Bank and building society cashiers are among those staff most at risk of violence at work. For every 10,000 staff working as cashiers, bank managers or money lenders there are 125 assaults and 201 threats a year.
Four other sectors – public transport, retail sales, catering, hotels and restaurants, and leisure – also fall into this category, according to the Home Office’s Violence at Work study which was highlighted last week at a conference to launch the HSC initiative. The survey found:
• Women are more at risk of being assaulted at work than men,
• Those in the 25 to 44 age group are at greatest risk,
• Staff working in the North and West Midlands are most likely to experience violence at work although rural employees are no safer than those working in urban areas,
• Almost half of all assaults at work take place after 6pm with two-thirds taking place inside a workplace building,
• Three-quarters of victims say they are emotionally affected by the incident with the most common reactions being shock and fear.
