Identifying Harassment and Violence Risks
When completing a risk assessment on your workplace it is important to not only involve your OHS Committee or Representative but to also involve your employees who are engaged in the work activities that exist within your workplace or industry and where hazards may exist. Consulting with those that perform these tasks daily can be your best source of information.
When conducting your assessment on harassment and violence, consider the physical environment, the type of work, psychological protection, leadership and organizational structure.
The trucking industry offers its employees diverse roles that result in different physical environments and tasks. A good idea when doing a risk assessment for harassment and violence in the workplace is to begin by dividing your risk assessments similar to how you conduct your workplace inspections. For example, you may want to complete one for the driving staff, office staff, warehouse and yard personnel.
Best Practices for Completing a Violence and Harassment Risk Assessment
Workplace Harassment & Violence Risk Assessment Form
Driving Staff
Professional drivers face significant risk of workplace harassment and violence which can occur on the road, at truck stops and at pick-up and delivery locations. They work long hours and often in isolation which can leave them vulnerable to harassment and violence. These incidents can have severe physical and psychological consequences for professional drivers. When assessing the risks for professional drivers, take specific consideration of vulnerable groups such as women, persons with disabilities, visible minorities and those from the Indigenous communities.
Pay particular attention to work environment and work activities that can put them at higher risk such as:
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Driving a vehicle. Hazards can include:
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Road rage (tailgating, aggressive driving),
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Verbal insults,
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Indecent gestures,
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Stalking and intimidation
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Stress from deadlines/pressure from dispatch
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Stopping at a Public Area/Truck Stop enroute. Hazards can include:
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Thief (Physical and/or psychological consequences)
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Verbal/Physical Assault from public, rival companies or disgruntled co-workers (verbal/physical or damage to property)
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Cyber Bullying
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Loading/Unloading at Customer Yard. Hazards can include:
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Demanding or aggressive clients/other drivers/etc
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Working alone in isolated areas
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Public access points
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High crime areas/urban centers
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No restriction of public access (fence/gates/etc)
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Poor lighting
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*Note: This is not meant to be a complete list but an example of risk identification for the professional driver.
Office Staff
To conduct a harassment and violence risk assessment for office staff in the trucking industry, employers should identify potential hazards such as third-party interactions, employee interactions, the physical work environment and work activities.
Trucking can be a highly demanding, face-paced environment that can place significant stress on all personnel. Again, when assessing the risks for office employees, take specific consideration of vulnerable groups such as women, persons with disabilities, visible minorities and those from the Indigenous communities.
Pay particular attention to work activities and the work environment that can put them at higher risk such as:
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Dealing with Customer complaints/Interacting with other Third Parties. Hazards can include:
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Threats
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Verbal Abuse
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Cyber Bullying
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Intimidation/Bullying
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Physical/Sexual Assault
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Interacting with other Employees/Departments. Hazards can include:
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Threats
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Verbal Abuse
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Cyber Bullying
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Social Isolation
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Intimidation/Bullying
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Physical/Sexual Assault
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Malicious rumours/slander
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Assigning work, Evaluating and/or disciplining others. Hazards can include:
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Threats
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Verbal Abuse
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Cyber Bullying
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Social Isolation
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Intimidation/Bullying
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Physical/Sexual Assault
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Malicious rumours/slander
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Working in isolation/frequently required to visit remote areas of the building (storage rooms/etc). Hazards can include:
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Threats
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Verbal Abuse
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Intimidation/Bullying
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Physical/Sexual Assault
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Other activities to consider are:
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Working after hours/late at night
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Parking access/lighting
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Running errands
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Handling cash
For More, see Things to Consider When Completing your Hazard Assessment for Violence and Harassment in the Workplace
Assessing the Risk and Implementing Controls
Once you have identified how harassment and violence can be a risk in your workplace, the next step is to assess the risk by evaluating the severity and likelihood of harm. This will give you a guide on what problems to address first. The next step is to choose the most effective control measure to fix the problem. Such control measures can include:
Elimination: This is where you remove the hazard from your workplace entirely. Examples of this could be removing high risk situations like handling cash or working alone.
Engineering Controls: This is when you isolate people form the hazard or modify equipment/processes to reduce exposure. Examples of this could include creating physical barriers in the office such as pexi-glass, arranging the workspace to enhance visibility with open sightlines and installing security and vehicle cameras.
Administrative Controls: When you implement administrative controls to deal with harassment and violence prevention you are changing the way people work by implementing policies, procedures and training. This could include training drivers on pre-trip planning to plan the best routes and times for safe operations.
Things to Consider¹ When completing your Hazard assessment and control for Harassment and Violence Form
Physical Work Environment
Is the workplace located in a low-crime area?
Is public access to the workplace restricted?
Are access doors locked or secured after hours?
Is video surveillance and/or security services used to monitor entrances, exits and the surroundings of the workplace?
Is there adequate lighting (or at least during working hours) inside and outside the workplace?
Does the employer have well-lit and secure parking lots available for its employees?
Is there a secure place (such as, a locked area or ‘personnel access only’ area) for employees to safely store their personal belongings?
For all work-related activities occurring outside company premises or outside regular working hours, are there security protocols in place that are shared with employees to mitigate risk?
Are there processes in place to address security gaps?
Type of Work
Is the work free from handling cash and/or other valuables?
Does the work involve transporting people or goods?
Is the work free from direct (such as, in-person) contact with clients?
Are employees trained on procedures to manage angry or aggressive clients (for example, de-escalating techniques)?
Are employees trained on safety precautions to take and procedures to follow when working alone or in small numbers to protect themselves from harassment and violence?
Are employees trained on safety precautions to take and procedures to follow when going onto sites (commercial or residential) where the environment is unknown?
Are employees trained on emergency procedures to be implemented where an occurrence poses an immediate danger or there is a threat of an occurrence posing an immediate danger to the health and safety of an employee?
Psychological Protection
Do management employees receive training on their role to support psychological health?
Does the employer have internal resources available to provide support to employees who experience psychological or emotional stress stemming either from the workplace or their personal lives?
Does the employer periodically survey employees on their satisfaction with the work environment?
Are there specific preventative measures in place to protect employees when they work during times of increased psychological vulnerability, such as under high-stress conditions (for example, seasonal demands, exceptional circumstances, etc.)?
Leadership and Organizational Structure
Are managers trained on appropriate use of authority?
Are there clear lines of reporting to minimize conflicting demands on employees?
