Kemp & Townsend Ltd’s anti-violence policy

THIS IS THE KEMP & TOWNSEND ltd anti-violence policy DOCUMENT

OUR POLICY PURPOSE

WORK-RELATED VIOLENCE CAN HAVE AN IMPACT ON EMPLOYEES, EMPLOYERS & THE COMPANY & CAN POTENTIALLY CAUSE INJURY, DISABILITY, STRESS, AN IMPACT ON MENTAL HEALTH & EVEN DEATH.

IT IS OUR DUTY TO ENSURE THE HEALTH & SAFETY OF ALL OUR EMPLOYEES AT KEMP & TOWNSEND LTD, AND THEREFORE WE HAVE A STRICT NON-TOLERANCE APPROACH TO VIOLENCE EITHER BY OR TOWARDS OUR STAFF.

THIS DOCUMENT COVERS THE FOLLOWING:

  • THE DEFINITION OF VIOLENCE AT WORK & WHAT IT INCLUDES

  • WHAT THE LAW SAYS & HOW KEMP & TOWNSEND LTD CARRY THIS OUT

  • YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS AN EMPLOYEE

  • CONTROL MEASURES THAT ARE IN PLACE TO PREVENT VIOLENCE

  • WHAT ACTION WILL BE TAKEN IN THE EVENT OF WORKPLACE VIOLENCE

VIOLENCE AT WORK

THE HEALTH & SAFETY EXECUTIVE (HSE) DEFINES WORK-RELATED VIOLENCE AS:

‘ANY INCIDENT IN WHICH A PERSON IS ABUSED, THREATENED OR ASSAULTED IN CIRCUMSTANCES RELATING TO THEIR WORK.’

THIS CAN INCLUDE:

  • VERBAL ABUSE OR THREATS, INCLUDING FACE TO FACE, ONLINE & VIA TELEPHONE

  • PHYSICAL ATTACKS

  • VIOLENCE FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, CLIENTS, CONSULTANTS & SUBCONTRACTORS TOWARDS A PERSON AT WORK.

FOR VIOLENCE TO BE WORK-RELATED, IT MUST BE IN CONNECTION WITH THE WORK ACTIVITY. FOR EXAMPLE, THE FOLLOWING SITUATIONS WOULD NOT BE INCLUDED IN THIS DEFINITION:

  • PERSONAL DISPUTES BETWEEN WORKERS & OTHER PEOPLE, SUCH AS FAMILY MEMBERS

  • VIOLENCE BETWEEN PEOPLE NOT AT WORK, SUCH AS CLIENTS, SUBCONTRACTORS OR CONSULTANTS

WHAT THE LAW SAYS

HEALTH & SAFETY LAW APPLIES TO RISKS FROM WORK-RELATED VIOLENCE, JUST AS IT DOES TO OTHER RISKS FROM WORK. THE MAIN PIECES OF RELEVANT LEGISLATION ARE PROVIDED BELOW.

HEALTH & SAFETY AT WORK ACT

THIS ACT PLACES A LEGAL DUTY ON EMPLOYERS TO ENSURE, SO FAR AS REASONABLY PRACTICABLE, THE HEALTH, SAFETY & WELFARE OF WORKERS. THIS INCLUDES PROTECTINg THEM FROM WORK-RELATED VIOLENCE.

KEMP & TOWNSEND LTD REQUIREMENTS

THE REGULATIONS OF HEALTHY & SAFETY AT WORK REQUIRE KEMP & TOWNSEND LTD TO ASSESS THE HEALTH & SAFETY RISKS TO WORKERS, INCLUDING THE RISK OF WORK-RELATED VIOLENCE.

WE WILL ALSO:

  • APPOINT COMPETENT PEOPLE

  • SET UP EMERGENCY PROCEDURES & TRAIN EMPLOYEES TO KNOW WHAT TO DO

FOR GUIDANCE ON YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS AN EMPLOYEE YOU CAN FIND THESE FURTHER DETAILED IN THIS POLICY.

RIDDOR

IT IS OUR DUTY UNDER THE REPORTING OF INJURIES, DISEASES & DANGEROUS OCCURRENCES REGULATIONS (RIDDOR), TO REPORT CERTAIN WORKPLACE INJURIES, DANGEROUS OCCURRANCES & OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES TO HSE.

WE WILL ENSURE, THAT IF we have ANY EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED WORK-RELATED VIOLENCE, WE:

  • PROVIDE THEM WITH SUITABLE SUPPORT

  • RECORD & REPORT INCIDENTS

  • REVIEW INCIDENTS & CHECK WHETHER FURTHER CONTROLS OR ACTIONS ARE NEEDED

WE WILL ALSO REPORT ANY ACT OF WORK-RELATED VIOLENCE THAT RESULTS IN:

  • DEATH

  • A SPECIFIED INJURY

  • A PHYSICAL INJURY TO A WORKER THAT MEANS THEY ARE UNABLE TO CARRY OUT THEIR NORMAL DUTIES FOR MORE THAN 7 DAYS

IN ADDITION TO REPORTING TO THE HSE, WE MAY WANT TO REPORT INSTANCEs OF VIOLENCE OR INTIMIDATION TO THE POLICE.

YOUR RESPONSIBLITY AS AN EMPLOYEE

WE TAKE ANY WORK-RELATED VIOLENCE VERY SERIOUSLY, IN ORDER TO PREVENT IT & KEEP ALL WHO WORK FOR KEMP & TOWNSEND LTD SAFE & HEALTHY.

TO HELP PREVENT WORK-RELATED VIOLENCE, WE EXPECT EMPLOYEES TO:

  • COOPERATE WITH US & CO-WORKERS TO HELP EVERYONE MEET THEIR DUTIES UNDER THE LAW.

  • TAKE CARE OF YOUR OWN HEALTH & SAFETY, AND THAT OF OTHERS WHO MAY BE HARMED BY YOUR ACTIONS AT WORK.

  • PAY ATTENTION TO & USE THE INFORMATION FROM ANY TRAINING WE WILL PROVIDE ON HOW TO PREVENT INCIDENTS & TO PREVENT INCIDENTS ESCALATING.

  • TELL DANIEL KEMP (DIRECTOR) OR KIM SWANN (MANAGER) ABOUT ANY INCIDENTS OF VIOLENCE OR AGGRESSION SO WE CAN SUPPORT YOU & AIM TO RESOLVE THIS.

WHAT TO DO IF AN INCIDENT OCCURS

IF ANY VIOLENCE OCCURS WITH A KEMP & TOWNSEND LTD EMPLOYEE OR ON KEMP & TOWNSEND LTD PROPERTY IT SHOULD BE REPORTED TO DANIEL KEMP (DIRECTOR) OR KIM SWANN (MANAGER) AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

VIOLENCE & AGGRESSION CAN IMPACT YOUR PHYSICAL & MENTAL HEALTH, AS WELL AS INCREASE STRESS, PARTICULARLY IN THE CASE OF SERIOUS OR PERSISTENT VERBAL ABUSE OR THREATS.

WE HAVE GUIDANCE ON WORK-RELATED STRESS & MENTAL HEALTH, AND THIS CAN BE FOUND IN OUR MENTAL HEALTH POLICY.

IF YOU’RE CONCERNED ABOUT VIOLENCE & AGGRESSION RISKS TO YOU, PLEASE TALK TO DANIEL KEMP (DIRECTOR) OR KIM SWANN (MANAGER).

KEMP & TOWNSEND LTD CONTROL MEASURES

AS FAR AS REASONABY PRACTICABLE WE WILL REDUCE ALL RISKS OF WORK-RELATED VIOLENCE WITHIN BOTH OFFICE & SITE ENVIRONMENTS.

OUR CONTROL MEASURES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING:

  • PROVIDING GOOD VISIBILITY IN ALL AREAS TO REMOVE BLIND SPOTS & ENSURE WORKERS & OTHERS CAN BE SEEN

  • PROVIDE SECURITY MEASURES WHEREVER POSSIBLE TO ACT AS A DETERRENT BUT ALSO PROVIDE EVIDENCE TO THE POLICE TO CONVICT OFFENDERS

  • PROVIDE CONSISTENT & CAREFULLY WORDED SIGNAGE & VISUAL DISPLAYS AS A REMINDER TO RESPECT ONE ANOTHER & NOT ABUSE OTHER WORKERS

  • PROVIDE OPEN & GOOD COMMUNICATIONS WITH WORKERS

  • PROVIDE TRAINING WHERE NEEDED TO RAISE AWARENESS & EDUCATE ALL ON APPROPRIATE SKILLS TO REDUCE OR DIFFUSE POTENTIAL INCIDENTS

THESE CONTROL MEASURES WILL BE REVIEWED REGULARLY & UPDATED WHENEVER NECESSARY.

SUPPORTIVE ACTION IN THE EVENT OF WORK-RELATED VIOLENCE

IN THE EVENT OF AN INCIDENT OF WORK-RELATED VIOLENCE WE WILL DO THE FOLLOWING:

  • REMEMBER THAT VICTIMS WILL REACT IN DIFFERENT WAYS. WE WILL CONSIDER CHANGING AN EMPLOYEE’S JOB ROLE OR WORKING CONDITIONS IF THEY ARE PARTICULARLY AFFECTED BY THE INCIDENT

  • PROVIDE SENSITIVE & APPROPRIATE SUPPORT TO HELP REDUCE THE VICTIM’S SUFFERING, FOR EXAMPLE OFFER THEM A CHANCE TO TALK OPENLY ABOUT THE INCIDENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

  • PROVIDE DETAILS OF LOCAL COUNSELLING SERVICES, OR CHARITIES SUCH AS VICTIM SUPPORT

  • MAKE SURE THOSE THAT ARE DEALING WITH POST-INCIDENT SITUATIONS ARE FULLY TRAINED & KNOW HOW TO SUPPORT THEIR COLLEAGUES

DISCIPLINARY ACTION

WHEN THERE IS WORK-RELATED VIOLENCE WITHIN THE COMPANY, CARRIED OUT BY AN EMPLOYEE, THIS IS CONSIDERED GROSS MISCONDUCT & IS TAKEN VERY SERIOUSLY.

IT WILL LEAD TO AN INVESTIGATION, OUR FULL DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURE & LIKELY DISMISSAL WITHOUT NOTICE OR PAYMENT IN LIEU OF NOTICE.

YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS IN OUR DISCIPLINARY POLICY. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU FAMILIARISE YOURSELF WITH THIS.

WE EXPECT KEMP & TOWNSEND LTD TO BE A COMPANY WHERE ALL EMPLOYEES ARE TREATED FAIRLY, RESPECTFULLY, AND EVERYONE CAN ENJOY THEIR WORK. WE ASK THAT ALL EMPLOYEES REMEMBER TO TREAT THEIR COLLEAGUES AS THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED. PLEASE USE THIS POLICY DOCUMENT AS A REMINDER THAT WORK-RELATED VIOLENCE IS NOT TOLERATED & WILL BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE RAISE THEM WITH AN APPROPRIATE MEMBER OF MANAGEMENT - DANIEL KEMP (DIRECTOR) OR KIM SWANN (MANAGER).