GUIDANCE ON PERSONAL SAFETY FOR STAFF

Transcription

1 Weston Turville CE School Mission Statement TO PURSUE WISDOM WITHIN A CHRISTIAN ETHOS GUIDANCE ON PERSONAL SAFETY FOR STAFF Guidelines produced by Mrs K Brooks Guidelines Reviewed Autumn 2014 Adopted by Governors Next Review Date Autumn 2018

2 INTRODUCTION The aim of this guidance is to raise awareness of potential risks to the personal safety of staff. Some staff may be at more risk in terms of personal safety than others, and as such, this guidance includes details of specific risks that different staff may face and suggests remedies which can reduce those risks. In many situations, there are no clear cut answers but what is important is for everyone to take steps for themselves to keep safe and to avoid putting themselves or others at risk whenever possible. Background Tragedies in recent years have certainly brought the subject of personal safety into sharp focus. However, we should recognise that the tragic incidents we saw with Philip Lawrence s murder and at Dunblane are in the main very rare and it is important to put the risks into perspective. It is much more likely for staff to be verbally abused rather than physically assaulted and the risk of actual violence is thankfully quite low. Nevertheless it is important not to diminish the seriousness of any sort of assault or abuse, but equally it is important not to overreact to media stories and to balance the risks against the steps needed to make the workplace safer and to reduce risks accordingly. The tragedy at Dunblane highlighted the risk to staff and children in very extreme circumstances. Very little could have been done at that school to stop what happened. Risks can be significantly reduced by identifying the measures already in place and looking for further ways of reducing risks especially of intrusion into buildings during the daytime. Also risks can be reduced by reviewing the arrangements where staff work alone (LONE WORKING). GENERAL OVERVIEW OF RISK AND POSSIBLE REDUCTION MEASURES Car Park Areas Potential Risk: Assault Theft from vehicles Suggestions: Park vehicles prominently in well lit areas. Don t overload yourself with baggage when going to your car. Keep one hand free if you can. Conceal valuables or other items particularly if they may suggest driver is a lone female. Keep vehicle locked and facing in the direction you intend to drive. Fit an alarm/locking device.

3 Carry a torch. A torch is kept for this purpose next to the fire extinguisher in the main corridor. Wherever possible ensure that the last person leaving the building at night is accompanied until both parties are ready to drive away from the premises. Reception Areas Potential Risk: Assault Walk-in theft Suggestions: Ensure that all adults enter by the front door and sign in (except first thing in the morning when a small number of parents use the side gate). Contractors and other visitors should enter via the main entrance regardless of whether the side gates are open. Secure other potential entry points to maintain effective visitor control. The side gates are locked during school hours. Always ensure that you sign in and out of the building. Always challenge an adult who is not wearing a visitor s badge. Keep valuables and cash out of sight. C.C.T.V. had been installed to monitor visitors. Outside the Building Potential Risk Assault Arson Theft Vandalism Suggestions: CCTV records any incidents. xternal lighting has been improved. Do not switch off exterior light when leaving the premises.

4 Fencing and gates have been improved and are strong. Signage is clear. Refuse areas are secure against arson. Planted areas are well trimmed to improve sight lines and to reduce areas of concealment. When staff go to bank money this is best done in pairs where possible. Bags of money should be disguised. Interview Rooms, Offices, Parents Evenings Potential Risk: Verbal or physical abuse by parents, others etc. Suggestions: Use internal telephones in case of emergency. Provide safe interview areas - consider room layouts, waiting areas and appointments procedure. Make sure your exit is clear. LONE WORKING As far as possible staff are advised not to work alone on the premises, especially at night. If staff need to be on the premises outside normal hours the following precautions should be taken: Arrive and stay in pairs wherever possible. Do not leave tell-tale signs that you are alone on the premises, eg. single light left on. Make sure you have access to a telephone. Make sure the premises are secured whilst inside. Park your car prominently and close to the door you will leave by. Make sure someone else knows your estimated time of reaching home. Ensure you have a torch with you. Leave one hand free while carrying luggage to your car.

5 REPORTING INCIDENTS A great deal of crime and other incidences often go unreported. Many incidents of violence towards staff goes unreported as they may be seen as too trivial or unimportant to be taken further. Failure to report incidents, even near misses, does little to help combat the problem that exists. Managers must ensure all incidents are properly reported and acted upon so a reoccurrence can be avoided. Reporting near misses is just as important as actual incidents. It is important to record the circumstances leading to violence as this may help identify where systems or procedures within the school might be improved and what events may have triggered the incident. Ensure senior managers are aware of problems so that the headteacher and Governors are fully aware of any concerns. Employers have a duty to ensure a safe and secure workplace but they cannot help if they are unaware of problems. THE ROLE OF KEYHOLDERS Apart from securing premises at the end of the day many key holders are required to open and lock premises during the evenings for lettings etc. There is always a risk to personal safety in these situations when checking the building is secure both inside and outside. Without compromising fire safety arrangements for the safe evacuation of persons using the premises, key holders need to agree with the Head or Manager which internal doors can be locked so users of the premises have no access to areas where confidential records or valuables are kept. ATTENDING PREMISES IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS There will be instances when keyholders need to attend site, eg. when they have been notified of a break-in, a fire or vandalism. In these circumstances it is important for key holders not to put themselves or others at risk and only to attend the scene if they know it is safe to do so. Where the Police or the Fire Service are already in attendance it will normally then be safe for keyholders to enter premises but where it is not clear if the premises have been checked they should only proceed with caution. Female colleagues who are keyholders should be accompanied wherever possible. Equally male keyholders should also take steps to keep themselves safe. It is sensible to carry a torch, mobile phone and personal attack alarm when visiting isolated or deserted sites in case you need to call for assistance or to defend yourself. ADVICE AND SUPPORT TO VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE No matter what systems or procedures are in place, there can be no guarantee that a violent incident will not occur. When incidents do occur, the school recognises the importance of counselling the victim through what can be a very traumatic time. There is a recognition that non-physical violence can be just as upsetting and stressful as a physical assault and victims should receive counselling and support.

6 DEFINITIONS OF VIOLENCE Examples of violence can be put into two categories:- Physical Violence assault causing death or serious injury minor injuries kicking biting punching spitting scratching sexual assault use of weapons/missiles Non-physical violence verbal, racial or sexual abuse/threats gesturing abusive phone calls swearing, shouting insults innuendo deliberate silence IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL PERSONAL SAFETY RISKS IN SCHOOL CATEGORY OF STAFF Teachers, support staff Office staff, i.e. secretaries, receptionists, Caretakers, site managers, cleaners Educational Welfare Officers/ Educational Psychologists ACTIVITY AND POTENTIAL RISK Working with children, meeting parents, working alone, disciplining children Often first frontline staff to visitors, sometimes working alone, dealing with visitors/complaints and other callers. Some cash handling may be involved. Responsibilities for premises, dealing with trespassers, vandalism, petty crime. Often isolated from other staff, often working alone. Keyholder responsibilities. Evening responsibilities. Site security responsibilities. Sometimes staff live on site which may be vulnerable to unauthorised persons, vandals, trespassers etc. Often working with disruptive children, who may have behavioural/emotional difficulties. Contact with aggressive or unco-operative parents.

7 PERSONAL SAFETY: HELPING YOURSELF Non-Verbal Communication - Body Language A very high percentage, possibly as much as 90% of communication is non-verbal. Being able to read the signs or signals that others give can be invaluable in assessing risk situations and predicting potential violence. Recognising the signs/signals Eye Contact Eye contact enables us to pick up (and give) very strong signals. The eyes can be extremely expressive and can show humour, distress, shyness and fear. Combined with other body signals it can be very useful in assessing someone s mood enabling you to act accordingly. It is widely accepted that someone s eyes can be a give-away. By being able to recognise these signs you can act accordingly and reduce the risk of a situation deteriorating and potentially provoking an aggressive or violent reaction. Facial Expressions As with the eyes, facial expressions can say a lot about a persons mood, a reaction to something that has been said or seen. It is important to recognise that someone s facial expression may not match what they may be saying and it can help to recognise when an expression is showing anger, frustration or annoyance as this may differ from what is being said. Be mindful of your own facial expressions as these are giving away your own feelings to others. This in turn may provoke a negative reaction from them. Body Posture Again, a persons posture and general demeanour can say a lot about their mood or attitude to a situation. We all give intentional gestures and these are well known. However there are other gestures or movements that may be not as commonly known and a few examples are given below. Anxiety clenched hands fidgeting frowning pulling at clothing biting lips Depression Generally downcast Hunched shoulders Unresponsive Head in hands Disapproval

8 Pulling away Folded arms Raised eye brows Frustration Sighing Eyes raised Tapping finger/hands Shaking of head Aggression Finger wagging Clenched fists Shaking of head Arm waving Tension in limbs Relaxed Open posture Smiling with head up Making eye contact Natural movements Threatened Arms/legs crossed Backing away Gaze averted Personal Space/Territory It is also important to understand what is meant by personal space and how people may react if this space is invaded. When your personal space is invaded, for example, if someone gets too close, you will almost certainly want to back away. In a sense you may feel cornered or pursued. Similarly, too much space between two people may be seen as creating a divide or gulf where communicating effectively may be difficult. Both of these situations will not aid good communication and in some circumstances can trigger a reaction which could lead to confrontation or aggression. Achieving the right balance will aid good communication and will show sensibility to the other persons needs and feelings.

9 Touch/Voice/Listening Touch Touch plays an important part of communication from a welcoming handshake to a congratulatory pat on the back. You need to be conscious that some people feel that touch is an invasion of their personal space and may trigger an aggressive reaction. Some see it as patronising or offensive and you need to carefully judge if any form of touch is appropriate. In many cases you can judge the other persons reaction by offering a friendly handshake. This will often diffuse a situation where someone may appear upset or agitated as it shows you are there on friendly terms, to listen and to help. Equally, you may need to send messages to the other person that you do not want to be touched. In these circumstances you need to be assertive and show that you do not wish your own personal space invaded. Voice Voice is an equally important part of communication. Differences in pitch, tone, volume and speed can convey a great deal about someone s attitude and you need to judge whether a situation needs calming. You should avoid:- Assumptions about accent; Assumptions about Nationality or Race (English may be a second language and does not necessarily mean a style of pronunciation etc is a sign of aggression) Lapsing into an authoritarian mode of speech which can be seen as dictatorial or displaying disinterest; Using a supercilious or sarcastic tone which can trigger aggression; Being unclear in your own speech (mumbling) as this can be frustrating to the other person. Voice Triggers to watch for Raised voice; Rapid speech and gabbling; Change in tone or pitch; Slow, menacing or threatening tones. Using your voice to diffuse aggression Expressing yourself clearly, calmly and assertively; Being polite, even when under pressure; Learn to release tension and regaining your voice if under threat.

10 Listening As with Touch and Voice, listening is an important part of communication. Listening and taking interest shows you are giving time to the other person, are working with them to solve a problem and you are being sympathetic and helpful. Listening properly will help you to gauge a situation or issue, will avoid misunderstandings and will better enable you to predict behaviour. It can also help to establish a good relationship and co-operation which is important when dealing with awkward and difficult situations. Taking Control - Being Assertive If you are faced with aggressive behaviour or are faced with violence it may be difficult to immediately decide how to react. You will almost certainly we surprised or shocked in such situations. This is a normal reaction. By becoming skilled in learning the signals that can spark aggression your reaction to difficult, confrontational or even violent situations will be much more positive. Assertive behaviour can be characterised by: respect for others open and honest interaction with others recognising your own and others rights Knowing your limits and learning to say no as well as respecting others limits and boundaries Listening and offering positive feedback and constructive criticism. Like all skills, developing assertiveness needs practice in an appropriate context. By learning the principles you will find it easier to deal with difficult circumstances. The broad principles can be characterised as follows: Use direct eye control without staring, showing attention and listening. Be relaxed. Use an open posture without folding arms or in a tense position. Use a clear, firm voice but with appropriate feeling and care. Use appropriate gestures to emphasise what you are saying. Be complimentary when appropriate, offer constructive criticism when necessary. Be clear about what you want to say and ensure the other person understands. Negotiation can be very effective in diffusing a difficult situation. Meeting someone half-way can mean both parties are satisfied and no-one has lost in a situation. It may be better to negotiate on these terms than provoke aggression.