in the
VIOLENCE
WORKPLACE
Nicky Ackerley
HR Support Consultancy
Nicky is the owner of HR Support Consultancy . She has a BA ( Hons ) in business studies , is a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and has been a practising HR manager for over 20 years . HR Support Consultancy has operated the BVNA Members Advisory Service ( BMAS ) ( formerly the Industrial Relations Service ) since 2002 .
In November 2021 , Unison issued a statement welcoming the government ' s intention to ratify Convention 190 from the International Labour Organization ( ILO ), which states that everyone has a right to a world of work free from violence and harassment .
Many of us in the veterinary profession work in customer-facing roles in premises with cash and drugs . Some of us are lone workers . Clients can be anxious and distressed , and there are a number of potential risks of verbal aggression or even physical violence .
The Health and Safety Executive ( HSE ) reported that , in 2019 – 2020 , there were an estimated 688,000 incidents of violence at work . 299,000 of these were assaults and 389,000 were threats .
The HSE defines work-related violence as : ‘ any incident in which a person is abused , threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work . This can include verbal abuse or threats as well as physical attacks ’.
There are a number of pieces of legislation that enforce the management of employee ' s health and safety at work , these are :
• The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 ( HSW Act )
• The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
• The Reporting of Injuries , Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 ( RIDDOR )
8 Veterinary Nursing Journal