Sask. will require all regulated workplaces to develop policies on violence

All provincially regulated workplaces in Saskatchewan will soon need to have a violence policy and prevention plan in place.

According to the Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety, changes to Saskatchewan’s employment act come into effect on May 17, making the policies mandatory in workplaces regulated by the provincial government. Students, post-secondary students, volunteers and contract employees must all be covered under the policy.

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According to the ministry, the policy statements and violence prevention plans must include:

• a commitment to minimize or eliminate risk factors for violence and review the plan every three years;
• identify worksites where violence has occurred or may occur;
• identify staff positions which could be exposed to violence;
• outline procedures to inform workers about the risks of violence and any details about persons with a history of violence who could become a risk in the workplace;
• describe actions taken to minimize or eliminate risks of violence;
• outline procedures for reporting incidents of violence;
• a recommendation that employees who have suffered violence consult a doctor or obtain a referral for counselling; and
• a commitment to provide a training program for employees.

Don McMorris, Saskatchewan’s minister of labour relations and workplace safety, said everyone in the province has a right to feel safe at work.

“Having a violence policy and investigating all incidents is a step toward protecting workers from acts of violence,” McMorris said in a statement.