A united stand against violence
Work-related violence is an important issue we all need to address, says Jenna Trevillion, Work-related Violence Project Manager at Rail Delivery Group.
Jenna TrevillionWork-related Violence Project Manager Rail Delivery Group
Work-related violence has consistently been shown to be a problem in the rail industry, with frontline staff experiencing violence daily. It affects how safe our colleagues, passengers, and members of the public feel, and it is even a growing issue across other work environments, such as in healthcare, the police service and retail.
A report published by the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) in 2018 revealed that most (94%) frontline rail staff have experienced work-related violence. While verbal abuse is more common, physical assaults were reported by a quarter of train operating company (TOC) workers.
The following year, a survey by the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers found that 72% of frontline transport workers, which includes rail staff, had experienced work-related violence. The survey also revealed that, for 30% of frontline workers, it was a recurring experience.
More recently, research by Cambridge University and RDG (2023) found evidence to suggest that frontline workers expect to be subjected to violence and feel unsafe before starting a shift, with work-related violence reported as a daily occurrence.
This is extremely concerning. Work-related violence can have negative consequences both for staff and organisations, with employees’ health and wellbeing being affected. It can contribute to psychological distress, anxiety, depression, and burnout. In rail specifically, rates of post-traumatic stress disorder were found to be two times higher than among the general population.
RSSB research suggests a multidimensional approach is needed to tackle work-related violence. We recognise that it is a complex problem that needs a focused, evidenced and strategic approach, so our cross-industry Work Related Violence Group has brought together delegates from the British Transport Police (BTP), Network Rail, Transport for London, RSSB, TOCs, and a trade union to work together on this risk area.
Members are sharing best practice and developing both a national strategy and good practice guide to help industry protect frontline workers. The guide, developed in collaboration with RSSB, details the evidence-based measures we can take to improve staff safety and reduce work-related violence.
Our dedicated Work-related Violence Project, which runs from 2022 to 2024, is part of the national strategy. Using evidence of what works, and standardising and collaborating across industry, we are currently focused on delivering four core areas of the project: people, data, environment and technology, and horizon scanning (see graphic below).
But notable work has already been done:
We have run an internal awareness campaign of core de-escalation tactics.
There has been a series of national staff focus groups, conducted with the University of Cambridge, to understand staff perception.
Following the successful national body-worn video (BWV) rollout (2022–23), new research on understanding the long-term benefits found that over time, we have seen a 28% reduction in staff assaults (per 100 staff) due to BWV. This is also supported by earlier research that found that wearing a BWV could reduce the likelihood of an assault by up to 50% (2019).
BTP’s work-related violence unit is working closely with TOCs to support all victims of violence and offer further assistance to repeat victims. As well as this, BTP is identifying offending patterns within particular locations and exploring solutions to tackle work-related violence.
We have recently launched our Work-related Violence and Video Surveillance Systems Guidance, which highlights the various types of video surveillance system in relation to reducing work-related violence.
‘It’s horrific to now know that while you are trying to provide exceptional customer service to passengers you can experience a nasty assault that leaves you feeling worthless in every way as a human being.
‘To feel so degraded is not a choice; it’s forced upon you by violence driven by another, leaving your family powerless to ease the pain and suffering that you face.’
Catherine, Commercial Guard, Bournemouth
There has been commendable engagement from rail organisations, with many using the Work-related Violence Project to inform the development of their own policies to identify, assess, and manage the risks of exposure to violence.
Going forward, the Work-related Violence Project will support organisations to focus on advanced risk assessments and improve close-call systems used to capture details of an event to better support colleagues in preventing an occurrence.
The project will also challenge our culture of reporting, changing the narrative to ‘work-related violence is not part of the job’. Additionally, in 2024, we will commission leading academics to carry out further research on what systemically works in reducing violence on the network.
It’s clear that a lot of excellent work is being done across industry to tackle work-related violence, and more is on the horizon. But there are a couple of areas I’d like to encourage rail leaders specifically to focus on: prevention and the provision of support for all frontline staff who experience violence in the workplace.
I believe that, by focusing on prevention measures and support mechanisms, we can be leaders in this field and reduce staff violence across our network, making it a safer place for all.
The future depends on how seriously we take this issue and our collective willingness to implement these improvements. Industry needs the commitment of rail leaders to address this issue and help keep frontline employees, who are at the very heart of running the railway, safe.
‘Since being physically assaulted in February this year, I have had time to reflect over the anguish I feel at times, when customers vent their anger on me. I try to keep it to myself so that it doesn’t appear that I’m not able to carry out my job. I admit, this played on my mind a lot, but I feel the need to speak up and not put up with it! 'Being a very open and honest person, having to hide this leaves me mentally and emotionally depleted. I pretend all is well, but it’s not. At times I do take these feelings home. I no longer feel safe working on the frontline. When I came back after the assault, I was quite shy in wanting to deal with customer complaints for fear of another assault. I have tried to keep my feedback short, but emotions is not something that can be cut short.’
Earl, Platform Supervisor, Waterloo
For information and guidance on work-related violence, visit our website.
View page
For further information about the Work-related Violence Project, contact Jenna Trevillion.
Get in touch
More often than not statistics on work-related violence, as invaluable as they are, don't capture the reality of what our colleagues on the front line are going through. But personal accounts, such as Earl's and Catherine's below, do. They also reinforce Jenna's call for industry to do all it can to combat this grave issue.
