Thursday, 1st October 2020

Many organisations around the world have staff who due to the nature, location, or time of their work are subjected to increased risks. Are you meeting your duty of care?

There is a moral, and in some jurisdictions a legal duty of care to ensure that staff are not placed at increased personal danger because of their occupation. Many sectors have staff who either due to the nature of their role, where they have to deliver work related activities, or the time that they have to do so, are at increased risk from intimidation, violence, sexual assault, or in extreme cases terrorism and conflict.

It is important that organisations are able to proactively identify potential danger and risks that can impact their staff. Whilst this can be in the workplace itself (Trident Manor has an accredited ‘Preventing Workplace Violence’ programme) many more exist when the staff member is working alone. Examples of such activities are shown below:

Charity Workers: Undertaking outreach work for homeless and rough sleepers.

Probation/Rehabilitation Workers: When involved with offenders in the community.

Drug Testing Services: When undertaking home visits.

Investigative Journalists/Covert Investigations: When operating discreetly or undercover during an investigation.

Humanitarian/Aid Workers: When travelling overseas alone or as a member of a group.

International travellers: Working if difficult environments onshore or off-shore.

The list is not exhaustive and there will be times when many organisations will either unwittingly or intentionally place their staff in personal danger as a condition of employment. But that doesn't make it right and organisations should always seek to address these issues as proactively as possible. The starting point should always be implementing a robust risk management policy.  By identifying the risks steps can be taken by the organisation to mitigate and reduce the risks as low as reasonably possible. These could be procedural in nature (i.e. booking in and out whilst conducting home visits), have a distress alarm for early notification, through receiving training, or preferably elements of all three. In doing so organisations can be seen to be addressing their duty of care obligations. 

One of the most cost effective ways of addressing these risks is to ensure that all staff who have the potential to face an increased risk of violence and intimidation receive regular training. This not only helps protect individuals but also the organisations operational effectiveness and reputation, an all-round winner!

Trident Manor personnel have been delivering this type of training to organisations and individuals globally. Not only that but our PSSW (Personal Safety and Security Workshop) has now been accredited to provide an increased level of understanding about violence, its impacts, and ways to proactively avoid conflict in the first instance. This programme concentrates on proactive prevention and avoidance of conflict rather than managing the situation once started. 

Wherever in the world you are sending staff or travelling yourself this programme will go a long way to keeping you safe.

For further information about this or any of the other protective programmes offered by Trident Manor please Contact Us.