Minimise the risks of aggressive behaviour in the workplace

This standard is about minimising the risks of aggressive behaviour in the workplace. It covers the skills and knowledge required for minimising the aggression through your own actions when dealing with customers, service-users and other employees.

This standard is for anyone who needs to minimise the risks and consequences of aggressive behaviour.

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1. identify the communication methods used by your organisation
2. define the set of criteria for aggressive or unacceptable behaviour in the workplace
3. identify the risks and consequences of aggressive behaviour
4. identify any trends or instances of aggressive behaviour in the workplace
5. follow your organisation’s procedures for dealing with aggressive and behaviour face to face and remotely
6. identify the risks of aggressive behaviour when dealing with customers, service users and colleagues face to face and remotely
7. record incidents of aggressive behaviour within rules of confidentiality and maintain their security
8. keep track of common triggers and incidents of difficult behaviours
9. maintain impartiality when dealing with incidents caused by aggressive behaviour
10. attempt to de-escalate aggressive calls and messages or delegate these for resolution by another relevant colleague
11. cooperate in debriefing and follow up procedures after incidents
12. manage methods of communication and review these on a regular basis for continuous improvement

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1. the procedures for safeguarding confidentiality in accordance with data protection regulation
2. your legal duties for ensuring your and other employees’ well-being, safety and health in the workplace
3. the channels of communication within your organisation
4. the relevant procedures for reporting injuries, diseases, near misses and dangerous occurrences
5. the possible risks and consequences of aggressive behaviour
6. your organisation’s procedures for dealing with aggressive behaviour
7. how to minimise the incidents and risks of aggressive behaviour
8. how to record incidents of aggressive behaviour
9. the importance of maintaining impartiality and calm approach
10. why it is important to record incidents and maintain their security
11. the sources of advice and support available to you and your colleagues
12. how to recognise common triggers and anticipate difficult behaviours
13. how to maintain your impartiality when dealing with aggressive behaviour
14. how to de-escalate angry calls and discussions
15. when to terminate and exit aggressive interactions
16. why it is important to take part in post-incident procedures and learn from them
17. how to use assertiveness and conflict management techniques to control aggressive communication and behaviour
18. the relevant legislation for health and safety at work
19. the rules and etiquette of social media and online methods of communication
20. the legal responsibilities and your organisation’s policy and procedures

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Aggressive behaviour
Any behaviour or actions aimed at harming a person or damaging physical property.

Aggressive communication
A style of communication in which individuals express their feelings and opinions and advocate for their needs in a way that violates the rights of others.

Conflict
A state of opposition and disagreement between two or more people or groups of people, which is sometimes characterised by verbal abuse, threatening behaviour or physical violence.

Conflict Management
The practice of identifying and handling conflict in a sensible, fair, and efficient manner. Conflict management requires such skills as effective communicating, problem solving, and negotiating with a focus on common interests and safeguarding all concerned.

Dynamic Risk Assessment
This is a continuous assessment of the risks faced in a situation as it unfolds to ensure the safest and most effective response is being employed.

Equipment
These could include equipment such as pagers, mobile phones, walkie-talkies, panic buttons, public address systems, etc.

Evaluation
The process of determining whether an item or activity meets specified criteria.
It can include comparing the adequacy of policies and procedures with current practice or professional standards to manage work-related violence.

Generic Risk Assessment
It is:

• an examination of the work and workplace activities to identify what could cause harm to people (a hazard); and
• an assessment of the chance, high or low, that somebody could be harmed by the hazards identified, together with an indication of how serious the harm could be (the risk).

On the basis of this assessment a decision is made as to what prevention or control measures should be taken to prevent the possibility of harm.

Physical Intervention
This should include personal safety techniques to reduce the impact of hazardous behaviours, protective stances, disengagement and breakaway techniques” (when responding to physically threatening behaviours or defending oneself or another) or “restraint techniques” (when physically restricting a person’s movement).

Positive Working Environment and Culture
A working environment and culture which does not tolerate any violent behaviour.

Procedures
A series of steps following in a regular definite order that implements a policy.

Precautionary Measures
These could include: protective barriers, protective clothing, security responses, working in pairs or teams instead of lone working, etc.

Responsible Person
A person named in the organisation’s procedures as having responsibility for incidents of violence at work.

Risk
A risk is the likelihood of potential harm from that hazard being realised.
The extent of the risk depends on:

• the likelihood of that harm occurring;
• the potential severity of that harm, i.e. of any resultant injury or adverse health effect; and
• the population which might be affected by the hazard, i.e. the number of people who might be exposed.

Source: HSE “Management of health and safety at work –Approved Code of Practice & Guidance”.

Safe Working Practices
Established safe methods of carrying out activities, procedures or techniques used in carrying out your job or work activities to deliver a service with levels of quality and efficiency required by the organisation.

Service Users
Examples are: school students, patients, clients, passengers, customers, detainees, the public, parents, volunteers and carers.

Triggers of Violence
Factors that might cause violence to occur. They can be categorised in four different types:

• temporary personal factors for example, the service-user being uncomfortable from a lack of food, warmth, light, or presenting challenging behaviour whilst under the influence of drink or drugs, or
• persistent personal factors such as deteriorating mental health, having a difficulty or disability, which prevents normal communication, movement or behaviour, or
• temporary environmental factors such as a hot, noisy, crowded room, poor work dynamics in terms of furniture layout, etc., or
• persistent environmental factors such as too much being expected of the service-user, or the quality of the service offered consistently failing to meet the required standards of the user.

Work-related Violence
The Health and Safety Executive’s definition of work-related violence is: “Any incident in which a person is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work‟.

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ACAS https://www.acas.org.uk/
Equality and Human Rights Commission http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/
Institute of Conflict Management https://instituteofconflict.management/
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) http://www.hse.gov.uk/
Trade Union Congress http://www.tuc.org.uk/
Victim Support www.victimsupport.org

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1

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2030

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Current

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Original

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Instructus

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CFAPMVW13

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Managers and Senior Officials, Personnel, Training and Industrial Relations Managers , Trade Union Representatives and Professionals, Personnel and industrial relations officers

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1135

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Prevention; Management; Aggressive; Communication; Actions; Risk

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