To protect the health and safety of workers, the school board must develop a workplace violence policy. This policy must be reviewed as often as is necessary, but at least annually. The workplace violence policy must be in written form and, in workplaces with more than 5 workers, posted where it will come to the attention of workers.

The OHSA requires school boards to assess and reassess the risk of workplace violence and to develop, maintain, and implement a workplace violence policy and program to address the risks. (Risk assessment is discussed in detail in the next section).

The workplace violence program must include:

  1. measures and procedures to control the risks identified in the assessment or reassessment of the risks of workplace violence identified as likely to expose a worker to physical injury
  2. measures and procedures for summoning immediate assistance when workplace violence occurs or is likely to occur;
  3. measures and procedures for workers to report incidents of workplace violence to the school board or supervisor; and
  4. details of how the school board will investigate and deal with incidents or complaints of workplace violence.

As a leading practice, the school board should develop and review the policy and program in consultation with the Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC), the Multi-site Joint Health and Safety Committee (MJHSC), and/or health and safety representative. This consultation should provide an opportunity for the JHSC, MJHSC, or health and safety representative to provide feedback, verbally or in writing, on the policy and program; the feedback should be considered by the school board.

To learn more about the OHSA requirements for a workplace violence policy and program, read: OHSA s. 32.0.1 and 32.0.2.

The duties for the school board as set out in s. 25, the supervisor duties as set out in s. 27, and the worker duties as set out in s. 28 apply as appropriate with respect to workplace violence [OHSA s. 32.0.5 (1)].