Violence and aggression risk assessment

As an employer it is your legal duty to ensure a safe working environment for all staff. This includes ensuring the safety of employees from the threat of violence or abusive behaviour directed at them whilst undertaking their work.

Whilst certain industries have more of a possibility of this type of behaviour, due to the nature of the job, security, police etc. There are professions that also carry the risk, such as hospitality etc. Even if you think there is minimal risk of staff encountering violence and aggression as part of their role you will need to conduct a risk assessment.

Contact Employer Advice to discuss your obligations as an employer and everything you need to be assured of legal compliance in line with Health and Safety legislation. Call today on 0800 470 3529.

When should I conduct a violence and aggression risk assessment?

In the case of the possibility that there is a threat of violence and aggression which can also include other challenging behaviour, then you should conduct a risk assessment to identify all risks and find ways to manage them to an acceptable level if eradicating them entirely is not an option.

Carrying out a risk assessment should look to reduce the severity and frequency of incidents and reduce the risk of a claim being taken to an employment tribunal.

Potential hazards and factors of violence and aggressive behaviour

The workplace:

• Access and exit points.
• Public areas.
• Layout and design.
• Staffing levels.
• Staff experience and competence.
• Security precautions such as alarms.
• Procedures including emergency procedures and responses.

Personal factors:

• Impatience and frustration.
• Lack of information or boredom.
• Anxiety caused by both space and choices.
• Resentment due to lack of rights.
• Inherent aggression and/ or mental instability.
• Substance abuse.

Circumstantial factors:

• Late working (evenings and unsocial hours).
• Having to enforce legislation.
• Controlling admission.
• Working with crowds.
• Working in the emergency services.
• Handling money or valuables.
• Using expensive or technological equipment.
• Transporting valuable items.

Please note: the examples given are for demonstrative purposes and is not intended to be an exhaustive list.

Implementing control measures

Once identified, the risks need to be controlled to reduce their potential impact on staff. There are three main categories of control measures, they are:

Customer care

Ensuring your services are not a contributing factor to violence and aggression in your workplace or encouraging it from service users is a key part of developing customer care measures.

Key things to consider:

• Staffing levels, are they adequate?
• Are wait times reasonable?
• Are delays communicated in an effective way?
• Are terms of service communicated clearly and effectively?

Staff training for customer care should include:

• Effective management of complaints.
• De-escalation training appropriate to their industry.
• Rights and responsibilities.
• Reporting processes.

Staff should be made aware of their options if confronted with challenging situations that have the potential to escalate. Ensure the work environment itself is not a contributing factor, such as a poor standard of facilities etc.

Deterrent control measures.

Deterrent measures are there to reduce the potential for violence by either warning potential aggressors that they are being monitored as in the case with CCTV, alarms etc or presenting would-be perpetrators with physical barriers and removing any would-be potential weapons.

Ensure cash is not left on the premises overnight and cashing up does not take place in public view. Electronic payment methods can reduce the potential amount of cash on the premises at any given time.

Security in the work environment

The work environment can exhibit factors that increase the risk of violence and aggression in the workplace such as poorly lit areas and areas secluded from main view which could act as a hiding place for potential aggressors. This is especially prevalent at night in spaces like car parks at night, meaning night shift employees could be especially vulnerable.

Employees that rely on public transport and work unsociable hours where there is the possibility that they will miss their last transport home, should where possible have transport arranged to get them home safely. Employees working in isolation should be offered support.

You should employ staff safety measures, including the following:

• Checking the credentials of on-site visitors
• Designated staff only areas that are secure from other people on site
• Ensure that designated keyholders and train them in emergency callout procedure

Reporting violent and aggressive incidents

With all the best preparation, unfortunately, due to human nature there will be instances where you may encounter challenging behaviour in the workplace. When this happens you should ensure that staff are properly supported. You should also follow carry out the following things:

• Record the incident
• Report the incident
• Review your control measures to see if they need adjusting or more are needed.

In the event of certain workplace injuries, dangerous incidents and occupational diseases you should report these to the HSE under RIDDOR. This includes instances of death, specific injuries any physical injury that incapacitates a worker from carrying out normal duties for over 7 Days. You should record work injuries that result in more than 3 days (but less than 7) of being unable to perform their normal duties, but there is no need to report it.

In the case of a report on violence and aggression, you should conduct a thorough investigation of the incident to build as accurate a picture of the events as possible. This includes analysing trigger points.

Remember when recording the incident to include:

• Who was involved
• What events transpired
• When the incident took place

All necessary steps should be taken in supporting employees who have experienced violent and aggressive behaviour if needed, including but not limited to mental health support from a mental health professional.

Contact Employer Advice for more information on risk assessments.

Employer Advice can ensure your business stays compliant with the latest Health and Safety legislation.

We’ve been advising businesses for over 40 years, so call today on 0800 470 3529

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