workplace health and safety: a priority for all

Workplace Violence Risk Assessment (WVRA)

HomeWorkplace Violence Risk Assessment (WVRA)

The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) states that employers must assess and control risks of workplace violence. This needs to be done as often as necessary to ensure that organizational policies and programs continue to protect workers.

For these reasons, a Workplace Violence Risk Assessment (WVRA) should be completed at least annually, though each organization should have its own processes for determining how often to complete an assessment, and when to evaluate the effectiveness of the process. Generally speaking, revisions are needed when there is a change in the nature of the workplace, type of work, or conditions of work.

Changes could include:

  • Layout or design
  • Increased or decreased staffing levels
  • Increased resident acuity
  • Increased resident population

The toolkit includes:

  • Overview on the Four Steps of Workplace Violence Risk Assessment
  • Risk Assessment scale and matrix
  • An overview of 3 Enabling and Reinforcing Factors: JHSC Functioning, Safety Culture and Psychological Health and Safety
  • Hazards, Controls and Solutions for Acute Care and Long Term Care Facilities in three categories:
    • Hazard Category 1 – Physical environment risk assessment (completed for the organization as a whole including common areas)
    • Hazard Category 2 – Department / unit-specific work settings / practices (completed for each unit/department)
    • Hazard Category 3 – Direct care of potentially aggressive / responsive residents (completed in units/departments where client care is provided)

 

Access the Workplace Violence Risk Assessment toolkit below:

Acute Care Workplace Violence Risk Assessment Tool

Long Term Care Workplace Violence Risk Assessment Tool

Acute and Long Term Care Online Interactive Assessment Tool (before you start, download the User Guide here)

SASWH Assessing Violence in the Community: A Handbook for the Workplace

Community Care Online Interactive Assessment tools

Assessing Violence in the Community Online User Guide

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