the event of violence. Discuss them with your line manager and make sure you understand them and feel safe in your work.
Remember that people are more important than property. Listening and talking are the crucial tools needed. Try to be calm, confident and objective, and always maintain respect for all people involved. Never allow yourself to become involved in arguments. Do not lose your temper. Be aware of your own feelings and physical changes. Do not respond to verbal abuse or take it personally. Decide if and when to call for help – whether staff, family, neighbours or the police (but be prepared for their possible refusal to intervene).
If your client/customer or a member of the public threatens you with violence, or if you suspect there is a risk of violence, then you must report this to your line manager as soon as possible. Your manager, or delegated person, should meet with you within 24 hours of the incident occurring and together you must clarify the risks and agree what action to take. This must be noted in any record system that you have on customers/clients and communicated to other staff who could come into contact with that customer.
When violence is directed at you, try to withdraw from the situation.
Summon help. Do not attempt to control a violent situation alone unless there is no alternative. Consider whether or not you should call the police.
Only use reasonable force to protect yourself and use physical restraint as a last resort.
If appropriate, arrange first aid for yourself and anyone else who is injured. If you need to go to a hospital casualty unit or to your GP, ask your manager or a colleague to accompany you.
If someone is damaging property but not threatening themselves or anyone else, it may be better to intervene as little as possible and allow them to vent their aggression.
Remember that your physical safety is more important than protecting property, buildings or cash.
As soon as the incident or emergency is in hand contact your line manager. It is their responsibility to see you as soon as possible (or to delegate that job to a deputy if they are unavailable or likely to be delayed) so that you can both discuss what action to take. You should also complete an accident/incident report form (HS157).

Actions which must be considered following a violent incident include:

Taking urgent measures to ensure that you, other staff and clients are safe.
Deciding whether or not to inform the police, KCC’s Insurance Section or Legal Services to ask for advice and action regarding prosecution and other legal matters, including the criminal injuries compensation scheme. Individuals have the right to inform the police but KCC’s legal team can only advise the council as the employer. Employees who wish to pursue a claim should seek independent legal advice.
Planning future work (if appropriate) with your client/customer and building in preventative measures to eliminate further risks.
Taking on board any general preventative measures which arise from the incident such as taking appropriate action and ensuring that the incident is recorded in the accident book.
Taking any further action, including organising training or counselling. Further advice on action to be taken if staff have experienced a violent incident is covered in the FAQ “How can I support staff who have experienced a violent incident?”
Discussing the incident with your Health and Safety Adviser.
Identifying specific preventative measures which arise from this incident and taking action to implement them.
Considering the health and wellbeing of all staff involved. Some people may require continuing support and advice, training or counselling and should discuss this with their manager.

Associated procedures and documentation

Listed below are related topics within KELSI. To read a topic, select the link.

Managing Health and Safety

Risk Assessment

Accident Reporting and Investigation

Universal Hygiene – Precautions for Controlling Infection

Lone Working

The documentation below refers to legislation and to Industry Standards. To read these in greater detail, select the website link and type in the name of the document you require.

The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrence Regulations 1995
The Personal Protective Equipment Regulations 1992

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I consider when staff are working alone?

Staff working alone may be particularly vulnerable. KCC has a duty to employees who work by themselves without close or direct supervision as well as to contractors and visitors. Solitary workers face particular problems, and some of the areas that need special attention when planning safe working arrangements are as follows:

Can the risks that go with the job be managed by one person or should other staff be within call? Think about what would happen if a member of staff was attacked while alone.
Are there some site or home visits that need two members of staff to attend together? What criteria will you use to make this decision?
Will cash be handled and will there be a risk of violence? What procedures are in place and how will you know that something has happened?

Categories of risk

There are four main categories of risk:

High

Staff may be susceptible to physical violence or other hazards without warning. Examples of staff that could be vulnerable include rent officers, registrars, trading standards officers, education welfare officers and social workers

Moderate

Staff who are visiting clients at home for the first time or when the client may have been agitated by an earlier situation

Slight

Staff making unscheduled visits without the knowledge of their office or line manager

Minimal

Staff working alone in buildings. Examples include library staff, registrars or any staff working late or out of hours. Note that some circumstances (i.e. the presence of money or valuables or late working) could increase these risks substantially.

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Suitable procedures and systems should be used to monitor the wellbeing of solitary workers and should at least include a check during and at the end of the working period.Staff who visit sites or clients at home should have a specified check-in procedure.

Equipment may also be appropriate in particular circumstances including intrusion Detectors (which set off a desk-top alarm if a window or door is opened) portable alarms, personal attack alarms, cordless telephones (for moving about inside a building) or mobile telephones (when working outside).

If you manage anyone working in any of the above situations consider the possibility that if an individual suffered an accident or violent incident and was rendered helpless:

Who would know that there was a problem?
Who would know where they were?
How would they call for help?
How long would it take for help to arrive?
If help did arrive, would it be in time?

How do I report an incident of violent behaviour?