Preventing the abuse and attacks on local authority workers and subsequent injuries is now a priority issue for many local governments. Work-related violence is a contributing factor to stress and absenteeism among staff costing UK employers £700 million annually.
The truly outrageous range of physical attacks on traffic warden, licensing and trading standards and housing enforcement officers, as well as social workers have been revealed in a number data released by local authorities.
Statistics released under the Freedom of Information Act reveal incidents of staff being punched, bitten, head-butted, attacked with pool cues and even suffering sexual abuse.
Recent headlines within the last three months:
- Homeless man jailed for hitting council worker with brick
- Traffic warden attacked by driver
- Council staff hit with pool cues, punched in the face and sexually assaulted in the line of duty
We must admit all this data and all these statistics and news of incidents are a stark reminder of the dangers faced by many council workers as they go about their work – often on relatively low levels of pay.
We will also agree that all of our public servants should feel safe to carry out their important work without the threat of physical and verbal abuse.
It’s important to stress that some reported incidents, especially those involving care staff, are related to the medical conditions of people receiving a service… but nevertheless protection for these frontline professionals is something that needs looking at.
Who’s at risk?
- Community Care Workers – Working with vulnerable groups in disadvantaged areas increases risk of violence.
- Environmental Officers – Enforcing regulations and to police the systems places officers at risk from violence as well as accidents at work.
- Trading Standard Officers – Visiting car boot sales and assisting police during raids can be a high risk job at times.
- Licensing Enforcement Officers – Visiting nightclubs, taxi ranks, take aways and other late night venue puts them in contact with intoxicate and sometimes hostile members of the public.
- Housing Officers – Verbal and physical attacks from tenants, when discussing issues such as ‘rent areas’
- Probation Officers – At a high risk of violence due to the nature of this work.
- Social Workers – Staff are often required to work at all hours, including late at night often in deprived areas increasing risk of violence.
- Specialist Teaching staff – Dealing with behavioural problems and special needs, severe learning disabilities and challenging behaviour can represent realistic dangers.
- Traffic Wardens – At a high risk of verbal and physical attack from angry drivers.
UK based PPSS Group are dedicated to designing, developing and manufacturing of bullet proof vests, stab vests and cut resistant clothing, in order to protect these domestic frontline professionals.
I am not saying everyone working for a local council is at risk of getting stabbed, of course not. However I feel strongly that these professionals have the right to be equipped appropriately and that they deserve the best.
For some council worker stab vests might well be ‘overkill’, this is why blunt trauma vests and cut resistant clothing has been developed.
Blunt trauma vests protect council worker from blunt forced trauma injuries following a kick, punch or any sort of impact by a blunt object.
Cut resistant clothing offers excellent protection from slashes, often the result of a knife attack or an attack using some sort of edged weapon.
Please note PPSS Group is also the organiser of the annual LONE WORKER SAFETY Conference & Exhibition, taking place on Tue 27th November 2012 @ Olympia Conference Centre.
If you feel we can help please call me or PPSS Group.
Call 0845 5193 953 or email info@ppss-group.com
