Workplace Violence

According to the Government of Alberta (2020), workplace violence can include:

• Physical attack or aggression (e.g. hitting, shoving, pushing or kicking a worker, throwing an object at a worker)
• Threatening behavior (e.g. shaking a fist in a worker’s face, trying to hit a worker, destroying property or throwing objects)
• Verbal or written threats (e.g. verbally threatening to attack a worker, leaving threatening notes or sending threatening emails to express intent to inflict harm on a worker)
• Domestic violence
• Sexual Violence

Rights to refuse unsafe work

• Student may refuse to work or do particular work at their practicum sites if the student believes on reasonable grounds that there is a dangerous condition at the practicum placement that constitutes a danger to the student’s health and safety.
• Student who refuse to work or to do a particular work should report to their practicum supervisor and faculty supervisors with the reason for refusal.
• Until the dangerous situation is resolved the student may continue to refuse their practicum at their organization/program or do particular tasks at their practicum placements.
• Supervisors and your assigned faculty instructor may assign other work to do to not risk losing practicum hours.

(Occupational Health and Safety Act, 2020)

Availability of information

• Every organization needs to have health and safety information that is accessible to everyone within the organization including practicum students.
• A current OHS Act should be available to all persons within the organization.
• All individuals within the organization are informed of any existing or potential workplace hazards that may affect them.

(Occupational Health and Safety Act, 2020)

Physical Restraints

Physical restraints should be the last resort in de-escalating a child or youth. The purpose of physical restraints is to immobilize a person to restrict their movements.
Using restraints allows behaviour control and maintains safety for the individual and other individuals within the environment (Government of Alberta, 2019).

Physical restraints can only be used when trained in restraint. Practicum students are not allowed to use restraints on clients as they are not trained to properly restrain. This rule is not only in place for the safety of the student but also for the safety of the clients served.