On the front line

摘要

Managing the risks of work-related violence and aggression is never straightforward and where employees interact with the general public in potential conflict situations such as revenue protection or rule enforcement, it can become even more challenging. In a 2010 report, Her Majesty's Railway Inspectorate cited work-related violence as one of the top five health and safety risks to railway workers.1 Train operating companies cannot afford to ignore these statistics. For organisations, incidents can lead to lost time, increased costs, reduced staff morale and potential prosecution or litigation. For employees, the effects of an incident can be both physical and psychological, and can have a profound impact on their health and wellbeing.