An end to the violence

There’s been much disruption in the workplace over the last 18 months, but one thing remains as important as ever – the safety and wellbeing of our colleagues.

Cases of abuse against retail workers doubled at the height of the pandemic last year, and they are continuing to climb. While this is just one sector, it reminds us that violence – be it physical, psychological or verbal – is still widespread across the globe, and workers are on the frontline.

Our cover feature shines a spotlight on verbal and physical assault in the workplace, the devastating impact it can have on people and businesses, and the policies and procedures OSH professionals can put in place to tackle it. Prevention is key, and from page 22 you’ll read about the signs to spot and the benefits of reporting such violence.

As stress can manifest itself in violence, it’s crucial we delve deeper and get to the heart of the organisational causes of stress in the workplace. This, according to Simon Naish CMIOSH, is where service-area stress audits come into play. Read more about the considerations, processes and interventions required to tackle stress triggers from page 61.

The next in our Back to Basics series also focuses on mental wellbeing, ensuring you understand your role in defining, identifying and managing the risks of mental ill health in the workplace (page 72).

Reflecting on the pandemic, Philip White, director of regulation at the GB Health and Safety Executive, talks about how the regulator has met the many challenges thrown up by COVID from page 31. From financial support to pilot exercises, the HSE’s response has been cool-headed, robust and evidence-based.

With IOSH recently joining the UK Network of the United Nations Global Compact, we look at the role of smaller businesses when it comes to sustainability and the pressures they face. Sustainability is vital. So from client-driven to more self-motivated approaches, the key is to continually maintain and improve practices. Find out more from page 45.

As always, if you have a topic you would like us to explore, email [email protected]. You could add invaluable insight and continue to shape the content of your membership magazine.

Emma Godfrey | Editor, IOSH magazine