Prevent work-related violence
There have been several reported incidents where employees, in the course of their duty, have been abused, verbally assaulted or threatened by individuals, a group of people, inmates and patients. Medical professionals, teachers, journalists, revenue collectors, examination invigilators, security personnel, cash handlers, to mention a few, are persons likely to be assaulted, abused or threatened, and are at risk of workplace violence.
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The recent incident at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital where a group of people attacked medical staff of the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department over a missing baby and also the sit-in by nurses at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital over a series of violent attacks from mentally ill patients is a wake up call for employers to take a critical look at workplace violence.
Violence at work or work-related violence is a relatively new occupational health and safety issue that is now recognised as a significant workplace risk. It includes incidents where employees are physically attacked or threatened and any statement or behaviour that causes them to believe they are in danger of being physically attacked.
It applies to all forms of physical attack on employees, including striking, kicking, scratching, biting, spitting or any type of direct physical contact — pushing, shoving, tripping, grabbing; throwing objects; attacking with any type of weapon and any form of indecent physical contact. It also encompasses both violence that is perpetrated on a worker by a fellow worker or supervisor and violence where the aggressor is from outside the organisation, for example, a member of the public.
No statistics
The problem is widespread; however, there has been little attempt made to collate statistics on the extent of the problem because the victims either failed to report or employers have no laid-down procedures for reporting and investigating violence against their staff.
Work-related violence can cause pain, distress and even disability or death. Physical attacks are obviously dangerous but serious or persistent verbal abuse or threats can damage employees’ health through anxiety or stress. Work-related violence has serious consequences for employees and for the organisations they work for. It can lead to poor morale and a poor image for the organisation, extra cost, and absenteeism and compensation payment.
A ‘physical attack’ can occur regardless of the attacker’s intent and includes situations where an employee is attacked by a person who may not be able to form intent, but their behaviour can cause harm.
Preventive measures
To ensure you don’t become a victim of workplace violence when dealing with customers, colleagues and the public, you should be friendly; smile, show confidence and make frequent eye contact. A pleasant attitude can make a difference.
Be honest and give reliable information. Admit anything you are not certain about or delays when they exist. Never hesitate to apologise if you have made a mistake.
Be consistent; treat all customers, members of the public and colleagues the same.
Be fair; people are less likely to become abusive or violent when they have been treated fairly.
Be efficient; doing your job well and on time, people are less likely to get angry.
Finally, understand why people are aggressive or abusive. Often, the cause has nothing to do with you personally.
There are situations where a person is aggressive, angry and difficult to reason with. When faced with such a situation, one should try as much as possible to prevent the situation from becoming violent by avoiding confrontation in front of other people and staying calm by speaking clearly and slowly.
Do not be drawn into an argument. Avoid the use of aggressive body language such as hands on hips, crossed arm and wagging fingers or staring.
Do not touch the person, laugh at them or use offensive names.
When you feel threatened, back away from the person slowly, moving towards the nearest exit. Get help from a colleague or persons around. Above all, always report incidents of aggressive behaviour to your supervisor or manager. They need to know what has happened so that they can protect you and your colleagues in the future.
Post notices
Organisations have a major role to play in dealing with work-related violence. These include the preparation of a written policy defining the term, stating the management’s zero tolerance attitude to violence to their staff; the provision of adequate resources to control and minimise the risks associated with work related violence; the introduction of procedures for reporting, recording and investigating incidents of violence.
Others are the identification of personnel with particular responsibilities for managing work-related violence such as carrying out the risk assessments, receiving reports of instances of violence and monitoring compliance with control measures introduced as a result of the assessments made; the provision of training and information to workers on how to deal with situations where violence might occur and introducing a mechanism to support those who have been the victims of work-related violence such as counselling and maintaining confidentiality.
Finally, there must be notices on work premises warning offenders of arrest and possible prosecution.
The writer is a Health and Safety practitioner.