Violence at Work (UK)

Active Threat Assessment

Try to make a conscious effort to remain alert to changes in the level of risk.

Recognising the presence of danger early enables you to:

• Take steps to optimise your safety

• Plan ahead for contingencies

• Call for support at an early stage

Think "Person - Article - Place"

Assessing threats is made easier by considering them as three separate categories.

i.e. Any Person · Article · or, Place that could put you at risk.

Below is a list of some of the kinds of factors that may influence your threat assessment:

Person: What attracted your attention to them ? Do you know them? What do you know about them? How are they dressed? Does this tell you anything? Can you see their hands? Are they holding or carrying anything? Are there any associates with the person, or likely to be nearby? How are they moving? Is there anything about their behaviour that makes you think that they may be drunk? Drugged? Mentally ill? How are they speaking? Are they angry, emotionally highly charged or frightened. What are they saying? Where are they looking? What are they looking at? Are they maintaining prolonged eye contact?

Object: Is the person armed or carrying something which could be used as a weapon? Is there any thing in the vicinity - tools, bottles, sports equipment, that could be used to injure you?

Place: Is there any danger visible or concealed in the area? Are you isolated from other staff? Where is your escape route? Do your colleagues know where you are and what you’re doing? How long would it take for help to arrive ? Are you being monitored by c.c.t.v.?

Good, continuing, threat assessment of each situation as it presents itself, will enable you to maximise your safety and act appropriately.

Remember, threat levels can rise and fall and rise again during an incident.

Stay alert!