April 6, 2023
Creating a safe and respectful workplace means protecting workers from more than just physical hazards. In BC, employers are required to prevent and respond to all forms of workplace violence, including bullying and harassment.
Workplace violence includes actual or attempted physical harm, threatening behaviour, or statements that give a worker reasonable cause to believe they are at risk. Bullying and harassment is defined as behaviour that humiliates, intimidates, or isolates a worker; all of which can have serious impacts on one’s mental health and workplace culture.
A strong violence prevention program helps to reduce risk, respond effectively, and support your team’s physical and psychological well-being.
Employers must take a proactive approach to identifying risks and protecting workers. A complete violence prevention program should include:
Conducting a Risk Assessment
Start by assessing your workplace for any risk of violence, including
Document your findings and update your risk assessment whenever there are changes to the work environment, procedures, or if an incident occurs.
Proactively Establishing Policies and Procedures
Based on your risk assessment, develop clear procedures for:
Your policies should outline what is unacceptable and make it clear how the organization will respond.
Educating and Training Workers
Train all workers and supervisors on how to:
Training should be a part of a health and safety orientation for new staff and refreshed regularly. Use realistic scenarios and practice sessions to help staff feel prepared.
Responding to Incidents
When an incident occurs:
Regular review of incident trends can help you adjust staffing, procedures, or physical controls to reduce future risk.
Preventing workplace violence means more than avoiding physical harm—it also means addressing psychological hazards like bullying, harassment, and threatening behaviour. These actions can leave lasting effects on a worker’s mental health, contributing to stress, burnout, and a decline in team morale.
Creating a safe workplace means showing workers that you have their back—before, during, and after an incident. That includes listening to concerns, following through on reports, and making space to talk about both physical and psychological safety.
Build trust by making your expectations clear, addressing inappropriate behaviour promptly, and offering support services like debriefs, peer support, or access to mental health resources. When workers know they’ll be taken seriously and treated with care, they’re more likely to speak up—and more likely to stay well.
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We’re here to support you at any stage of the process. Contact us for guidance, templates, or one-on-one support tailored to your business.
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