Section 32.0.2 (1) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act states,
“ An employer shall develop and maintain a program to implement the policy with respect to workplace violence required under clause.”
Moreover, section 32.0.5(2) of the Act states,
“An employer shall provide a worker with,
(a) information and instruction that is appropriate for the worker on the contents of the policy and program with respect to workplace violence
(b) any other prescribed information or instruction.”
All workers should be made aware of the employer’s workplace violence policy and program. They should be comfortable with getting immediate assistance and knowing how to report incidents of workplace violence. As per section 32.0.2 (2), there are four mandatory elements of workplace violence programs:
(2) Without limiting the generality of subsection (1), the program shall,
(a) include measures and procedures to control the risks identified in the assessment required under subsection 32.0.3 (1) as likely to expose a worker to physical injury;
(b) include measures and procedures for summoning immediate assistance when workplace violence occurs or is likely to occur;
(c) include measures and procedures for workers to report incidents of workplace violence to the employer or supervisor;
(d) set out how the employer will investigate and deal with incidents or complaints of workplace violence;
For section (a), “measures and procedures” can include things like safe work procedure or informing employees of a person who has a history of violence.
For section (b), “measures and procedures” can include placing employees within calling distance of each other for immediate assistance.
For section (c), “measures and procedures” can include who, how, and when an employee should report threats or incidents of violence.
For section (d), “measures and procedures” can include communicating information about the roles of employers, supervisors, committees, and others in the investigation process.
In addition to this, things like codes of conduct that set out expectations for behaviour in the workplace and consequences for violating the expectations are useful.
The Queen’s Film & TV Research Group are not lawyers, and this is not legal advice! For more information on labour and employment law, please see the Labour & Employment Law section of this site. Find out more about Queen’s Law on their website, and Pro Bono Queen’s at the PBSC Queen’s site.