Violence In the Workplace

1. Violence In the Workplace • Section 1 of 3 • Worker Focused Safety Program

2. Violence in the WorkplaceThe What, So What & Now What Worker Focused Safety Program

3. What this section will cover • Regulation • Employers and workers obligation to act and react to the risk of violence and acts of violence • Steps taken and to be taken by the district to reduce the risk of violence against workers

4. Regulation • Where a risk of injury to workers from violence is identified employer must establish procedures, policies and work environment arrangements to try to eliminate the risk to workers from violence, and • if elimination of the risk to workers is not possible, establish procedures, policies and work environment arrangements to minimize the risk to workers, and • The employer must make a reasonable effort to ensure workers aware of the risk of violence proportional to the level of risk faced

5. Violence Defined • “Violence" means the attempted or actual exercise by a person, other than a worker, of any physical force so as to cause injury to a worker, and includes any threatening statement or behaviour which gives a worker reasonable cause to believe that he or she is at risk of injury

6. Threat Assessment • Completed when a threat is made to a worker beyond any threat that is already known, documented or has a process in place to remediate the threat • The Threat Assessment is completed by the Principal (or designate) and any appropriate subject matter expert(s)

7. Risk Assessment • An analysis of the risk(s) associated with a new incident or change in the level of violence directed towards a worker • Conducted by the Principal (or designate) and a member of the JOH&S committee knowledgeable in the work performed by the worker who was the subject of the violent act • Subject matter experts may be consulted as required

8. Obligations The employer must make a reasonable effort to: • Develop written procedures • Ensure staff understand the procedures • Ensure staff follow the procedures • Reporting incidents • Investigate incident • Eliminate risk, and where not possible • Mitigate risk to lowest possible level

9. Obligations - Continued • The employer must • Provide instruction, training and supervision to ensure health and safety of workers • Time and location of training is the responsibility of the employer • Ensure plan includes spare-board, temporary employees and Itinerants

10. Worker Obligations The worker must: • Follow safe work procedures • Ensure they attend and engage in awareness raising sessions around violence in the workplace • Acknowledging awareness of risk mitigation procedures • Report hazards to supervisor or employer

11. Process The Board shall not tolerate any intended act of violence in the premises, on its property or during any school-sanctioned activity. Acts of violence shall be considered as a serious threat to the school environment and to the safety of both students and staff and shall be dealt with in accordance with legislation and regulation.

12. Process - Continued • Violence in the Workplace - Worker Focused Safety Program developed • The District , in collaboration with the Unions and WorkSafeBC have developed a violence reduction program designed to enhance worker safety • This program is in an enhanced consultation phase and is subject to revisions

13. Process - Continued • Awareness raising sessions • Awareness raising or employee training sessions will be conducted at the district and school level • Sessions will concentrate on violence assessment, reduction techniques and response practices and procedures

14. Process - Continued • The district will respond immediately to credible new or enhanced threats of violence • Issues already appropriately covered by the School Based Team and/or the District Behavioural Consultant will be referred back to them for review and enhancement

15. Worker Responsibilities • Follow documented procedures • Ensure you read and understand documents related to your level of risk • Threat Synopsis, Safety Plans, Behavioural Plans • Sign-off on documents indicating you are aware of specific risks and protocols • Report threats of violence to Administrator • Participate in training / awareness raising sessions

16. Questions…?

17. Violence In the Workplace • Section 2 of 3 • Worker Focused Safety Program

18. Violence in the WorkplaceRisk and Response Worker Focused Safety Program

19. What this section will cover • Terms • Assessments • Control Mechanisms • Documentation and Communication • Obtaining Assistance • Worker’s Responsibilities

20. Terms • Threat Assessment • The assessment of threat made to a worker where the threat is not already known, documented or has a process in place to remediate the threat • RISK Assessment • Exclusively used where a Student Safety Plan needs to be developed or enhanced because there is a new incident or change in the level of violence directed towards a worker • Threat Synopsis • A high level document designed to inform all workers, who are not in regular close contact with a student, of a known risk.

21. Assessments • Risk Assessment • Completed where a Student Safety Plan needs to be developed or enhanced because there is a new incident or change in the level of violence directed towards a worker • The Risk assessment is carried out by the Principal and a member of the JOH&S committee. • Subject matter experts will be consulted where appropriate

22. Assessments - Continued • Threat Assessment • Completed whenever a new or enhanced threat of violence against a worker is recognized • Completed by the Principal or their designate • Subject matter experts will be consulted as appropriate

23. Control Mechanisms • Analyze Level of Risk • This is done through the Risk Assessment and or the Threat Assessment • Eliminate or Mitigate Risk • This is done through analysis of results of assessments; including • Consultation to determine and document appropriate safeguards and procedures

24. Documentation • Written Procedures • Resolution based on the assessments are documented in the Student Safety Plans, Behavioural Plans, Individual Education Plans and Threat Synopsis Sheets, as appropriate • Includes specific threat behaviors and appropriate mitigation responses • Copies of all documents are the responsibility of the Site Administrator

25. Communication • All workers are advised of general risks • Specific risks are communicated through targeted documents • Risk related to casual contact is recorded in the Threat Synopsis document • Detailed risk response and mitigation documents will be reviewed by workers that have close contact with the student

26. Obtaining Assistance • When faced with a threat or act or violence • Notify your Principal (or designate) • If the threat is known and documented follow the plan established by the School Based Team and/or the District Behavioural Consultant • For a new or undocumented threat call for assistance, and notify administration, do not put yourself in harms way • Follow Threat Synopsis recommendations

27. Workers’ Responsibilities • Follow safe work procedures as outlined in most recently developed and approved plan • Report hazards to supervisor or employer

28. Questions…?

29. Violence In the Workplace • Section 3 of 3 • Worker Focused Safety Program

30. Violence in the WorkplaceSafety Plans & Such Worker Focused Safety Program

31. What this section will cover • Safety Plans • Safety Intervention/Management/Response • School – Based Behaviour Response • Threat Synopsis

32. Introduction • You have a right, as a worker in this district, to know how to access information that is designed, produced and available to reduce your potential risk of harm from violence • This section will review the process, procedures and tools available to you • Your responsibility is to ensure you comply with the procedures and practices that follow

33. Safety Intervention/Response Plans • Worker review and sign-off of Safety Intervention plans may be required when: • A worker spends a significant amount of time with a student who exhibits behaviour(s) of concern • These plans contain tools for you as a worker to adopt to reduce the risk of personal harm

34. Management Plans • Worker review and sign-off of Management plans are required when • A worker (Normally a District EA) spends a significant amount of time with a student who exhibits behaviour(s) of concern • The plan contains tools for you as a worker to use appropriate response behaviors to reduce the risk of personal harm

35. School–Based Behavior Response • The primary focus, of this process, is for student to student interaction or low level threats • Worker review and sign-off of School-Based Behaviour Response plans may be required when a worker spends a significant amount of time with a student who exhibits behaviour(s) of concern

36. Threat Synopsis • Worker review of the Threat Synopsis is required when • A worker may have only casual contact with a student, where that student has presented with credible behaviour(s) of concern, and they must be aware of some specific behaviour(s) and response protocols

37. Questions…?