Section 1.2: System Policies and Procedures

Approved: April 20, 2010

Revised: June 15, 2021

VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE

1.0             Rationale

District School Board Ontario North East (DSB1) believes in the prevention of workplace violence and promotes a violence-free workplace in which all people respect one another and work together to achieve common goals. Any act of workplace violence is unacceptable conduct. Workplace violence in any form erodes the mutual trust and confidence that are essential to the well-being of our staff.

2.0             Definitions

Workplace Violence means:

• the exercise of physical force by a person against a worker, in a workplace, that causes or could cause physical injury to the worker,
• an attempt to exercise physical force against a worker, in a workplace, that could cause physical injury to a worker,
• a statement or behaviour that it is reasonable for a worker to interpret as a threat to exercise physical force against a worker, in a workplace, that could cause physical injury to a worker.

3.0             Policy

DSB1strongly supports a high level of protection from workplace violence for teachers, support staff, volunteers, and other persons. Acts of harassment, abusive behaviour, assaults, threats, or acts of violence will not be tolerated.

This policy applies to all work activities that occur while on Board premises, or while engaging in workplace activities or workplace social events.

This policy applies to all members of the Board community, including but not limited to, trustees, students, employees, visitors such as parents and community members, volunteers, permit holders, contractors, and employees of other organizations who work on or are invited onto Board property.

The Board is committed to develop and maintain a program to implement this policy with respect to workplace violence, and to meeting the requirements of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

It is a requirement that this Policy be reviewed annually, and the communication of this policy to workers is a component of the Program of Implementation. 

Annual reviews of this Policy and its Procedures will be conducted by the District Coordinating Committee, which includes representatives of each working group, and by the Joint Health and Safety Committees represented at every DSB1work site. The annual review will be a permanent agenda item for these committee meetings. 

Other related policies of the Board which support this policy are:

• 1.2.17 Occupational Health and Safety
• 1.2.2 Anti-Harassment
• 2.1.6 Student Code of Conduct
• 2.1.7 Violence Prevention
• 2.1.23 Managing Violent and Aggressive Student Behaviour
• 2.1.26 Bullying Prevention
• 2.1.10 Police & School Protocol
• 2.1.3 Reporting Child Abuse