ONTARIO SERVICE SAFETY ALLIANCE PRESENTS
Workplace Violence Prevention Awareness
Session
Ontario Service Safety Alliance
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Imagine This!
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Who We Are
Workplace Safety and Prevention Services (WSPS) is the
provincially designated occupational health & safety
consulting company to the Services, Manufacturing and
Agricultural industries in Ontario.
Our Vision: Lead and inspire change: Workplace
injury and illness are unacceptable.
Our Mission: Enable Ontario service sector
workplaces to be the healthiest and safest in the
world.
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Learning Objectives
• A brief overview of new Workplace Violence
Legislation.
• What is required of employers
• Tools that can help
• Access to more information and consultation
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Some Statistics about Workplace Violence
• Over 365,000 violent incidents are reported
annually at Canadian workplaces*
• Service industry experienced 3rd largest # of
lost time claims due to violence (2003-2007)
– Only behind healthcare and
government/education
• Retail represents 45% of all injuries due to
assaults & violent acts
– within service industry
* From WSIB EIW,2010
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Bill 168 Deals With:
• Violent acts
• Harassment
• Domestic Violence that occurs in the Workplace
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Violence Can Come From Many Sources?
•
•
•
•
Strangers or people with no ties to workplace
Customers
Other workers
Intimate partners, family members or friends
(OSHCO Workplace Violence Prevention Guide)
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Defining Violence
• The exercise of physical force against a worker
• An attempt to exercise physical force against a
worker
• A threat to exercise physical force against a
worker – in a workplace, that could cause
physical injury to the worker
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Defining Harassment
• “Engaging in a course of vexatious comment or
conduct against a worker in a workplace that is
known or ought reasonably to be known to be
unwelcome.”
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Types of Violence & Harassment
Violence
• Abuse – physical
• Bullying – physical
• Physical or Sexual
Assault
• Road Rage
• Domestic Violence in
the workplace
Harassment
• Abuse - verbal
• Bullying
– Verbal
– Written
• Harassment
– Written or verbal
threats
• Stalking or Cyberstalking
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Everyone Is Responsible!
• The Occupational Health and Safety Act*
As of June 15th the Act has changed
– Bill 168 has specific requirements to create
policies, procedures, measures and training to
protect workers.
– Employers & supervisors must “take every
precaution reasonable in the
circumstances…”
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Bill 168 Has New Requirements
Employers must:
1. Prepare written* policies addressing
workplace violence or harassment
2. Post policies in a conspicuous place*
3. Review violence policy annually, at a
minimum
4. Respond to the threat or actual domestic
violence entering the workplace
5. Ensure workers know they have right to
refuse work if “workplace violence is likely
to endanger himself or herself…”
*Requirements for written policies and posting only applies to workplaces with
5 or more regularly employed workers
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Bill 168 Has New Requirements
Employers must:
6. Assess the workplace for violence hazards
7. Prepare a violence & harassment programs
and investigation procedures
8. Ensure workers have process to report
incidents of violence/harassment
9. Ensure training, reporting and response
mechanisms
10. Reassess periodically to ensure
policy/program effectiveness
OHS & Workers’ Management Update, April 2009, HeenanBlaikie
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Develop a Violence Prevention Policy
• Show employer’s commitment
to protect workers from
workplace violence
• Address violence from all
possible sources
• Outline roles & responsibilities
of workplace parties
• Be dated and signed by
highest level management
MOL Health & Safety Guidelines
http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/hs/pubs/wpvh/ind
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Develop A WVP Program
Outlines:
• Procedures to control risks identified in risk
assessment
• Procedures for summoning immediate
assistance
• Procedures for workers to report incidents of
workplace violence to supervisor/employer
• Procedures describing how employer will
investigate and deal with incidents or
complaints of workplace violence
• Train employees on policy & program elements
• Monitor policy regularly
MOL Health & Safety Guidelines
http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/hs/pubs/wpvh/index.php
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Assess Workplace for Violence Risks by:
1. Assess the nature of the workplace, type of
work or conditions of work
a. Nature = physical aspects of workplace (e.g.,
lighting, depth of counters, entrances, exits)
b. Type = activities workers perform (e.g.,
handling cash) or people workers encounter
(e.g., customers)
c. Conditions = circumstances (e.g., hours
worked, working alone, moving from location to
location)
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Assess Workplace for Violence Risks by:
2. Consider the circumstances of the workplace
and common to other similar workplaces
a. Layout/design of workplace
b. Geographic location
c. Work carried out including high risk
circumstances*
d. Protective procedures already in place
e. History of violent incidents in the workplace
*See OSHCO Risk Assessment Toolbox
http://www.ossa.com/content/resources/Bill168-WorkplaceViolence.cfm
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Assess Workplace for Violence Risks by:
2. Consider the high risk retail circumstances of
the workplace and common to other similar
retail workplaces
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
Handling cash
Working alone or with just a few people
Working late at night or very early mornings
Working with direct contact with clients
Working in high crime areas (potentially)
Securing or protecting valuable goods
(potentially)
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OSHCO Risk Assessment Toolbox
• Provides step-by-step
process to assess
violence risks
• Lists controls you can
implement to
reduce/eliminate risk
OSHCO Risk Assessment Toolbox
http://www.ossa.com/content/resources/Bill168-WorkplaceViolence.cfm
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Tools in Toolbox
• Workplace Violence Survey
• Policy, Program and Training Review Tool
• General Physical Environment Assessment
• Risk Factor Selection Tool
• 9 Assessments for Specific Risks
–
–
–
–
Direct contact with customers
Handling cash
Working alone or in small numbers
Securing/protecting valuable goods
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Implement Harassment Prevention Program
• Program must include:
• Procedures for workers to
report incidents in the
workplace
• Procedures to investigate and
deal with incidents and
complaints of workplace
harassment
http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/hs/pubs/wpvh/ind
MOL Health & Safety Guidelines
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Questions
• Does an employer have to assess the
risk that harassment may occur in the
workplace?
• Can a worker refuse to work because of
a risk of workplace harassment?
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Obligations re: Workplace Domestic Violence
• The Act requires employers to take every
precaution reasonable in the circumstances for the
protection of workers when they are aware or ought
reasonably be aware that domestic violence may
occur IN THE WORKPLACE and that it would
LIKELY expose a worker to physical injury.
• Can affect both targeted workers and co-workers
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Obligations re: Workplace Domestic Violence
• Develop procedures for summoning of
immediate assistance if domestic violence
enters the workplace
• Develop procedures for reporting the threat of
domestic violence entering the workplace
• Be prepared to investigate and deal with
concerns on a case-by-case basis
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Obligations re: Workplace Domestic Violence
• Employers may assist workers in developing an
individual safety plan – as it pertains to the
workplace
• When an abuser and worker are both in the
same organization and there is a threat of
domestic violence entering the workplace:
• Follow the workplace violence policy and
program in dealing with the abuser’s
behaviour
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How will I know DV may enter the workplace?
• If a concern is voiced by the targeted worker,
co-workers or someone else.
• Other indicators include:
• Threatening emails and phone calls
• Unwelcome visits at the workplace by
abuser
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For more information:
Ministry of Labour Guidelines on Workplace Violence
• http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/hs/topics/workplaceviolence
.php
• Your local Workplace Safety and Prevention Services (WSPS)
consultant:
http://www.healthandsafetyontario.ca/bundles/wsps/index.html
For Corporations and Associations:
Rodola Sibuma, WSPS Corporate Account Manager
416-467-5196
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ONTARIO SERVICE SAFETY ALLIANCE PRESENTS
Workplace Violence Prevention Awareness
Session
Ontario Service Safety Alliance
< >