OHS Regulation 4.27-31 explains the requirements around preventing and responding to violence in the workplace. The starting point is to conduct a risk assessment to assess if there is a risk of violence toward workers.
(Don’t miss the downloadable checklists at the bottom of the page!)
Employer Responsibilities that address the risk and empower staff:
- Complete Prevention Tasks:
- Conduct Violence Risk Assessment and Implement Corrective Actions
- Determine Appropriate Staffing Levels; Hire and Schedule Accordingly
- Develop Orientation and Refresher Training Modules
- Contact and Foster Supportive Relationships with Local Law Enforcement, if deemed necessary
- Contract Security Companies for High Risk Operating Times (i.e. High Volume, Events, etc.) if deemed necessary
- Train Workers in:
- Proactive Guest Communication Regarding Expectations and Consequences
- Building Rapport and Early Mitigation of Unwanted Behavior
- Incident Management Techniques (including: when to ask for assistance, de-escalation techniques, and worker safety considerations)
- Reporting and Investigation Procedures (internal and external)
- Practice Scenarios
- Promptly and Effectively Respond to Incidents by:
- Using De-escalation Techniques
- Continuously Identifying Potential Hazards
- Requesting Support from Others (Manager/Supervisor, Other Workers, Security, Police, etc.)
- Reporting Situations to Managers
- Writing Down What Happened/Complete Incident Reports
- Enforcing Applicable Consequences
- Debriefing Incident, Seek Mental Health Support and Identify/Implement Corrective Actions
Industry sector examples are listed below including proactive control measures and incident response considerations:
RESTAURANTS
EXAMPLE SITUATION
A group of guests are angry due to longer than usual wait times for a table; they are becoming disrespectful to the restaurant host.
PROACTIVE PREVENTION TASKS
- Implement an effective waitlist procedure
- Train workers on assessing accurate wait times
- Communicate with guests as early as possible if/when wait times change
- Train workers in challenging guest interactions
- Post signage supporting respectful behavior towards staff
DE-ESCALATION TECHNIQUES
- Actively listen to guest frustrations and be empathetic
- Offer alternatives such as sitting at the bar for a drink, if available
- Set boundaries for unwanted behavior
- Know when to escalate the situation and ask for managerial assistance
EFFECTIVE INCIDENT RESPONSE
If the guest’s behavior continues to escalate:
- Ensure personal and other guest safety
- Report situation to manager (early)
- Enforce applicable consequences such as asking the group to leave as their behavior will not be tolerated
- Complete incident report
- Debrief situation with workers involved
- Identify and implement corrective actions
PUBS, BARS AND NIGHTCLUBS
EXAMPLE SITUATION
An intoxicated group of individuals has been presenting unwanted behaviour; they are becoming physically irate towards the server because they won’t serve them more alcohol.
PROACTIVE PREVENTION TASKS
- Practice scenarios so staff know how to avoid overserving
- Provide tasty, non or low alcoholic drinks as alternatives
- Make sure water is served to the table throughout the night
- Suggest different food options to the table throughout the night
- Train workers in challenging guest interactions
- Post signage supporting respectful behaviour towards staff
DE-ESCALATION TECHNIQUES
- Be assertive and show confidence while using respectful language
- Set boundaries for unwanted behaviour
- Explain options and consequences while allowing time for decision making
- Know when to escalate the situation and ask for managerial assistance
EFFECTIVE INCIDENT RESPONSE
If the guest’s behaviour continues to escalate:
- Ensure personal and other guest safety
- Report situation to manager (early)
- Enforce applicable consequences such as security or police removing them from the establishment
- Complete incident report
- Debrief situation with workers involved
- Identify and implement corrective actions
SKI HILLS
EXAMPLE SITUATION
Ski patrol discover a small group of individuals drinking and smoking in the trees and when they are approached 2 members of the group show aggression towards the patrollers.
PROACTIVE PREVENTION TASKS
- Post signage regarding unwanted behaviour at the entrance to the area (i.e. in the lift line)
- Place lighting in known “smoke spots” (for night-skiing operations)
- Cultivate positive relationships between patrollers and different user groups
- Have a large ski patrol presence throughout the mountain
- Develop infraction criteria and consequences that can be communicated to guests. Patrol can rely on this during enforcement
- Train workers in challenging guest interactions
- Post signage supporting respectful behaviour towards staff
DE-ESCALATION TECHNIQUES
- Use respectful language
- Be empathetic and non-judgmental
- Keep your tone and body language neutral
- Ask them to step into the sight of others when interacting with them on the slopes (to avoid being hidden while in a confrontation; ensuring personal safety)
- Be assertive and show confidence while setting boundaries
- Explain reasons for the rules and present options of next steps
- Let dispatch know where you are and what you are responding to, and ask for assistance if/when needed
EFFECTIVE INCIDENT RESPONSE
If the guest’s behaviour continues to escalate:
- Ensure personal and other guest safety
- Get names or passes from the individuals as early as possible
- Relocate the interaction to a controlled environment such as the patrol hut or the bottom of the slope
- Report the situation to a manager if you haven’t already done so
- Enforce applicable consequences such as asking the group to leave for the day or a 3-day hill suspension, etc. (depending on the seriousness of infraction)
- Complete incident report
- Debrief the situation with workers involved
- Identify and implement corrective actions
HOTELS & OTHER SHORT-TERM ACCOMMODATION
EXAMPLE SITUATION
A late-night check-in cannot be found in the reservation system and guests get visibly frustrated with the Overnight Front Desk Clerk because the hotel has no vacancy.
PROACTIVE PREVENTION TASKS
- Implement an effective online reservation system
- Keep one room as spare for a situation like this
- Cultivate positive relationships with other hotels in the area that you can call in this situation
- Train workers in challenging guest interactions
- Develop work alone safety procedures to ensure lone worker safety (see Work Alone Resources below for more information)
- Post signage supporting respectful behaviour towards staff
DE-ESCALATION TECHNIQUES
- Actively listen to guest frustrations and be empathetic
- Offer alternatives such as staying in the spare room or another hotel (call and ask about vacancy for them)
- Set boundaries for unwanted behaviour
- Focus on solutions and don’t dwell on the problem or try to assign blame
- Put a note on their file so other workers are aware of the situation
- Know when to escalate the situation and ask for managerial assistance
EFFECTIVE INCIDENT RESPONSE
If the guest’s behaviour continues to escalate:
- Ensure personal and other guest safety
- Report situation to the manager
- Enforce applicable consequences such as asking them to leave or not providing a stay
- Complete incident report
- Debrief the situation with workers involved
- Identify and implement corrective actions
Resources and Templates:
Related Training Opportunities:
For more information:
For more information on this topic and others, contact the go2HR Industry Health and Safety Team.
