Safety is an important issue in every work place but it is not something that all workers and students in the welfare sector hold at the front of their minds. While we all want to think the best of people, there are times when things go wrong, where we encounter angry or distressed people and when we feel scared or unsafe.

Based on my experiences of working in the welfare sector and from my role providing clinical supervision, I have generated my own list of important points for helping to stay safe.

· Develop a clear and specific plan about happens in an emergency. This may include:

o Knowing how you alert others if there is a problem

o Knowing who will do what to help resolve this

o Ensuring that everyone is aware of the plan

o Ensuring that everyone has agreed to and is comfortable with their expected role.

· Be aware of your own environment and modify this so it works for you. Examples include:

o Sit nearest to the door or have a second exit from your room so you are not trapped.

o Make sure there are no items on your desk that can be used to harm you e.g. keep scissors in a drawer out of sight, rather than in a cup on your desk.

o Arrange communal kitchens in the same way, large knives out of sight, rather than in a knife block on the bench.

o If you are calming someone who is angry and you offer them a cup of tea or coffee, make sure it is not hot enough to harm you if it is thrown at you.

· Keep safety in mind when deciding what to wear. For instance:

o Dangly earrings can be yanked out of your ears.

o Scarves arranged in a slip knot around your neck can become a noose when pulled.

o High heels can make it hard to run away fast.

I’d love to hear from others about your own tips for ensuring you and your work place is safer.

This information is part of the Managing Challenging Client Behaviours training that I have developed and run for workers and volunteers in the welfare sector. The training particularly focuses on providing information and skills for the workers who regularly encounter difficult client behaviours but for whom this is not their main role or training e.g. neighbourhood house staff, reception staff, community educators, a range of volunteer roles. A brochure about this training can be downloaded from my website.