New Workplace Violence Prevention Tools For Employers

Ontario employers have new resource tools to help prevent violence and address harassment in the workplace.

New requirements under the Occupational Health and Safety Act come into effect on June 15, 2010.  The workplace violence tool kit and accompanying guide will assist employers in complying with these new requirements by helping them to:

• Develop workplace violence and harassment policies and programs;
  

• Assess risks of workplace violence including situations involving handling of cash, dealing with potentially violent clients, working alone, working in high-crime areas, protecting valuable goods and transporting people or goods; and
  

• Identify possible ways to control those risks.

There will also be information on how to deal with domestic violence in the workplace, including how to develop a safety plan.

The tool kit and guide are available on the Ministry of Labour's website at www.labour.gov.on.ca