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WORKPLACE VIOLENCE THREAT ASSESSMENT CHECKLIST
PRIMARY SOURCE
Before you use this tool, you may want to read the further analysis presented here.
BENEFITS
Most OHS laws require employers to protect workers from violence in the workplace. So say someone makes a threat against a worker. Once the employer becomes aware of the threat, it must take appropriate action. But how can an employer properly assess that threat to determine whether it’s legitimate and, if so, what steps to take to address it? In some circumstances, the answer may be to establish a threat assessment team to make such determinations.
HOW TO USE THE TOOL
Your threat assessment team can use a checklist such as this one to assess a threat of violence against an employee. The checklist is also useful for documenting the team’s investigation of the threat and assessment of it. Explain any question given a “yes” answer in detail in the area provided at the end and get information to answer any questions marked “unknown.”
WORKPLACE VIOLENCE THREAT ASSESSMENT CHECKLIST
The threat assessment team should complete this checklist for any threat brought to the team’s attention. Please explain any “yes” answer in detail in the area below. And please attempt to gather information needed to answer any questions marked “unknown.”
YES / NO / UNKNOWNHas there been a change in productivity or attendance from the person of concern?
Is this person very adverse to any kind of criticism?
Has this person had encounters with co-workers?
Does this person have any current grievances pending?
Does this person have a history of grievances that are generally seen to be unreasonable?
Does there seem to be a change in his or her belief system?
Does this person make jokes or comments about weapons or violence?
Is this person known to use alcohol inappropriately or use illicit drugs?
Does this person have a known history of mental health issues?
Has this person had prior encounters with the police?
Has this person suffered a recent major loss or stress at home or work?
Does this person inappropriately monitor the behaviour and performance of others?
Does this person appear to have unreasonable expectations and fail to understand the reasonable consequences of actions by self and others?
Is this person suspicious of others?
Does this person constantly blame others and refuse to take responsibility?
Has this person been inappropriately joining crusades/ causes at work, especially waging one-person wars?
Does this person believe that he or she has been humiliated by someone at work?
Does this person believe that he or she was too harshly disciplined or publicly shamed?
Does this person seem to identify with offenders or praise workplace violence or other violent acts?
Has this person engaged in property damage or sabotaged equipment or projects?
Has the person been suspended or terminated and refused to leave, or refused to refrain from contacting others in the workplace?
Does this person have a history of making threats, using intimidation or escalating intimidatingbehavior?
Does this person feel justified in his or her anger or unacceptable behaviour toward another person?
Are co-workers afraid of this person?
Is this person seen to be very rigid and inflexible, sullen, angry or depressed?
Does the person say he or she “has no options” or “There’s no hope or no way out for me?”
Does this person seem suicidal in any way?
Does this person have any known history of obsessively following other people or stalking?
Has this person hit people, thrown objects or physically threatened others?
Does this person have a known record of violence?
Has this person named a specific target in his or her threat?
Has this person announced any specific plans to do harm?
Has this person spoken in dire terms of a time or date when something will happen?
To your knowledge, does this person have immediate access to a weapon or dangerous material?
Do you believe this person to be well or ill?
Do you believe this person has the capacity to plan and execute harm?
EXPLAIN ANY YES ANSWER GIVEN ABOVE IN DETAIL BELOW:______
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