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Preventing Third-Party Violence at Work: Strategies and Impacts

Learn about third-party violence in the workplace, its consequences, risks, and preventive measures. Understand the organizational challenges and individual impacts of physical and verbal aggression at work.

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Preventing Third-Party Violence at Work: Strategies and Impacts

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  1. Violence at work Dr Malgorzata Milczarek European Agency for Safety and Health at Work

  2. Third party violence • Third-party violence • Physical violence, verbal aggression, or the threat of physical violence where the aggressor is not a work colleague, e.g. the person, customer, client or patient receiving the goods or services. • Violence to workers, regardless of source, is an occupational safety and health (OSH) issue • Violence to workers is a challenge to be solved at the organisational level. It is not an individual’s problem

  3. Third party violence • Consequences of third party violence • At the individual level: • Physical injuries • Stress, fear, psychosomatic symptoms (headaches), negative mood, emotional exhaustion, sleeping problems, anxiety, sleeping problems, depression, problems with concentration, reduced job satisfaction • At the organisational level: • High absenteeism, high turnover, insurance costs, impaired performance

  4. Third party violence • Risk of third party violence • Handling money or valuables • Dealing with public • Guarding of valuable property or objects • Working alone • Working at night or early in the morning • Working in the region where plenty of crimes are committed • Working at mobile workplace • Working with mentally disturbed, drunk or potentially violent people • Carrying inspections or enforcement duties • Working in social function • Providing care, advice, education, training

  5. Third party violence • 5th EWCS (2010): • 2% of workers reported physical violence (last year) • 11% experienced verbal abuse (last month) • Belgium: 5.5% of workers exposed to violence in the last 12 months. • Denmark: 8% of workers exposed to violence during last year. • UK: Estimated 16% of workers have been subject to violence during last three months. • Finland: 23% of women and 11% of men reported being exposed to violence during last 12 months.

  6. Concern regarding violence or threat of violence(ESENER, 2009) % establishments

  7. Concern regarding bullying or harassment(ESENER, 2009) % establishments

  8. Prevalence of procedures to deal with work-related stress, harassment, or violence % establishments, EU27

  9. Prevention measures • Handling money • Promote use of credit cards etc. • Empty tills regularly and automatically… • Extended working hours • Well lit stores • Well lit car parks, with no hiding spots…. • Procedures for opening and closing stores • Avoid lone working. No lone working in high risk areas • Arrangements for safe travelling to and from work • Procedures for refusing underage sales of alcohol, cigarettes

  10. Prevention measures • After violent incident company procedures to prevent further harm should be applied, including: • Not leaving victims alone • Senior management support • Psychological support as necessary • Ongoing support in administrative / legal procedures (e.g. if police involvement) • Information to other workers • Investigation of the incident • Lessons learned • Review of risk assessment and measures

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