Plan details
Statement of commitment
Adapt these two paragraphs, then have the most senior person in scope sign them.
[Organisation] accepts that exposure to violence and aggression is a foreseeable risk in our work and treats it as a hazard to be managed, not a condition of employment. We will design services, environments and rosters to prevent it, train and equip staff for the incidents that still occur, and support anyone affected.
Every report of aggression, including verbal abuse and threats, will be recorded, reviewed and answered. No worker will be criticised for withdrawing from a situation they judge unsafe.
Roles and responsibilities
| Role | Responsibilities |
|---|---|
| Executive sponsor | Approves the plan, funds controls, receives quarterly incident data |
| WHS manager | Maintains risk assessments, coordinates training, reports trends and control status |
| Site and line managers | Apply controls locally, act on flags, respond to incidents, complete reports within 24 hours |
| Workers | Follow procedures, report all incidents and near misses, raise concerns early |
| People and culture | Coordinate post-incident support, monitor repeat exposure, manage return to work |
Prevention program
The plan commits to these standing controls. Mark each as in place, planned or not applicable, and record an owner and date for anything planned.
- A current violence and aggression risk assessment exists for every client-facing site and role, reviewed at least annually
- New services, sites and major refurbishments are risk-assessed for aggression before launch
- Client and visitor records support behavioural risk flags, with the reason and required precautions visible at the point of service
- High-risk interactions (refusals, evictions, custody matters, debt) have documented procedures and minimum staffing
- Fixed alarms at counters and rooms, and a monitored duress alarm or safety app for mobile staff, are provided and tested on a schedule
- Physical environments meet a documented standard for sightlines, exits and barriers
- Rosters put a second person on documented high-risk times and tasks
- All client-facing staff complete aggression prevention and de-escalation training at induction, with refreshers on a set cycle
- Contractors and agency staff receive the same site risk information as employees
Reporting and response
All incidents of violence and aggression, including verbal abuse, threats and near misses, are reported through [system] within 24 hours. The definition is deliberately broad: if a worker felt unsafe, it is reportable.
A raised alarm receives a defined response within a defined time at every site, and each site tests that response by drill at least [frequency]. Incidents involving injury or a weapon are escalated to [role] immediately, and notifiable incidents are reported to Safe Work Australia and your state WHS regulator as required.
Post-incident support
- Affected workers are checked on the same day by their manager, in person or by phone
- Time away from client-facing duties is available after a serious incident without penalty
- Counselling or employee assistance is offered proactively, not on request only
- Repeat exposure is tracked per worker and triggers a workload or duties review
- Debriefs after serious incidents capture what failed and feed corrections into this plan
- Workers are told what action was taken on their report
- Police reports and compensation claims are supported by the organisation, not left to the worker
- Bans, service conditions or trespass action against aggressors follow a documented decision process
Review and governance
This plan is reviewed every 12 months and after any serious incident. The review compares incident data against the previous period, checks each prevention commitment is still in place, and records what changed.
Approved by [name, role] on [date]. Next review: [date].