HSE Guidance for employers on Violence at Work.

The HSE urges employers to adopt a 'four-step management process' to control violence:

Stage 1: Carry out a violence risk assessment. This includes consulting with you, and keeping good records of incidents. Employers should assess the risk of violence by:

• looking at your job
• identifying both the level of risks you face, and the frequency with which they are likely to occur. 

Staff surveys can highlight key safety hazards. In a survey of 12 shop robberies, USDAW, the shopworkers' union, found that they had all occurred between 5pm and 7pm. The results led to strengthened security and staff protection during late-night opening.

Stage 2: Decide if you might be might be harmed, and how. Preventive measures – the changes needed where you work to eliminate or reduce risks to acceptable levels – include:

• Safe procedures if you do home visits, interview clients or patients, deal with abusive phone calls, or handle cash.
• Working alone. Is it necessary to leave you alone for long periods? If so, what training do you get when working without supervision?
• Reporting incidents, with clear guidelines requiring you to report all incidents of violence, threats, abuse and 'near misses' to a defined line manager.
• Crisis management procedures. Are personal alarms/panic buttons provided? How do you contact a supervisor, or the police?
• Improving facilities for the public in waiting or queuing areas, such as telephones, refreshments, adequate seating, play facilities, reading material and information on queue times.
• Secure areas: limiting public access to staff areas; ensuring that public car parks and access ways are well lit.
• Training in agreed personal safety procedures, and how to manage specific situations you may face.
• Supporting you if you suffer abuse or a violent incident. This should include immediate support from your supervisor or manager, time away from your job, and specialist counselling if you need it, especially if you suffer post-traumatic stress.

Stage 3: Implement an action programme arising from the issues identified in the risk assessment. This includes training on safe systems of work, raising the level of safety awareness and encouraging you to report incidents.

Stage 4: Regular checks should be made on working arrangements, through a health and safety committee and regular consultation with safety reps where a union is recognised. Your employers should monitor incident records and, if violence is still an issue, take further action.

The HSE's booklet,Violence at work: A guide for employers gives practical advice to employers to find out if violence is a problem at work and, if so, how to deal with it.