Workplace Violence (a) It is recognized that at certain worksites or in certain work situations employees may be at risk of physical violence or verbal abuse from clients, persons in care or custody, or the public. (b) Where such potential exists: (1) employees at those worksites or in those work situations shall receive training in the recognition and management of such incidents; (2) physical and procedural measures for the protection of employees, applicable to those worksites or work situations, shall be implemented. (c) The Permanent Occupational Health and Safety Committee shall be consulted regarding the curriculum of training and the applicable physical and procedural measures referred to in (b) above. (d) The Permanent Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee shall jointly develop a new or approve an existing training package on risk assessment. (e) Employees shall be informed concerning the potential for physical violence or verbal abuse from clients, a student, instructors or other members of the public, subject to statutory limitation. (f) Immediate critical incident stress debriefing and post traumatic counselling shall be made available for employees who have suffered as a result of violence. Leave required to attend such debriefing or counselling sessions will be without loss of pay.
WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY The parties to this Agreement are committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace and work practices. The parties recognise that illness or injury at the workplace is costly to the employer and the employees and also disruptive to the respective parties. To facilitate healthy and safe work practices, the parties to the Agreement are committed to discussing health and safety issues as they apply to the operations of the employer as part of the consultative measures under this Agreement. The employer and employees under this agreement may refer to their respective industrial representatives for appropriate advice or expertise in enhancing performance with due regard to health and safety initiatives. The parties also recognise the importance of conducting regular audits of the employer's operations, policies and procedures including the employees' skills, knowledge, qualifications and application of healthy and safe work practices.