Resources & Tips for Escalated Events at Work

All workers in BC deserve a safe place to work. BC employers are legally responsible for protecting the health and safety of people who work for them, and must comply with BC’s Workers Compensation Act and Occupational Health & Safety Regulation.

In tourism and hospitality, our hotels, restaurants, resorts, outdoor recreation, and other workplaces, can experience unforeseen events such as robberies, or violent customers. While these events are rare, employers are responsible for taking the necessary steps to mitigate risks and must have clear procedures in place to ensure the safety of all employees and customers. Having clear processes in place before an event occurs is key, as prevention is the best measure of safety. It is important to remember the psychological impact events like this can have on employees during, after, and much later after an event occurs. You can read more about PTSD here.

Training your leaders and employees on the steps to take in your workplace and understanding the resources available before an event occurs is best practice. This can include training for:

Unfortunately, these events sometimes occur despite the best efforts to mitigate risks. If a customer is escalated or there is a crime committed onsite, do your team members understand the procedures, their responsibilities, and know which resources are available? In the event of a traumatic event, staff should know:

Need somewhere to start? Contact one of our Health & Safety Specialists or Mental Health & Psychological Safety Consultants today. For access to many training courses on this topic, check out: www.go2hr.ca/training/health-safety