Points to Cover in a Workplace Violence Policy
A list and explanation of items you'll want to include.
Violence in the workplace can have many sources.
It can be a current or former disgruntled employee. It can be an angry customer,
spouse, or relative of an employee. The violence can be the result of discipline
or firing an employee, abuse of drugs, abuse of alcohol, harassment by
co-workers, mental illness, or work-related stress.
Often, the policies geared toward preventing violence will cover such topics as
workplace contraband, outside visitors, security measures, use of alarm systems,
and plans for reacting to violence. What follows below are points to cover when
you are crafting a policy to manage and avoid workplace violence.
Points to Cover
Security. Your workplace violence policy
should be coordinated with your plans for security. For example, you can require
employees to work in teams of two or more so that no one person is alone in your
facility. Similarly, you can provide voluntary escorts to remote parking areas.
Consider if your policy should ban working late night or early morning hours.
Should you use a drop safe? What security signs should you post? Are physical
barriers, such as bulletproof enclosures between customers and employees,
needed? Are pass-through windows for customer transactions needed? Does your
policy need to limit entry to authorized persons during certain hours of
operation?
Training. Your policy should provide for
training of employees to avoid placing them in danger. Further, they can be
taught how to react once the danger occurs, despite all of their efforts.
Force. Your policy and your training should
also address the use of force in response to violence. Does applicable law
permit you to make a citizen's arrest? How much force is permissible when
responding to threats of violence? Actual violence?
Surveys. Your policy should provide that on
a routine basis, one person or one department is responsible for surveying your
facility to identify potential security problems and to take corrective action.
Workplace contraband.
Your policy should
include a statement regarding which weapons will not be permitted on your
premises.
You should determine whether applicable law allows you to or even requires you
to ban handguns from the workplace. Once you learn what the law requires as well
as permits, then you can properly write your policy.
Visitors. Your policy should identify any
restrictions on the presence of visitors. For example, you may require vendors
to sign in. You might also require all visitors to sign in. You might also
require all visitors to be escorted everywhere on the premises.
Code. Your policy should identify a code
phrase or name that can be used to indicate that help is needed without alerting
a potentially violent person that help is being sought.
Alarm systems.
Your policy should require
you to periodically check alarm systems, video surveillance equipment,
drop-safes or comparable devices, surveillance lighting, or other security
devices, to make certain they are in working order. If you do not have an alarm
system or other security system, your policy should require you to periodically
review the need for such systems.
Cellular phones. Cellular phones, which will
operate even when electricity is lost or phone lines are cut off, can assist in
responding to any violent situation. Your policy should address whether you will
provide such equipment to your employees.
Response to bomb threats.
Your policy should
identify what steps you will take if there is a bomb threat made.
Searches. Your policy on violence should be
coordinated with your policy with respect to searches. For example, are all
packages subject to search? Do you search employees' lockers? Do you search
employees' briefcases, handbags, and the like?
Parking lot. You may want to restrict your
parking lot to employees only or visitors only, or a combination of designated
parking. Depending upon your business activities, you may want to make it
difficult for anyone to leave a vehicle close to the building, as that vehicle
might contain a bomb.
Do you need speed bumps placed in traffic lanes used to exit drive-up windows to
deter would-be criminals by reducing the chance for a quick escape?
Obstructions. You should periodically review
your facilities to determine if there are any obstructions, hiding places, or
the like that may permit an individual to hide before they attack.
Public announcement system. Your policy
should address how to use the public address system to warn employees of a
violent individual. If you do not have a public address system, you may want to
review annually whether you need one in order to alert employees of an event of
violence.
Aids to identification. Depending upon the
layout of your facility, you may be able to provide visual aids to employees to
assist in later identifying persons who became violent. For example, at doorways
you can have markings indicating height above the floor so that a more accurate
description of the individual's height can be given.
Security cameras. You should consider whether
you will place security cameras to photograph any persons who become violent.
Drug testing. Your policy concerning
violence should be coordinated with your drug-testing policy.
Security guards. Your policy should identify
whether you will routinely have security guards. If you do not have security
guards at all times, then you should identify what hours of the day you will
have security guards. If you have security guards only on special occasions, you
should identify the source for hiring such guards. For example, many employers
only use off-duty police officers to provide occasional security.
Reports to police. Your policy should
identify whether and when you will report threats of violence to the police.
Prosecution. Your policy should provide that
you will prosecute all those who engage in violent behavior.
Enforcement. For an effective program, your
policy should establish employee sanctions for those employees who chronically
and/or purposefully violate administrative controls or work practices. An
employee who has been properly trained and consulted after such a violation, but
who continues to violate established written work practice, should be
disciplined accordingly.
Excerpted from the "Encyclopedia of Pre-written Personnel Policies",
copyright Business & Legal Reports, Inc. Old Saybrook, CT (http://www.blr.com)
or 1-800-7-ASK-BLR).
Your Policy Should be
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