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Risk management of aggression in the workplace involves a systematic and planned approach that covers the associated risks to employee safety. A risk assessment involves identifying the sources of risk, risk factors and the consequences if a worker is exposed to a hazard.
Aggression in the workplace is a potential hazard for most workplaces. Through identifying risk factors in the work environment, a workplace can assess the risk of aggression in the workplace occurring and implement practicable and appropriate controls.
Identifying risk factors in the workplace involves findings things and situations that may be harmful to employees. Risk factors for aggression in the workplace generally occur through the interaction of:
Hazard identification may examine the nature and location of the work, types of clients, business operating hours, service and facility access, and staffing levels, skills and experience.
Hazards and risk factors may be identified through:
When identifying aggression in the workplace hazards and assessing the risk of aggression at work it is important to recognise that it is known to be under-reported, particularly in occupations where incidents occur on a regular basis. Factors that can deter employees from reporting include:
Conducting an anonymous employee survey which asks specific questions on the number of aggressive incidents, frequency of aggressive incidents and the health consequences of these incidents (i.e. physical injury such as minor bruising, abrasions or scratches to skin to psychological injury such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) may assist your workplace in obtaining an accurate assessment on the occurrence of aggression in the workplace and the severity of health consequences.
To address under-reporting and encourage future reporting of aggressive incidents, employers may also consider developing and implementing a Statement of Intent which states management’s commitment to addressing aggression in the workplace and encourages reporting of workplace aggression incidents.
The Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984 requires employers to conduct risk assessments which consider how to reduce or eliminate the risk of injury or harm to health to employees, once a hazard has been identified in the workplace.
Risk management of aggression in the workplace involves a systematic and planned approach that covers the associated risks to employee safety. A risk assessment involves identifying the sources of risk, risk factors and the consequences if a worker is exposed to a hazard.
Aggression in the workplace can occur in a variety of workplaces. Sources of aggression in the workplace can be categorised into three types:
All employees and other people at workplaces are potentially at risk of experiencing some form of aggression in the workplace. Factors that may increase employees being exposed to aggression in the workplace include:
When conducting a risk assessment remember to consider:
A sample Risk Management Toolkit for aggression in the workplace can be found in the Toolkits and Information Resources section.
Preventing and controlling aggression in the workplace risks requires a systematic, planned and structured approach. A Prevention Management Plan will assist employers to minimise the risk of aggression in the workplace to employees and other persons in the workplace.
To prevent and control aggression in the workplace, prepare a Prevention Management Plan to identify potential threatening or aggressive incidents at work which may injure or harm the health of employees and others at the workplace. Assess and control the risk of aggression in the workplace. Where appropriate, seek specialist assistance - for instance security agents, community police or support services.
Employees and safety and health representatives, if any, should be consulted when preparing the Prevention Management Plan. Where appropriate, refer issues arising to safety and health representatives or the safety and health committee and resolve using the agreed procedure.
The recommended approach to managing aggression at work is firstly to eliminate the opportunity for aggressive or threatening behaviour. If that is not possible, the potential for aggression should be isolated, managed and minimised. Finally, additional personal protection, such as duress alarms and training in handling confrontational behaviour and diffusing aggression, may help minimise the risk of injury or harm to health.
A range of controls may be used together to reduce risk to an acceptable level.
Elimination- removing the hazard or hazardous work practice from the workplace.
Substitution - substituting or replacing a hazard or hazardous work practice with a less hazardous one.
Isolation - isolating or separating the hazard or hazardous work practice from people involved in the work or people in the general work area.
Engineering - minimising the risk through redesign
Administrative - make changes to the way work is organised to reduce the risk of injury or harm
Personal protective equipment - personal protective equipment (PPE) should be used to provide greater protection for the worker or as a temporary measure whilst other risk controls are being organised.
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