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Panic attacks at work

13 replies

CormorantStrikesBack · 04/03/2024 21:01

Dd has her first graduate job and as part of her job has to do site visits on her own to “spooky” big, empty houses. She has to spend a couple of hours measuring up these boarded up houses often in dodgy areas. She’s really worried about there being someone in the house who attacks her.

She picks keys up and the house is locked and I said about locking herself in but she says what if someone has already broken in and is squatting. And then she’s locked herself in there with someone. She knows logically it’s unlikely but she does have past trauma where she was attacked.

so she messed up a site visit the other week due to this and her boss is a bit annoyed. I’ve told Dd to talk to her team leader (female) about what happened as she hasn’t told anyone. She’s scared they’ll think she’s useless but I’ve said they can’t support her unless they know. Currently they will just be thinking why on earth did you not do xyz.

ive looked up a trauma counsellor nearby and will pay for her to have more counselling. Ive suggested she takes the family dog on site visits which she’s considering. And also ordered her a rape alarm.

can anyone think of anything else which might help?

OP posts:
freezefade · 04/03/2024 21:08

What's her employer's risk assessment say for sending her into these situations alone? They owe her a duty of care.

NancyJoan · 04/03/2024 21:13

I have to do training in line working as I am sometimes the only person in our building for long periods. She does need to talk to her employer.

egowise · 04/03/2024 21:13

freezefade · 04/03/2024 21:08

What's her employer's risk assessment say for sending her into these situations alone? They owe her a duty of care.

This.

It sounds dodgy af to be honest

Thegoodtomatosauce · 04/03/2024 21:16

freezefade · 04/03/2024 21:08

What's her employer's risk assessment say for sending her into these situations alone? They owe her a duty of care.

Was just about to type a post saying the same thing. I work alone occasionally in empty buildings and have an app I use to log where I am and how long I expect to be there. If I don't clock out then the company monitoring the app escalate it. The app also has an SOS button for an emergency. Her employer should be putting things in place to mitigate risks where they can.

CormorantStrikesBack · 04/03/2024 21:16

Yeah, I suspect there is no lone worker policy and I know she’s ad no training. She doesn’t even have to let them know at the end of the day that she’s still alive. And she’s using ladders.

OP posts:
HoHoHoliday · 04/03/2024 21:18

freezefade · 04/03/2024 21:08

What's her employer's risk assessment say for sending her into these situations alone? They owe her a duty of care.

Yes, exactly what I was going to say. Huge risk here, if not from being attacked she could easily fall through a rotten floorboard or anything.

CormorantStrikesBack · 04/03/2024 21:18

Thegoodtomatosauce · 04/03/2024 21:16

Was just about to type a post saying the same thing. I work alone occasionally in empty buildings and have an app I use to log where I am and how long I expect to be there. If I don't clock out then the company monitoring the app escalate it. The app also has an SOS button for an emergency. Her employer should be putting things in place to mitigate risks where they can.

I talked to her about these sort of apps and how her employer could /should be looking at these. I think it might make her feel a bit better but someone could still rape/kill her in ten minutes and she might not have time to access the sos button 🤷‍♀️

OP posts:
Startingagainandagain · 04/03/2024 21:21

There should be at least two people doing this.

Completely unreasonable to expect her to go on her own to boarded houses that could easily be squatted or used by local druggies...

Or she could fall from a ladder or through a rotten floorboard with no one there to provide assistance.

Frankly I would consider getting another job in these circumstances.

BamberGirl · 04/03/2024 21:22

freezefade · 04/03/2024 21:08

What's her employer's risk assessment say for sending her into these situations alone? They owe her a duty of care.

This!!

get her to look up line working on the HSE websites. As an employee her employer has a legal duty of care and must risk assess and address hazards.

not for you and your dad to fix, though if you think counselling will help due to previous incident then no bad thing.

employer can sign up to an emergent line worker app that you use, it’s connected to a live service that alerts if you do t respond.

Thegoodtomatosauce · 04/03/2024 22:39

CormorantStrikesBack · 04/03/2024 21:18

I talked to her about these sort of apps and how her employer could /should be looking at these. I think it might make her feel a bit better but someone could still rape/kill her in ten minutes and she might not have time to access the sos button 🤷‍♀️

Nothing can completely eliminate risk, even going in pairs. It sounds like her employer isn't doing all they should. I'd be looking elsewhere if they had that attitude to staff safety.

justasking111 · 04/03/2024 22:43

Surveys like this are done in pairs in our friends company and that's the guys.

Sorry it's not acceptable from a health and health and safety point.

CormorantStrikesBack · 05/03/2024 07:05

Thanks everyone. She feels more confident about talking to her boss today now she knows she’s not being unreasonable with her concerns

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