HSL is to run a 1 day course on Managing Work-Related Violence: A holistic approach to improve worker safety.

This course will be held at the Health and Safety Laboratory, Harpur Hill, Buxton, Derbyshire.

21 October 2010

Introduction

Are you doing enough to prevent and manage work-related violence?

Failure to tackle work-related violence can impact on your business in a number of ways including: 

• Lost staff time from injuries and stress
• Higher staff turnover, leading to increased recruitment and training costs
• Damage to the reputation of your business
• Potential compensation claims by staff

 Violence and abuse can have serious and long-term impacts on your staff including: 

• Physical injury
• Work-related stress - which can have long term effects on health
• Fear and anxiety
• Job dissatisfaction and poor performance

 All of the above can impact on business productivity, and hence, business profitability.

You also have a legal duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of your employees, under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. This duty includes all forms of work-related violence.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) defines work-related violence as:

Any incident in which a person is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work. This can include:

• physical violence - including kicking, spitting, hitting or pushing, as well as more extreme violence with weapons;
• threats and intimidation - from customers/patrons;
• verbal abuse - including shouting, swearing or insults, racial or sexual abuse;

In line with HSE guidance, if an incident occurs you will need to support your employees and may have to consider whether further actions are needed, such as medical treatement. Supporting the person affected by an incident, and their colleagues, could help to reduce the risk of longer-term, stress-related illness.  The impact of an incident can either affect the employee directly involved or those who witnessed the incident.

This course focuses on providing you with appropriate tools and techniques that can be used to prevent and manage cases of work-related violence towards employees.  It will give an overview of the issues associated with work-related violence and provide practical advice to organisations looking to protect their employees' personal safety, as well as steps to take following an incident.

Course will cover:

• An understanding of employers and employees legal responsibilities in relation to violence at work.
• Overview and discussion of the potential risk factors contributing to aggression/violence.
• A preventative approach to help control and manage the risk of work-related violence, (i.e. the use of a risk assessment approach).
• How to foster a supportive and open culture in which personal safety is considered a priority.
• Key points to consider when developing policies and procedures to control and manage work related violence.
• The psychological impact of experiencing violence when at work.
• Issues to consider for lone workers.
• Implementation and use of HSE's Managing work-related violence toolkit.
• Methods for individual employees to enhance their personal safety e.g. improving situational awareness, dynamic risk assessment.

• Methods for employers to provide support after an incident.

Who should attend?

This course is suitable for health and safety managers and those responsible for employees who are at risk of work-related violence. This could include lone workers and those who regularly deal with members of the public.

Venue

The course will be run at the HSL laboratory in the spa town of Buxton. Buxton is in the heart of the Peak District and has good links to mainline train stations and Manchester International Airport.

The cost of the course is £395 + VAT (includes course notes, lunch, refreshments and a certificate of attendance).

For further information email: training@hsl.gov.uk or contact the Training Unit at HSL directly on 01298 218806.

Details of hotels in the Buxton area can be found at www.visitpeakdistrict.com

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