The following is the OSHA Workplace Violence Prevention Program Assessment Checklist. This list should be used as part of the regular inspection or audit:
Staffing | Yes | No | Notes |
Is there someone responsible for building security? | | | |
Who is it? | | | |
Are workers told who is responsible for security? | | | |
Is adequate and trained staffing available to protect workers who are in potentially dangerous situations? | | | |
Are there trained security personnel accessible to workers in a timely manner? | | | |
Do security personnel have sufficient authority to take all necessary action to ensure worker safety? | | | |
Are security personnel provided outside the building? | | | |
Is the parking lot attended or otherwise secure? | | | |
Are security escorts available to walk employees to and from the parking lot? | | | |
Training | Yes | No | Notes |
Are workers trained in the emergency response plan (for example, escape routes and notifying the proper authorities)? | | | |
Are workers trained to report violent incidents or threats? | | | |
Are workers trained in how to handle difficult patients or clients? | | | |
Are workers trained in ways to prevent or defuse potentially violent situations? | | | |
Are workers trained in personal safety and self-defense? | | | |
Facility Design | Yes | No | Notes |
Are there enough exits and adequate routes of escape? | | | |
Can exit doors be opened only from the inside to prevent unauthorized entry? | | | |
Is the lighting adequate to see clearly in indoor areas? | | | |
Are there employee-only work areas that are separate from the public areas? | | | |
Is access to work areas only through a reception area? | | | |
Are reception and work areas designed to prevent unauthorized entry? | | | |
Could someone hear a worker call for help? | | | |
Can workers observe patients or clients in waiting areas? | | | |
Do areas used for patient or client interviews allow co-workers to observe any problems? | | | |
Are waiting and work areas free of objects that could be used as weapons? | | | |
Are chairs and furniture secured to prevent their use as weapons? | | | |
Is furniture in waiting areas arranged to prevent workers from becoming trapped? | | | |
Are patient or client areas designed to maximize comfort and minimize stress? | | | |
Is a secure place available for workers to store their personal belongings? | | | |
Are private, locked restrooms available for staff? | | | |
SECURITY MEASURES-Does the workplace have? | Yes | No | Notes |
Physical barriers (Plexiglas partitions, elevated counters to prevent people from jumping over them, bullet-resistant customer windows, etc.)? | | | |
Security cameras or closed-circuit TV in high risk areas? | | | |
Panic buttons - (portable or fixed)? | | | |
Alarm systems? | | | |
Metal detectors? | | | |
X-ray machines? | | | |
Door locks? | | | |
Internal phone system to activate emergency assistance? | | | |
Phones with an outside line programmed to call 911? | | | |
Security mirrors (convex mirrors)? | | | |
Secured entry (buzzers)? | | | |
Personal alarm devices? | | | |
Outside the Facility | Yes | No | Notes |
Do workers feel safe walking to and from the workplace? | | | |
Are the entrances to the building clearly visible from the street? | | | |
Is the area surrounding the building free of bushes or other hiding places? | | | |
Is video surveillance provided outside the building? | | | |
Are all exterior walkaways visible to security personnel? | | | |
Is there a nearby parking lot reserved for employees only? | | | |
Is the parking lot free of bushes or other hiding places? | | | |
Is there enough lighting to see clearly in the parking lot when walking to the building? | | | |
Have neighboring facilities and businesses experienced violence or crime? | | | |
Workplace Procedures | Yes | No | Notes |
Are employees given maps and clear directions in order to navigate the areas where they will be working? | | | |
Is public access to the building controlled? | | | |
Are floor plans posted showing building entrances, exits, and locations of security personnel? | | | |
Are these floor plans visible only to staff and not to outsiders? | | | |
Is other emergency information posted, such as telephone numbers? | | | |
Are special security measures taken to protect people who work late at night (escorts, locked entrances, etc.)? | | | |
Are visitors or clients escorted to offices for appointments? | | | |
Are authorized visitors to the building required to wear ID badges? | | | |
Are identification tags required for staff (omitting personal information such as the person's last name and social security number)? | | | |
Are workers notified of past violent acts by particular clients, patients, etc.? | | | |
Is there an established liaison with local police and counseling agencies? | | | |
Are patients or clients in waiting areas clearly informed on how to use the department's services so they will not become frustrated? | | | |
Are waiting times for patient or client services kept short to prevent frustration? | | | |
Are broken windows and locks repaired promptly? | | | |
Are security devices (locks, cameras, alarms, etc.) tested on a regular basis and repaired promptly when necessary? | | | |
FIELD WORK - Staffing: | Yes | No | Notes |
Are escorts or "buddies" provided for people who work in potentially dangerous situations? | | | |
Is assistance provided to workers in the field in a timely manner when requested? | | | |
FIELD WORK - Training: | Yes | No | Notes |
Are workers briefed about the area in which they will be working (gang colors, neighborhood culture, language, drug activity, etc.)? | | | |
Can workers effectively communicate with people they meet in the field (same language, etc.)? | | | |
Are people who work in the field late at night or early in the morning advised about special precautions to take? | | | |
FIELD WORK - Work Environment | Yes | No | Notes |
Is there enough lighting to see clearly in all areas where workers must go? | | | |
Are there safe places for workers to eat, use the restroom, store valuables, etc.? | | | |
Are there places where workers can go for protection in case of emergency? | | | |
Is safe parking readily available for employees in the field? | | | |
FIELD WORK - Security Measures: | Yes | No | Notes |
Are workers provided two-way radios, pagers, or cellular phones? | | | |
Are workers provided with personal alarm devices or portable panic buttons? | | | |
Are vehicle door and window locks controlled by the driver? | | | |
Are vehicles equipped with physical barriers (Plexiglas partitions, etc.)? | | | |
FIELD WORK - Work Procedures: | Yes | No | Notes |
Are employees given maps and clear directions for covering the areas where they would be working? | | | |
Are employees given alternative routes to use in neighborhoods with a high crime rate? | | | |
Does a policy exist to allow employees to refuse service to clients or customers (in the home, etc.) in a hazardous situation? | | | |
Has a liaison with the police been established? | | | |
Do workers avoid carrying unnecessary items that someone could use as a weapon against them? | | | |
Does the employer provide a safe vehicle or other transportation for use in the field? | | | |
Are vehicles used in the field routinely inspected and kept in good working order? | | | |
Is there always someone who knows where each employee is? | | | |
Are name tags required for workers in the field (omitting personal information such as last name and social security number)? | | | |
Are workers notified of past violent acts by particular clients, patient, etc.? | | | |
FIELD WORK - Are Special Precautions Taken When Workers: | Yes | No | Notes |
Have to take something away from people (remove children from the home)? | | | |
Have contact with people who behave violently? | | | |
Use vehicles or wear clothing marked with the name of an organization that the public may strongly dislike? | | | |
Perform duties inside people's homes? | | | |
Have contact with dangerous animals (dogs, etc.)? | | | |