Violence In The Workplace

Presented by Great Lakes International Marine Training and Research Centre

Administration and Content

Course Administration

Instructor:

Format: Lecture / Discussion / Video

Course notes

Course mark is calculated as follows» Classroom participation » Attendance

Course length: 2 hours

Breaks / lunch / washrooms

Cell Phones

Administrative requirements

Course Content

Notes• PowerPoint presentation

• Video clips

• Quiz

Course Objectives

By the end of this course you will have fundamental knowledge of:

– Relevant definitions regarding violence in the workplace;

– Causes and forms of violence in the workplace;

– Relevant legislation;

– Characteristics of violent offenders.

Introduction

Section Objective

By the end of this section you will have a

fundamental understanding of:

Definitions;

Common characteristics of violent incidents;

Forms of workplace violence;

Relevant statistics;

Persons at risk.

Definition

Any action, conduct, threat or gesture of a person

towards an employee in their work place that can

reasonably be expected to cause harm, injury or

illness to that employee.

Includes factors like bullying, teasing and other

aggressive behavior – components of psychological

violence.

Bullying

Bullying is usually seen as acts or verbal comments

that could ‘mentally’ hurt or isolate a person in the

workplace.

Bullying usually involves repeated incidents or a

pattern of hehaviour that is intended to intimidate,

offend, degrade or humiliate a particular person or

group of people.

Examples

Spreading malicious rumors, gossip or innuendo that is not true

Excluding or isolating someone socially

Intimidating a person

Undermining or deliberately impeding a person’s work

Physically abusing or threatening abuse

Removing areas of responsibilities without cause

Constantly changing work guidelines

Establishing impossible deadlines that will set up the individual to fail

Withholding necessary information or purposefully giving the wrong

information

Making jokes that are ‘obviously offensive’ by spoken work or e-mail

Examples

Intruding on a person’s privacy be pestering, spying or stalking

Assigning unreasonable duties or workload which are unfavorable

to one person (in a way that creates unnecessary pressure)

Under work – creating a feeling of uselessness

Yelling or using profanity

Criticizing a person persistently or constantly

Belittling a person’s opinions

Unwarranted (or undeserved) punishment

Blocking applications for training, leave or promotion

Tampering with a person’s personal belongings or work

equipment

How Bullying Can Affect the Individual

Shock

Anger

Feelings of frustration and/or helplessness

Increased sense of vulnerability

Loss of confidence

How Bullying Can Affect the Individual

Physical symptoms such as:

– Inability to sleep

– Loss of appetite

Psychosomatic symptoms such as:

– Stomach pains

– Headaches

Panic or anxiety, especially about going to work

Family tension and stress

Inability to concentrate, and

Low morale and productivity

If you are being bullied:

FIRMLY tell the person that his or her behaviour is not

acceptable and ask them to stop. You can ask a supervisor

or union member to be with you when you approach the

person.

KEEP a factual journal or diary of daily event. Record:

– The date, time and what happened in as much detail as

possible

– The names of witnesses

– The outcome of the event

Remember, it is not just the character of the incidents, but the

number, frequency , and especially the pattern that can

reveal the bullying or harassment.

If you are being bullied:

KEEP copies of any letters, memos, e-mails, etc.

received from the person

REPORT the harassment to the person identified in

your workplace policy, your supervisor, or a

delegated manager. If your concerns are minimized,

proceed to the next level of management.

Do Not:

DO NOT RETALIATE. You may end up looking like

the perpetrator and will most certainly cause

confusion for those responsible for evaluating and

responding to the situation.

General Tips

ENCOURAGE everyone at the workplace to act towards others in a

respectful and professional manner.

HAVE a workplace policy in place that includes a reporting system.

EDUCATE everyone that bullying is a serious matter.

TRY TO WORK OUT solutions before the situation gets serious or ‘out

of control’.

EDUCATE everyone about what is considered bullying, and whom they can go

to for help.

TREAT all complaints seriously and deal with complaints promptly and

confidentially.

TRAIN supervisors and managers in how to deal with complaints and potential

situations. Encourage them to address situations promptly whether or not a

formal complaint has been filed.

HAVE an impartial third party help with the resolution, if necessary.

Do Not:

DO NOT IGNORE any potential problems

DO NOT DELAY resolution. Act as soon as possible

Myths

It can’t happen here!!!

It can’t be prevented!!!

Historic Cases

Atlanta Day Trader

Columbine High School

Common Characteristics of Violent

Incidents Between Employees

Violence usually begins as a verbal dispute and almost always involves people who know each other.

Disputes often appear to have relatively trivial causes.

The dispute pattern is usually not random and unique; rather, it builds, intensifies and continues.

Eventual victims may behave in an irritating manner prior to a violent incident. Frequently they misjudge their own ability to arouse hostility in others, and are unaware that they are provoking a serious

response to their behavior.

Aggressors and Victims

According to the US Department of Justice:

Over 80% of aggressors are male – over 30.

Only 3% are former employees.

20% - current employees.

Over two thirds of physical and verbal attacks come from strangers or customers. (This is especially the case for male victims.)

Women are more likely to be attacked by someone they know. i.e. domestic violence spilling over into the workplace is the fastest growing category of workplace violence.

99% of aggressors display clear warning signs before acting.

What Is Workplace Violence?

Threatening behavior

Verbal or written threats• Direct threats

• Conditional threats

• Veiled threats

Harassment

Verbal abuse

Physical attacks

Who is at Risk?

Studies have shown that people with the following jobs are at an increased risk of work place violence:

Contact with the public.

Exchange of money.

Delivery of passengers, goods and services.

Having a mobile workplace.

Working with unstable or volatile people.

Working alone or in small numbers.

Working late at night or during early morning hours.

Guarding valuable property or possessions.

Working in community based settings (i.e. home care).

Workplace Violence Can Be Caused By:

Fellow employees

Supervisors

Managers

Customers

Clients

Patients

Students

Members of the public

Unauthorized intruders

Outside contacts

Forms of Workplace Violence

Rumors

Swearing

Verbal abuse

Pranks

Arguments

Property damage

Vandalism

Sabotage

Pushing

Theft

Physical assaults

Psychological trauma

Anger-related accidents

Sexual assault

Arson

Murder

Legislation

Section Objective

By the end of this section you will have a fundamental

understanding of:

Legislative requirements of Part XX of the

Canada Labour Code.

Informed Workers – The Right to Know

Workers have the right to know all risks and safe

work procedures associated with the job.

Workplace Violence Prevention

Programs

Section Objective

By the end of this section you will have a

fundamental understanding of:

Goals of a violence prevention program;

Policies;

Assessments;

Preventive measures.

Violence Prevention Program

Basic components:– Policy

– Hazard identification

– Assessment

– Controls

– Investigation

– Training

In the Event of an Incident / Event

Report the incident

Established Policies and

Procedures

Company policies and procedures.

In Summary

1. Assess your work environment;

2. Pay attention to the warning signs;

3. Promote respect;

4. Eliminate potential weapons;

5. Know your procedures;

6. Trust your instincts.

Conclusion

There is potential for workplace violence in every

workplace.

Thorough planning and implementation of a program

can create a safer workplace.

Any questions?

Take the quiz!