Managing Your Personal Safety at Work

Physical violence and verbal abuse are acknowledged workplace problems which can have significant negative consequences for employers and employee health. Although instances of verbal abuse and threats to personal safety are common in many workplaces, incidents of physical attacks are quite rare.

The aim of the Managing your Personal Safety at Work workshop, is to provide line managers and staff with an awareness of the legal and organisational requirements involved in maintaining the personal safety of employees at work. Equally we aim to provide participants with practical guidance on how to minimise the risk to their personal safety and; to outline the organisational supports available to employees in the event of an accident or injury being sustained.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Managing your Personal Safety at Work workshop participants will have:

• Developed a knowledge and understanding of key aspects of Health & Safety law as it relates to personal safety at work of employees;
• Gain an understanding of the resources and supports (strategies) which can minimise the risk to which employees are exposed;
• An awareness of what employees can do personally to ensure their personal safety at work;
• Developed the competence and confidence of participants as to what they need to do in order to ensure their own and other colleagues personal safety at work;
• The knowledge of the supports and services available to employees in the event of an assault on their personal safety at work.

Course Content

During the Managing your Personal Safety at Work workshop the focus will be on:

• Understanding Health & Safety requirements for the employer and employee;
• Identifying threats in the workplace;
• Techniques and strategies for dealing with aggressive and violent behaviour;
• Techniques and strategies for lone workers;
• Support and services for employees after an incident.

This course is available on an inhouse basis in client organisations. Further details are available on the IPA website www.ipa.ie