How To Prevent Physical Harassment

How to prevent physical harassment is usually approached at the point of contact. Most incidents are visible well before that, in a build-up nobody acted on.

The escalation is recognisable. Raised voice and faster speech. Personal space closing. Repetition of the same complaint with rising intensity. Blocking a doorway or standing over someone. Objects handled roughly rather than thrown.

Each of those is a decision point, and staff trained to recognise them can change the outcome by changing the conditions. Move to a more public area. Bring a second person in without announcing why. Offer a break. Hand over to a colleague, which removes the personal dynamic entirely.

What does not work is continuing to reason with someone past the point they can hear it.

Safe Work Australia covers occupational violence. This is general information rather than legal advice, and obligations vary by state and territory.

See Sentrient’s occupational violence and aggression training and learning management system.