Campaign against violence stepped up

The TUC this month launched a new advice leaflet on tackling violence in the workplace at a major conference marking the start of a government campaign to reduce work-related violence.

The conference, "Managing violence at work: a partnership approach", was organised by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Bill Callaghan, chair of the Health and Safety Commission (HSC), said: "We want the programme to make a lasting difference, which is why we have set a target of reducing the amount of work-related violence by 10% by the end of the three years."

The conference, which looked at how to tackle physical or verbal attacks at work, follows on from a recent TUC report which showed that one in five workers is attacked or abused every year.

The TUC has called on employers to consult and work with trade unions to assess the risks of violence to their staff; take steps to prevent or minimise violence or protect employees from it; and to ensure that, when violent attacks do happen, they are recorded and the victims receive appropriate assistance.

The HSC programme will involve raising awareness of the problem and how it can be tackled; developing guidance targeted at those sectors most at risk; and commissioning research to evaluate strategies for managing the problem.

The TUC leaflet, Tackling violence at work, which explains how workers, unions and employers can tackle violence at work together, is available free from the TUC's know your rights line on 0870-600 4882.