The first step in all health and safety programs consists of a risk assessment of workplace hazards or potential hazards. The purpose of workplace violence assessment checklist is to assist employers with performing a workplace assessment of the risk of workplace violence that may arise from the nature of the workplace, type of work or conditions of work. “Workplace violence” means the use, or attempted use, of physical force against a worker that could cause physical injury. Workplace violence also includes a statement or behaviour that a worker could reasonably interpret as a threat to use physical force against him/her that could cause physical injury.
The intention of a risk assessment is to identify and assess risks related to workplace violence in an effort to develop strategies to mitigate risks as identified. The risk assessment process includes consideration and analysis of:
1. circumstances specific to the workplace,
2. circumstances that would be common to similar workplaces,
3. past incidents of workplace violence in your workplace or similar workplaces, and
The following tools can be used as part of the risk assessment process to assist in identifying risks:
Worker surveys and interviews
Reports of previous incidents
Facility inspections
When identifying and assessing risks of workplace violence and when recommending steps that can be taken to comply with the employer’s obligation to take every reasonable precaution to protect workers from workplace violence, consider both the likelihood of an incident occurring and the severity of the impact if the incident occurs.
A separate assessment must be performed for each workplace.
If your workplace uses health and safety consultants (“H&S Consultants”) and/or has a joint health and safety committee (“JHSC”), consider whether you wish to involve them in this assessment process, however there is no requirement that you do so.
Upon completion of the assessment, advise the JHSC or a health and safety representative of the results of the assessment and provide a copy. If your workplace does not have a JHSC or health and safety representative, advise the workers of the results of the assessment and make copies available on request or advise the workers how to obtain copies.
If you wish to obtain a copy of a Workplace Violence Risk Assessment, send an email to sandie@dentalofficeconsutling.com with the subject line, Workplace Violence Risk Assessment.
