NCJ Number
186548
Date Published
May 2000
Length
86 pages
Annotation
This handbook addresses the prevention of forms of violence that can occur between workers and their clients or customers, such as between social workers and their clients or nurses and patients.
Abstract
Such incidents may involve a physical act of violence that results in a fatal or nonfatal injury or emotional trauma or some form of harassment that continues over time. In some cases both workers and other clients can be victims of the violence, and events may be repeated over time against a number of victims. The handbook emphasizes the importance of the chief executive officer's commitment to zero tolerance of violence, and it identifies some of the economic and personal impacts of violence. Also discussed are risk identification, risk assessment, and risk-control procedures applied to client-initiated violence. Further, the author profiles Australian law that requires employers and managers to provide a safe and healthy work site and work process under occupational safety and health legislation. Other legislative instruments that apply to client-initiated violence are reviewed as well. The handbook notes the importance of developing and implementing written violence-prevention policy and strategy. Finally, the handbook identifies some high-risk occupations in which patterns of client-initiated violence and effective prevention strategies exist. Detailed draft violence-prevention policy and strategy documents are provided, along with checklists for employers. 107 references