As your employer, the Department have a responsibility to make sure that you’re safe at work.

This means that they need to take all reasonable steps to guarantee your workplace is safe and that you’re not put at unnecessary risk while you’re doing your job.

When you’re providing care to a patient that is violent, agitated or aggressive, in some cases you have a right to refuse to keep working if it’s unsafe.

The most important thing to do is make sure that the safety issues are reported to your managers and documented. This includes lodging SLRS for near misses – even if someone isn’t hurt.

It’s also important to follow up management and ask them what measures they’re putting in place to keep you safe in the future.

If there’s still unnecessary risk after this and the Department fail to fix it, then you can take the next step and advise them that you’ll be exercising your right under the Work Health and Safety Act to cease work in an unsafe environment.

If you have any questions or want to know more about your rights to safety in the workplace, please get in touch with us via email or on 1300 880 032.