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Violence at work
Violence may be defined as “… a perceived or actual verbal or emotional threat or physical attack on an individual’s person or property by another individual, group or organisation.” (Bowie 1998). Violence may come from outside the organisation e.g. from an aggrieved client or someone with criminal intent; it may come from within the organisation either from a co-worker or from a superior.
Bowie, V: Preventing Violence at Work Occupational Health and Safety Update, CCH Newsletter 6/1998
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Violence in the workplace includes not only serious injury and death but also abusive communications, (verbal, non-verbal or written), intimidation and bullying, initiation or “bastardisation” rituals, exclusion, physical abuse (pushing etc) and physical assault, sexual harassment and stalking.
Workplace violence is increasing. For example, in 1993-95, 3899 workers in Western Australia sought compensation for an injury or illness related to violence. The majority (70%) were women. In the US work related homicide is the leading cause of death at work for women, and for men it is the third major cause of death. A study by the London School of Economics indicates that 20% of workers suffer some form of threatening behavior (including sexual harassment) during their working lives and about 8% experience a physical attack.
Workplace violence tends to be under-reported, and in some organisations is considered to be part of the job, or part of the “induction” process (for example physical or verbal abuse of young workers). Verbal and psychological aggression against supervisors, subordinates and co-workers are common events, but may receive less attention, either because such behavior is regarded as “normal’ or because it is treated as less significant in comparison to events such as workplace homicides.
When thinking about workplace violence there are a number of factors to be considered, according to Vaughn Bowie of the Australian Centre For Security Research, University of Western Sydney. These include:
- Differential impacts on persons experiencing or witnessing violent events (a witness may be more disturbed by an attack than the person abused or injured).
- Violence may be external or internal to the organisation and could be aimed at the organisation or individuals.
- Those responsible for the violence may be individuals, groups of individuals or the organisation itself which may have an aggressive culture.
“Group assaults could include harassment by a group of employees or managers on one or more other employees. Organisational assault could include placing employees in dangerous work situations or exposing them to the risk of emotional trauma as a result or retrenchment, downsizing or redeployment.” (Bowie 1998)
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“An increasingly important factor in the occurrence of violence is the environment generated by organisations undergoing rapid change. The employees who respond to this pressure by leaving, becoming … ill or asserting their rights may be seen as weak or as troublemakers. Less supportive organisations can ignore their responsibilities to create a supportive climate for change and instead create a climate of suspicion, fear and anger that can lead to an increasingly violent workplace.” (Bowie, 1998)
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Australian OHS legislation calls for employers to exercise a duty of care toward their employees, ensuring their health, safety and welfare at work. This obligation includes the necessity to protect their employees from harm from others, as well as protecting non-employees who are on their premises for example, customers, clients and contractors.
The OHS legislation not only requires employers to exercise a duty of care but also to identify, assess and control workplace health and safety hazards. This approach must be done in consultation with staff and OHS safety committee representatives. Hazard identification involves a structured approach to identify tasks or circumstances where workers are likely to be exposed to some form of violence. This could include reviewing:
- Policies and procedures
- Locations of work sites
- Tasks, duties and responsibilities
- The nature of contact with customers/clients
- Staff training and attitudes
- After hours arrangements
The Workers Health Centre can provide you with a hazard identification checklist.
Hazard assessment
After identifying hazards, an assessment is made of their severity and likelihood of occurrence, to allow a priority list to be made and an action plan drawn up. This action plan should begin with a written policy, jointly developed by staff, safety committee representatives and management, that clearly points out that any form of physical or verbal harassment (including sexual harassment), bullying, abusive communications, intimidation, “bastardisation”, exclusion or stalking, are actions which are contrary to the provisions of OHS legislation, and therefore not to be tolerated at the workplace.
Finally, a hazard control plan is developed that is appropriate to the organisation. The standard occupational health and safety approach to this is to apply the hierarchy of controls:
- Eliminate the risk
- Substitute other methods for doing the task
- Mitigate or lessen the risk (for example through use of physical barriers)
- Introduce administrative controls
- Provide appropriate training
- Provide appropriate personal protective equipment
These control measures should be approached in the order outlined, though some measures will be used in conjunction with others.
It is not always practicable for a management plan to completely eliminate all opportunities for violent and threatening behavior. However, the plan should include back-up procedures to be followed when violent incidents do occur.
Monitor and review the hazard management plan
The control plan should also be monitored, again in close consultation with workers and safety committee representatives, and regularly reviewed.
Remember! Violence at the workplace is an occupational health and safety matter, and therefore should be identified, assessed and controlled, just like any other workplace-related hazard. If you are concerned about violence at work, talk to your employer, safety committee and union.
Useful References
Both Federal and State governments have produced publications addressing the issue of violence at work and discussing management and prevention principles and training options. These include:
Violence in the Workplace NSW WorkCover 2002
When it's right in front of you: Assisting health care workers to manage the effects of violence in rural and remote Australia National Health and Medical Research Council
The NSW Labor Council, in collaboration with the Workers Health Centre has published a number of factsheets on Bullying in the Workplace. More information is available on the UnionSafe website.
Facts 025 © Workers Health Centre, 2004
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