An assault by a colleague will likely feel shocking, scary, and unexpected.
It doesn’t matter if you have had a negative relationship with a co-worker or are shocked by their actions towards you; there are steps you must take following an incident to feel safer at work.
Here Are Six Prime Steps To Do If Assaulted BY A Colleague:
Don’t ignore an act of violence in the workplace. Find out what to do if assaulted by a colleague.
1. Find A Safe Spot
Seeking a safe location is the first thing you must do following an assault at work. It doesn’t matter if the attack was physical or psychological; you must leave the location of the assault to avoid further injury from an attacker.
As your adrenaline will pump following an assault, you might feel tempted to fight back. While you have a right to defend yourself, seeking revenge could escalate the incident. It is wiser to remove yourself from the situation and seek safety.
2. Inform Management
Try to inform management of an assault as soon as possible. Detail the incident in your employer’s logbook to serve as a written record.
Also, you must ensure a supervisor or manager signs the logbook and request a copy for your records to prevent future tampering. Don’t forget to ask witnesses to produce a signed witness statement for your employer’s records, which you may need for any legal proceedings.
3. Report an Attack to the Police
It is many people’s first instinct to call the police following an assault, but others might prefer to ignore the incident to move on from the drama.
Yet, it is essential to report an attack to prevent a person from attacking someone else again and support a potential claim.
4. Receive Immediate Medical Attention
If you have sustained a serious injury following an assault, you must immediately receive medical attention to receive the appropriate treatment. As you will be bursting with adrenaline after the incident, you might be unaware of the injuries you have endured.
For this reason, you must visit a local hospital or medical practice to protect your health. If you have sustained an injury following the workplace incident, the medical records will serve as evidence in a court case or compensation claim.
5. Make a Claim
In addition to taking legal action for an assault, consider making an injury at work compensation claim. If an employer wasn’t at fault for the attack, you might worry about making a claim following the assault, but you have a legal right to do so.
Also, you might worry about getting sacked after a work injury, but you cannot be legally dismissed for experiencing an accident at work, which includes assaults that cause injuries. An employer must have legal grounds for firing an employee, such as being unqualified for a job, a fair redundancy process, or misconduct.
6. Understand the Different Types of Assaults
When you think of assault, you might think of a slap, punch, or kick, but many types of assaults may occur in the workplace, such as:
- Biting
- Scratching
- Spitting
- Throwing an object at you
- Pulling your hair
- An assault with a weapon
- Sexual assault (including threats, inappropriate comments, or exposure)
Also, a colleague may launch a verbal attack at you, such as calling you names, false rumors, verbal threats, or threatening to demote or fire an employee.
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