Workplace violence is any attempted, threatened, or actual harm to a worker, including verbal abuse, physical assault, intimidation, or harassment that occurs in the course of their work. In the community social services sector, workers often engage with clients in complex, high-stress environments where these risks may be heightened.
As part of your Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) management system, there’s a lot to consider when creating your organization’s violence prevention program. Check out our templates and resources, created with social service workers in mind, to help your process.
Program Builder: Violence Risk Assessment (VRA) Self-paced Online Course
Program Builder: VRA Standard Template
Program Builder: VRA Standard with Appendices
Program Builder: Violence Prevention Signage Templates
Program Builder: WorkSafeBC Communicating Risk Information to Prevent Violence
Program Builder: OHSAH – Elements of a Best Practice Violence Prevention Program for BC Healthcare
WorkSafeBC Requirements
WorkSafeBC mandates that all employers assess, prevent, and respond to violence in the workplace.
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To create a best practice violence prevention program for social services, you will need management commitment, worker participation, an organizational violence risk assessment, comprehensive training, regular behavioural support planning, and robust incident reporting and investigation and ongoing evaluation.
What Employers Need to Know
Legal Requirements
- Under Sections 4.27–4.31 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, employers must:
- Conduct a violence risk assessment. Learn how to here.
- Develop written procedures for prevention and response.
- Provide workers with training on recognizing and responding to violence.
- Investigate all incidents of violence.
- Update assessments and procedures when risks change.
- This applies to all workplaces where there is a potential risk of violence, including group homes, shelters, outreach, youth services, crisis intervention, and support facilities.
- WorkSafeBC’s Policy Section R4.29-2 also requires employers to develop a Workplace Violence Prevention Program and highlights the specific elements that must be included.
Best Practices
Policies and Procedures
- Assess the risk of violence by identifying high-risk settings, client-related hazards, and environmental factors (e.g., working alone, time of day).
- Create clear protocols for incident reporting and response.
- Track, document and review past incidents and near misses to reduce the likelihood of repeat occurrences.
- Develop and implement safe work practices to prevent violence (e.g., working in pairs, client check-in systems).
- Implement effective emergency communication systems.
- Develop behavioural support plans for all clients, update them regularly, and communicate all key information to employees.
- Involve your Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee (JOHSC) or worker representative in all reviews and prevention planning.
- Regularly update risk assessments following incidents, near misses, or operational changes.
Training and Support
- Train workers to recognize early warning signs of violence.
- Provide training on de-escalation and defusing techniques.
- Ensure all workers understand how to report and document incidents.
- Offer post-incident support, including debriefing and follow-up.
Take Safety Seriously
- Assess a wide range of risk factors, including:
- External and internal threats (e.g., domestic violence entering the workplace).
- Client-related risks (e.g., aggression, mental health crises).
- Environmental and situational risks (e.g., isolated work, handling valuables, enforcement roles).
- Evaluate risks across all work environments (e.g., offices, residential settings, during community outreach, transportation, and virtual or remote interactions).
- Identify current control measures (e.g., training, workspace design, procedures) and assess where gaps remain.
- Use a standardized violence risk assessment tool or checklist to ensure consistent evaluation across all teams and sites.
- Keep detailed documentation of the assessment process, findings, and decisions. This demonstrates due diligence and supports compliance.
- Summarize identified risks and corresponding control measures in a written document. This forms the foundation of your Workplace Violence Prevention Program.
Work Together
- Involve front-line workers, supervisors, and JOHSC members in identifying tasks, roles, or settings where violence could occur.
- Train staff to recognize early warning signs of escalation; preparation is key to safe and effective de-escalation.
Lessons Learned
- Review past incident reports, near misses, first aid records, security logs, and worker concerns to identify patterns and recurring risks.
- Reassess risks following incidents, near misses, staffing or program changes, or at least annually.
Disclaimer: This resource is intended to help community social service organizations understand the requirements of different aspects developing of health and safety programs. It provides information on key concepts and directs users to relevant resources. The content above is not a substitute for professional legal advice. Please refer to the included links or consult official legislation and resources for current and accurate information.