In this chapter you will find information on:

• ∎ legislation and publications that will help you

• ∎ where to go for guidance and advice (UK, European and international)

• ∎ preventative measures

• ∎ steps you could take if your management team does not recognize that there is a problem.

Legislation that will help you

Health and safety law applies to risks from stress and violence, just as it does to other risks from work. The main pieces of relevant legislation that will be of interest are:

• 1 The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974: Employers have a legal duty under this Act to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of their employees.

• 2 The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 SI 1999 No. 3242: Employers must consider the risks to employees (including the risk of reasonably foreseeable stress and violence), decide how significant these risks are, decide what to do to prevent or control the risks and develop a clear management plan to achieve this.

• 3 The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR) SI 1995 No. 3163: Employers must notify their enforcing authority in the event of an accident at work to any employee resulting in death, major injury or incapacity for normal work for three or more days. This includes any act of physical violence done to a person at work.

• 4 Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977 (a) and The Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996 (b) SI 1977 No. 500: Employers must inform, and consult with, employees in good time on matters relating to their health and safety. Employee representatives, either appointed by recognized trade unions under (a) or elected under (b) may make representations to their employers on matters affecting the health and safety of those they represent.

• 5 The Protection from Harassment Act 1997: This Act makes provision for protecting people from harassment and similar conduct. A person must not pursue a course of conduct which amounts to harassment of another, or which he/she knows or ought to know amounts to harassment of others.

• 6 Human Rights Act 1998: This came into force on 2 October 2000. It incorporates and brings into force the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights.

• 7 The Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 SI No. 2006 No. 1031: This came into force on 1 October 2006 and covers age discrimination.