Reporting Verbal Abuse

All employers will know their legal duty of care and they should also understand their need to report all incidents (RIDDOR). Many have made vast strides forward over the past 5years in getting workers to report physical incidents and in developing a method and process for this data to be collated. However, ask an employer 'do you see reporting of verbal abuse?' Most will say that not much is reported and worryingly therefore may conclude that their lone workers don't receive any verbal abuse. Probably a wrong assumption.

Ask a lone worker if they receive verbal abuse and the answer is more often than not, yes. Ask them why they don't report it and the common answers are:

1. 'I know nothing can be done because it's my word against their's..'
2. 'If I report it then I risk opening myself up to counter-accusations from them..'
3. Reporting methods are paper based and I couldn't easily report the way it was said..'
4. My managers don't take verbal racial abuse/sexual abuse/threats of violence seriously

In short, written reporting doesn't provide a sensible mechanism for supporting these incidents. Capturing audio evidence of a verbal abuse case however addresses all of these issues and more. Captured audio evidence via Identicom is credible and admissable evidence in court and can enable an employer to credibly take action on behalf of their workforce...Result, workers who trust their employer to take these issues seriously which in turn leads to greater relations with the workforce.

It is also fair to say that the vast majority of physical attacks are preceeded by verbal abuse. Stands to reason therefore that if you capture verbal abuse early and act on it then you reduce the risk of physical abuse that could occur later.

One final point. The HSE estimate average absence from stress due to frequent abuse at 29days per annum. Just spend a moment to think about the cost of this to the organisation and how it could be reduced/removed if verbal abuse was better captured.

Helping the Police help us..

Last week at IFSEC 2007, the largest European gathering for the security industry, Connexion2 won an award. Not just any award, the first ever ACPO sponsored award for our work in helping improve public safety.

Its always nice to gain such industry recognition but for me the exciting bit is how specific recognition was given to how we have worked to ensure our technology meets and exceeds published ACPO guidelines.

The Association of Chief Police Officers are strating to recognise the growing need to support lone workers and to provide an effective and proportional response to any major incident involving a lone worker. Robbery related attacks in particular are of significant concern to them but it can often be difficult to validate the severity of an incident and be certain of its whereabouts. Key elements if a fast response is required.

ACPO frown on mobile phones being used as 'panic alarms' by workers, specifically those at risk of being caught up in a robbery. Primarily because they acknowledge the increased risks to the worker in asking them to use such an obvious form of communication. Also though because of the higher risk of false alarms and the reduced opportunity to gather credible, audio evidence.

Identicom solves all of these usability issues and ensures effective dual verification of an incident is possible as well as being able to take a view on the incident severity. Thus, the Police are only effectively engaged if the incident warrants their involvement.

If you need to improve your relationship with the Police to acheive a better level of response to your lone worker needs then let me know, I'd be happy to help.

Out for the count?

Over the past few years I've spoken to an increasing number of employers concerned about workers at risk from slips and falls, electrocution or any manner of other enviromental risks. Increasing focus from the Health & Safety Executive (in the UK) and the likely repercussions from an incoming bill on corporate manslaughter are ensuring that employers treat these risks seriously. Notably the construction, utilities and forestry/farming industries employ an enormous number of lone working staff, all at risk of 'man down' type risks.

During 2005/6 the HSE recorded 212 work related mortalities and an additional 29,000 incidents where workers suffered major injury whilst at work, resulting in the loss of six million working days. Many of these deaths and injuries could have been lessened if the worker had a quicker ability to raise an alert and help provided within the 'golden hour'.

In response to this, we recently announced our development of a new version of Identicom, the i770 which features technology that will specifically identify 'man down' type scenarios. As well as all the existing benefits that Identicom offers, the i770 will automatically sense rapid changes in acceleration which are followed by defined periods of non-movement.

For example, a vehicle based worker at risk late at night. Identicom i770 would help identify an impact followed by non-movement of the worker and would automatically call for help. Similarly, a worker falling or remaining stationary for a given period would see the i770 raise an automatic alert even though the user was knocked unconcious.

So if you have workers who could be out for the count then come and take a look at the new Identicom i770.