There are New Obligations for Employers under Ontario Bill 168. All employees must be protected from Workplace Violence.

What is Workplace Violence?

The Ministry of Labour defines workplace violence as “the attempted or actual exercise of any intentional physical force that causes or may cause injury to a worker”.

This would include any threats that cause a worker to believe he or she is at risk of physical injury. It includes attacks, aggressive behaviour, threats, either verbal or written, bullying behaviour and harassing behaviours. Some behaviours that might result in a complaint of workplace violence include:

• Throwing an object at someone
• Saying something in a loud and aggressive voice
• Kicking, bumping, pushing or shoving a coworker or employee.
• Any outsider who comes into the workplace and threatens them, including a family member.

Studies show that some workers are more at risk of physical violence in the workplace than others. People most at risk include:

• Those handling cash
• Those who handle valuables such as jewellery
• Those involved in transporting people or goods
• Those in a mobile workplace, such as a truck or car.
• Those who work with the public,
• Those who work alone or with very few others
• Those who work early mornings or late nights.

Industries that report more violent incidents include:

• Retail
• Health Care
• Social Services
• Hospitality
• Banks
• Schools
• Police and Security work

The New Legislation

But every employer in every industry is subject to the new legislation. The amendment to the Ontario Health and Safety Act will make employers responsible to take reasonable precautions for the protection of their employees against workplace violence.
This would include

• A policy regarding Protecting Employees from Workplace Violence
• A program to implement the policy
• An assessment of your company’s risks of violence, including possible domestic violence entering into your workplace.
• Training, information and instruction on procedures to follow for making a complaint of workplace violence
• A strategy for employees safety in an emergency if there is a violent incident
• A process for investigating any incidents and resolving them.

These are serious responsibilities under the law. A Ministry Inspector can make orders to compel employers to take these precautions. You could be fined significant amounts for not complying with the requirements of the Act.

These important changes mean that employers have a duty of ensuring the workplace is respectful, civil and non violent, and that all management and staff are behaving in a civil and respectful manner.

How we can help

Preferred Solutions has a well developed response for any company’s need to comply with this new legislation.

We can help you prepare a customized policy.

We can provide training to both management and staff on their responsibilities under the new amendment, and help them understand their role in implementing the new policy.

We can also provide confidential and independent review of complaints, with recommendations on how to get people back to work after a workplace violence complaint has been reviewed.

We provide the service to assess the risks in your workplace and a strategy for emergency response.

Preferred Solutions is a one stop location for ensuring your company is ready to protect your organization from Workplace Violence.