By Ellen Stoolmacher

Communities can undertake several initiatives to minimize the risks of violence in the workplace, according to Jean Copeland Haertl, director of workplace violence prevention for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Speaking at the Massachusetts Municipal Personnel Association’s April 29 meeting in Duxbury, Haertl urged communities to make a strong statement to employees and citizens that workplace violence will not be tolerated in Massachusetts municipalities.

Haertl warned communities about the safety, ethical, and economic implications when violence occurs in the workplace. Communities that do not provide resources and training risk facing the consequences when an incident occurs.

Workplace violence can include assault, battery, verbal and non-verbal threats, property damage, intimidation and aggressive behavior, or domestic violence. Perpetrators could be anyone – from co-workers to customers to strangers.

The three key steps to reduce the risk of workplace violence are creating a workplace safety team, developing a workplace violence policy, and providing training.

Given the liability associated with workplace violence, Haertl said, it is important that communities thoughtfully plan all initiatives.

Prior to developing a policy and implementing a training program, communities must first create the workplace safety team, also known as the crisis incident team. This team, which should include the town manager or mayor, will review, monitor and evaluate all workplace safety initiatives. The team is responsible for establishing the protocol in the event of a violent incident.

Haertl said the team might also include the school superintendent, police chief, fire chief, human resources director, selectmen, and municipal legal counsel. She said communities should consider adding a domestic violence expert as well.

Once the workplace safety team is in place, the community should begin work on a workplace safety policy. The safety policy should cover all violent actions that can occur in the workplace and must reference specific behaviors that are prohibited. The policy should spell out reporting procedures and the community’s response.

Training often results in an increase in reports of violent incidents among employees, so managers should be trained first in order to be better equipped to respond. While some communities conduct their own training, Haertl recommended hiring a workplace violence expert to provide the training.

Haertl said employers must work to create a climate that encourages disclosure of violence and intimidation. Employees should be made to feel comfortable disclosing incidents of workplace violence and domestic violence, and they should be fully aware – through the workplace safety policy and training – how the community will respond.

In the second session of the meeting, Duxbury Town Manager Rocco Longo offered information to help MMPA members develop their own crisis incident teams.

Several members of Duxbury’s Crisis Incident Team described the creation of the team and its current activities. Team member Joe Grady, the town’s conservation agent, indicated that Duxbury employees appreciate knowing that the team and policy exist.

“Having the town manager in the audience during the training gave a very good impression to employees,” he said. “The training raised the awareness of workplace violence and also offered a cross-division networking opportunity for the town employees.”

Duxbury Library Director Elaine Winquist said the community’s efforts have improved moral and reinforced the notion that an employer has an obligation to maintain a safe workplace.