Assault at work

[Juststopit]

I was threatened with a knife by a family member ( work in care sector) I am a lone worker. Should I be expecting my employer to review security arrangements ( health and safety at work act). They seem to be doing nothing and I really don’t want to go in on Monday 😞

Family member of a resident, just to be clear.

You should inform the police. This is a serious risk to you and any other carer who goes to the house.

Bloody hell. I know nothing about care work, but if I was threatened with a knife I would expect the police to be involved. So sorry you had to go through this.

Yes police informed and have been great. I’ve been told I m getting a panic alarm but my manger just called to see how I was, no visit or anything. He knew the client was high risk and I voiced my concerns regularly. I want to make sure no one else is out at risk.

Your employer has a duty of care to you.

Read your contract/handbook/all paperwork they have supplied you with.

They will have a policy and method to raise issues such as this properly so they can't be brushed under the carpet.

Do not return to that client until this issue has been addressed and satisfactorily resolved.

Do they do risk assessments for this type of work? Sounds as if a lone worker approach wouldn't have been recommended.

I would immediately formalise the circumstances in writing to your employer, giving date, time and circumstances of the threat by the family member, what triggered the threat etc.

It sounds like the manager just wants to sweep the matter under the carpet rather than do the decent thing and protect their staff.

You could request that the family member is banned from setting foot in the carehome ever again. They are potentially breaking the law by being in possession of a knife in public unless the knife is a small penknife, but they shouldn't use it as a threat anyway.

If your manager fails to act in a short space of time, tell them you're not having it and you'll exercise your rights under whistleblowing legislation. This was an act of violence. If they retaliate by dismissing you, that's a Tribunal claim for unfair dismissal they'll have to deal with:

www.gov.uk/whistleblowing