Harrassment by customers
Discussion
I'm appealing to the greater knowledge of PH with regards to the OH and her job.
She works in a customer service type role which can see her working alone for anything up to 6 hours in shopping centres / airports etc. She is often subject ot verbal abuse and threatened physical violence from customers and members of the public.
Despite raising concerns repeatedly to her management nothing has been done to improve the situation.
Looking from the outside in there is no obvious reason why staffing levels cannot be increased to ensure lone workers aren't needed, this is exacerrbated by the fact that she has to travel home on public transport in the dark alone etc -aware this isn't strictly the company's fault but surely there is some kind of duty of care involved?
My question is: Surely there is something written in law which means the company are required to limit or mitigate harrassment even from customers. And surely there must be some come back given that the issue has been raised numerous times by numerous employees?
Any and all help/insight appreciated!
She works in a customer service type role which can see her working alone for anything up to 6 hours in shopping centres / airports etc. She is often subject ot verbal abuse and threatened physical violence from customers and members of the public.
Despite raising concerns repeatedly to her management nothing has been done to improve the situation.
Looking from the outside in there is no obvious reason why staffing levels cannot be increased to ensure lone workers aren't needed, this is exacerrbated by the fact that she has to travel home on public transport in the dark alone etc -aware this isn't strictly the company's fault but surely there is some kind of duty of care involved?
My question is: Surely there is something written in law which means the company are required to limit or mitigate harrassment even from customers. And surely there must be some come back given that the issue has been raised numerous times by numerous employees?
Any and all help/insight appreciated!
Soovy said:
Has she made a formal complaint to HR?
As far as I'm aware the complaints have been made to her line manager and 1 up from there, not sure if they've been made directly to her HR department.onesickpuppy said:
What does she do?
She works in Tourist Information, although not a Council run type.MikeGTi said:
Soovy said:
Has she made a formal complaint to HR?
As far as I'm aware the complaints have been made to her line manager and 1 up from there, not sure if they've been made directly to her HR department.onesickpuppy said:
What does she do?
She works in Tourist Information, although not a Council run type.I am not a lawyer, but my understanding from reading various govt websites is that you have to do a health and safety risk assessment and record the findings in a written policy if you employ over 5 people. Such categories for assessment include lone working risks.
http://www.worc.ac.uk/personnel/710.htm read the bit about needing to do an assessment once you are beyond 5 members of staff. Also a link on the left about lone working being a specific thing to assess.
This is not the gov.uk website but I am sure you will find similar info on gov.uk somewhere.
I would contact HR in writing to check that they received the concerns raised with the line manager, namely that you I had been abused/threatened etc. etc. I would ask them if there are any provisions in their statutory risk assessment under the lone worker section that might be used to help me feel more secure.
HR will likely s
t a brick if they have no assessment, or will make provisions in line with their assessment if they do have one.
http://www.worc.ac.uk/personnel/710.htm read the bit about needing to do an assessment once you are beyond 5 members of staff. Also a link on the left about lone working being a specific thing to assess.
This is not the gov.uk website but I am sure you will find similar info on gov.uk somewhere.
I would contact HR in writing to check that they received the concerns raised with the line manager, namely that you I had been abused/threatened etc. etc. I would ask them if there are any provisions in their statutory risk assessment under the lone worker section that might be used to help me feel more secure.
HR will likely s
t a brick if they have no assessment, or will make provisions in line with their assessment if they do have one.Edited by TurricanII on Wednesday 7th March 20:22
MikeGTi said:
She works in Tourist Information, although not a Council run type.
MikeGTi said:
She works in a customer service type role which can see her working alone for anything up to 6 hours in shopping centres / airports etc. She is often subject ot verbal abuse and threatened physical violence from customers and members of the public.
What armpit of the planet does she work in that a tourist info bod get threatened with violence?What kind of tourist info role deserves that kind of reaction anywhere?
scotal said:
What armpit of the planet does she work in that a tourist info bod get threatened with violence?
What kind of tourist info role deserves that kind of reaction anywhere?
What kind of tourist info role deserves that kind of reaction anywhere?
CraigVmax said:
thats exactly what I was just wondering, not newport is it?
Nah, not Newport. It's in England which is a minor consolation 
The main reason seems to be that the majority of the people who end up becoming threatening are foreigners (read immigrant/asylum seekers) as a nearby hotel is used for housing them as a half-way house between being granted/denied immigration.
As it has information in the name they seem to think that it is where they would go to claim benefits and all that jazz, upon finding that this isn't the case they become abusive and threatening.
As I said earlier in the thread, her HR department are fking useless, so Police attendance wouldn't really do anything from that end..
I've advised her to start recording each incident and to write a letter to her HR department each time it happens. I've also asked her to get hold of a copy of their Harassment Policy and Lone Worker Policy.
As it has information in the name they seem to think that it is where they would go to claim benefits and all that jazz, upon finding that this isn't the case they become abusive and threatening.
As I said earlier in the thread, her HR department are f
king useless, so Police attendance wouldn't really do anything from that end.. I've advised her to start recording each incident and to write a letter to her HR department each time it happens. I've also asked her to get hold of a copy of their Harassment Policy and Lone Worker Policy.
MikeGTi said:
The main reason seems to be that the majority of the people who end up becoming threatening are foreigners (read immigrant/asylum seekers) as a nearby hotel is used for housing them as a half-way house between being granted/denied immigration.
As it has information in the name they seem to think that it is where they would go to claim benefits and all that jazz, upon finding that this isn't the case they become abusive and threatening.
The write a letter to HR detailing all of that. Ask HR to either themsleves or get some Director to write a letter to the hotel asking the hotel to make sure its residents know that a tourist office is not the place to go to hunt for benefits and that the police may be involved if the situation persists. A copy of said letter to whichever the "local" immigration office is would not go amiss either. As it has information in the name they seem to think that it is where they would go to claim benefits and all that jazz, upon finding that this isn't the case they become abusive and threatening.
At same time, raise issue of working alone as mentioned above.
At the same time ask HR if you can get cctv cameras (or dummies) fitted for security and so that you OH can give the camera a long hard noticeable stare when a likely suspect comes in or point to it when the "customer" gets agitated.
Keep a log of continuing behaviour. Repeated or really aggressive behaviour - call the police.
Wait a short while, say 1-2 weeks, then chase to see if HR/Director has done anything about it, as you requested. If not then you have valid grievance & go through formal channels.
In the meantime, step up the job hunt.
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