Social care workers exposed to violence and aggression

Date:

17 January 2012

Release No:

NE/008/12

A social care organisation has been fined for exposing workers to the risk of violence and aggression.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) launched an investigation at Dimensions (UK) Ltd, a not-for-profit organisation that provides support services for people with learning disabilities, after a support worker was kicked in the eye by a client on 31 December 2009.

The investigation revealed that between March 2009 and December 2010, Dimensions did not have adequate processes in place to control the risk of workers being exposed to violence and aggression from this particular client, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

Newcastle Magistrates' Court heard that during the period of time in question, the client posed an ongoing risk of violence and aggression, resulting in a number of occasions where staff were injured.

Dimensions (UK) Ltd, of Brunel Road, Theale, Reading, was fined a total of £14,000 and ordered to pay £30,000 in costs after pleading guilty to breaching Section 2(1) and Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, in relation to their employees and agency workers.

Speaking after the sentencing, HSE Inspector Carol Forster, said:

"The risk of violence and aggression from clients with challenging behaviour is common in the social care sector. Workers can suffer not only physical injury but also psychological effects such as stress and anxiety, which can also affect their family and social life.

"Social care organisations have a duty to ensure that proper management systems are in place to control the risk of violence and aggression to the lowest level possible.

"In this case, Dimensions should have identified the triggers that would lead to this client displaying aggressive behaviour and measures should have been put in place to avoid them. They should also have ensured that staff understood the activities and environments appropriate for this client, to reduce the risk of violent behaviour being triggered. Finally, they should have acted on incidents and near misses which indicated an escalating risk."

In 2010/11, there were 2,348 injuries to workers in non-residential social care. Information about risk management in health and social care is available on the HSE website at http://www.hse.gov.uk/healthservices/

Notes to editors

1. The Health and Safety Executive is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice; promoting training; new or revised regulations and codes of practice; and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. http://www.hse.gov.uk/
2. Dimensions was fined £7,000 for breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 which says: It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees.
3. Dimensions was fined £7,000 for breaching Section 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 which says: It shall be the duty of every employer to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons not in his employment who may be affected thereby are not thereby exposed to risks to their health or safety.
4. The court also ordered Dimensions to pay a separate £15 victim surcharge, the proceeds of which will be spent on services for victims and witnesses.
5. The number of injuries to workers in non-residential social care for the period 2010/11 is a provisional figure only.
6. Inspector Carol Forster is available for interview upon request. Contact COI News and PR to arrange.

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Issued on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive by COI News & PR (North East)