Violence - what can be done about it?

Legal compliance experts Cedrec look at how employers and employees can protect themselves as they go about their duties.

It’s an accepted fact that, regardless of the risk of the job, lone working can be a dangerous business, with the main risk being sudden illness or accident. Yet, violence against those working alone has hit shocking numbers, with intruders, threats, verbal abuse and physical abuse becoming commonplace.

So, what can employers and lone workers do to avoid such dangerous and unsettling circumstances?

Employers are advised in HSE INDG73 they should ensure they assess the risk of violence. Actions if a risk has been identified include making alternative arrangements, using additional staff or employing security agencies to provide support where it is deemed necessary.

Offering training in conflict resolution, minimising the risks to the employee (such as reducing the need to carry expensive equipment or goods), as well as enforcing a communication policy, where the lone worker must report to base at set intervals, along with providing communication devices, such as mobile phones, are also solutions offered to lessen the risk.