Personal Safety
Chapter 6
Horejsi Workbook
Background Information
• The potential sources of harm to a social worker
include the following:
– Clients who are angry and feel mistreated by the
agency and its staff.
– Persons who are not clients, but who are acquainted
with or related to clients and are aware that the clients
feel mistreated by the agency and its staff.
– Clients who present a special threat because of
alcohol or drug use, a pattern of violent behavior,
antiauthority attitudes, or unstable mental condition.
Background Information
• Potential sources of harm (continue):
– Person with criminal intent and inclination who are to
be found in neighborhoods near the agency or in
areas where the social worker travels and works.
These individuals are not clients, nor do they have a
relationship with the worker’s clients.
– Biohazardous and toxic materials that may be
encountered in hospitals and other health care
facilities and during visits to clients in their home.
Background Information
• Certain practice settings present more risk
to social workers than others.
• Individuals with mental illnesses are not
inherently more dangerous than persons
who do not suffer from such impairments.
• Certain social work practice and
interventions have a greater likelihood of
placing the worker at risk.
Background Information
• In their work with clients who are
potentially dangerous, social workers face
the difficult challenge of remaining
humane, open, and accepting of clients
while also being alert to the possibility of
attack.
• It is important not to expect every client to
be a threat, but to recognize a client who
might be.
Guidance and Direction
• Most dangerous interpersonal situations
are the result of tensions that have grown
and intensified over time.
• It is vital to understand the phases of
escalation, the person’s needs and
feelings during each phase, and what
actions or interventions by the social
worker might reduce the tension and level
of risk.
Guidance and Direction
• It is preferable to intervene as early as
possible in order to prevent escalation and
eventual loss of control by the angry
person.
• Four stages of crisis management:
– Initial tension and frustration
– Verbal attack
– Loss of control
– Recovery after outburst.
Crisis Management
• Stage 1: Initial Tension and Frustration
– The individual is anxious and experiencing
high levels of emotions but are still rational
and in control of their behavior.
– They will respond best to an approach that
helps them vent emotions, reflect on the
situation, and devise a solution on their own.
– The use of active listening will help these
individuals express and examine their own
feelings and to reduce the level of tension.
Crisis Management
• Stage 2: Verbal Attack
– The individuals are feeling threatened and vulnerable.
They become defensive and go on the offensive with
verbal attacks.
– Irrational thoughts and strong feelings begin to
override their self-control.
– Effective displays of calm body language, using a
non-threatening tone of voice, reflecting client’s
feelings and behaviors are useful approaches.
– Set limits on what behavior is allowable.
Crisis Management
• Stage 3: Loss of Control
– Workers need to immediately assess the level of
danger and their ability to provide control; they should
be preparing to escape, if necessary.
– Workers are more likely to gain control of the situation
if they can empathize with the client’s fear about
doing something they will later regret.
– Workers must remain calm and continue to build
rapport, while shifting focus to the threatening
behavior. The out of control person must be
controlled, either by the worker or police.
Crisis Management
• Stage 4: Recovery after the Outburst
– Individuals struggle to regain their composure and,
having fallen apart, need help in putting themselves
back together.
– Workers should allow them to further vent their anger,
explain their feelings, and come to some closure
regarding the incident.
– Allowing people to stabilize themselves decreases the
risk of re-escalation.
– People may gain insight, allow mutual problem
solving with the worker and prevention of future
outburst.
Dealing with the Potentially Violent
Client
• Past behavior is the best predictor of future
behavior.
• Be very cautious when dealing with a person
who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Be cautious when around people who may be
involved in illegal activities.
• Remove all potential weapons from your office
when dealing with a potentially dangerous client
including scissors, staplers, paperweights, etc.
Dealing with the Potentially Violent
Client
• Leave your office door partly open during
an interview with a potentially dangerous
client.
• Notify others if you are planning to meet a
potentially dangerous client in your office
and arrange for a way to signal for help.
• Avoid meeting with clients when you are
alone in the office.
Dealing with the Potentially Violent
Client
• Remember that worker attitudes play a role in
either controlling or provoking threatening
behavior. Maintain a positive, non-judgmental
attitude toward clients.
• Recognize that both increased structure and
decreased stimuli may help clients to remain
calm and gain self control.
• Utilize skills that facilitate communication and
help clients to express themselves in words.
Dealing with the Potentially Violent
Client
• Do not argue with or criticize an angry
person.
• Trust your instincts. If you feel afraid,
assume that you are in danger.
• Remember that an attack by a client is
almost always the reaction of someone
who is afraid and feeling threatened.
Speak and act in ways that lessen the
client’s need to be afraid of you.
Dealing with the Potentially Violent
Client
• Avoid standing above others. Standing is more
authoritarian and threatening than sitting.
• Attacks by clients are most likely when they feel
trapped or controlled, either psychologically or
physically. Give clients options or choices.
• Be alert to signs of an imminent attack such as
rapid breathing, teeth grinding, dilated pupils,
flaring nostrils, choppy speech, clenched fists,
and bobbing and dipping movements of the
body.
Dealing with the Potentially Violent
Client
• Allow angry persons to vent their feelings. Most
people will begin to calm down after two or three
minutes of venting or name calling.
• Do not touch an angry person, especially if they
may be under the influence of a drug.
• An angry or dangerous person is more likely to
attack someone who appears weak, insecure,
and unsure. Present yourself as calm,
composed and self-confident.
Handling the Dangers of a Home
Visit
• Do not enter a situation that could be
dangerous without first consulting with
others and formulating a plan to reduce
risk.
• Keep your agency informed of your plans
and itinerary and check in by phone on a
pre-arranged schedule.
• Assign two staff members for potentially
dangerous home visits.
Handling the Dangers of a Home
Visit
• Do not enter a home or apartment building
until you have taken a few minutes to
determine its level of danger.
• Be aware that guns are most often kept in
the bedroom and that a kitchen contains
knives and other potential weapons.
• Do not sit in an overstuffed chair or couch
from which you cannot quickly get to your
feet.
Handling the Dangers of a Home
Visit
• Keep your vehicle in good running order
and full of gasoline so that you will not find
yourself stranded in a dangerous or
isolated area.
• If you are being followed, go immediately
to a police or fire station or to a public
place.
• Wear shoes and clothing that permit
running.
Handling an Intense Argument
between Two or More People
• Begin by gaining their attention. Anything
short of physical force may be used.
• Ask those in conflict to sit down. If they
will not sit down, remain standing also.
• Separate the disputants as necessary.
Bring them back together when selfcontrol has been demonstrated.
• Always intervene in a crisis situation with a
partner.
Agency Procedure and the
Dangerous Client
• The agency’s record-keeping system
should use color codes that identify
individuals or households that have a
history of violence.
• The agency should maintain a log of all
threats of violence so staff can identify
those individuals and situations that
present a special risk.
Agency Procedure and the
Dangerous Client
• The agency should institute security
measures within the agency (use of word
codes).
• The agency should develop policy and
procedures on how to respond to
dangerous situations.
• The agency should develop a protocol on
when and how to use police assistance.
Agency Procedure and the
Dangerous Client
• The agency should file criminal charges
against those who harm or threaten
physical injury to either the worker or the
worker’s family.
• When a worker is harmed, the agency
should respond with appropriate
counseling and emotional support to
lessen the effects on the worker.
Agency Procedure and the
Dangerous Client
• The agency should keep waiting rooms and
offices clean and strive to create a pleasant and
inviting physical environment.
• The agency should post in waiting rooms a
statement explaining that alcohol, drugs and
weapons are not allowed in the building, and
that threats and violence or the possession of a
weapon will prompt an immediate call to the
police.