Dear Friends,
We are yet to think of it in India. But few other countries found it essential and seriously go for it. especially USA. OSHA conducts training on prevention of work place violence. It is part of OSHA. It is now part of safety curriculum .
It includes 1. Violence by Strangers, 2. Client/Customers, 3. Coworkers and 4. Personal Relationships.
Every employer should establish, implement and maintain a written WPV Prevention Program. It should be made available to all employees, including managers and supervisors; and all employees should receive specific training concerning its content and implementation. The program should reflect the level and nature of threat faced by the employee(s)/employer. The potential for and/or source(s) of violence in a specific workplace requires a review and assessment of the vulnerability to the four (4) categories of violence previously outlined;
When violence may be committed by strangers, workers can be victimized both in and outside the "traditional" workplace, but while acting within the course and scope of their employment. Use of specific training, staffing and protective equipment coupled with effective physical security methods, and policies must be reviewed and assessed.
Two basic types of violence by client/customer(s) against workers are of concern. The first involves individuals that may have a history of violent behavior, such as prison inmates, mental health service recipients. Situations where this may occur are usually well recognized, and prevention focuses on appropriate staffing, and specialized training, augmented with other control measures. The second arises when client or customers may be "situationally" violent and are provoked when they become frustrated by delays or by the denial of benefits or social services. In these cases, problem anticipation, appropriate training and other control measures deemed effective are the focus for prevention.
Coworker violence can occur on several levels; between supervisors and subordinates or between non-supervisory and supervisory workers at the same level or different levels. A well written violence prevention policy which treats all employees fairly, training in conflict and dispute resolution and active involvement of trained Employee Assistance Program (EAP) personnel, is appropriate in these circumstances.
Finally, the potential for violence resulting from personal relationships must be considered. Estranged domestic partners may seek out their victims while they are at work. Employees who may be victims of domestic violence need to be aware and feel secure in alerting their employers to the potential for a workplace attack. Strict policies should be implemented that 1) address the confidentiality of personal employee information (i.e. home address, work schedules), 2) deny or restrict workplace access to employee relatives or outside visitors, and 3) allow flexibility in the use of leave, work schedules or transfers in situations where employee(s) may be at risk of violence.
To be successful, workplace violence prevention efforts must have commitment from top management and must involve supervisors, employees and employee representatives. Commitment and involvement are essential in any safety and health program. Management provides the organizational resources along with the motivating forces necessary to deal effectively with safety and security hazards. Employees should be involved, both individually and collectively, through participation in worksite assessment, assisting in the development of clear effective procedures and by identifying existing and potential hazards. Employee knowledge and experience should be incorporated into any written plan to correct and prevent safety and security hazards.
Ref : OSHA
Regards,
Kesava Pillai