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Preventing Violence Within Organisations: A Practical Handbook

NCJ Number
186835
Author(s)
Claire Mayhew
Date Published
2000
Length
59 pages
Annotation
This first of a series of three handbooks with practical advice on the prevention of occupational violence in Australia focuses on the prevention of violence that arises within an organization, i.e., between a supervisor and an employee or between one employee and another.
Abstract
Violence within organizations is committed by individuals who have, or have had, some form of an employment relationship with the organization. The incident may involve a physical act of violence that results in a fatal or nonfatal injury or emotional injury, or some form of bullying or harassment. In the latter case, multiple perpetrators or more than one victim may be involved, and the events may be repeated over time. This handbook emphasizes the importance of employer/chief executive officer commitment to zero tolerance of violence, and it identifies some of the economic and personal impacts of violence. The author outlines risk-identification, risk-assessment, and risk-control procedures applicable to violence that arises within organizations. The handbook also specifies the statutory legal responsibilities of Australia's employers/managers to provide a safe and healthy work site and work process under occupational health and safety legislation. Other legislative instruments that can be applied to violence within organizations are also identified and profiled. Discussed as well is the need for written violence-prevention policy and strategy documents and their implementation. Further, the handbook identifies various management styles that may encourage or impede violence within organizations. Finally, a series of detailed draft violence prevention policy and strategy documents and checklists are provided for employers to adopt and adapt to specific onsite conditions. 64 references and additional resource materials and appended supplementary materials