Concerns about workplace safety are front of mind after security was bumped up temporarily at Vancouver City hall and around other city worksites in response to the fatal shooting of a city worker July 15.
The Burnaby man was not at work when he was found shot in a small cul-de-sac near Canada Way, but the City’s reaction brings up questions as to how safe employees feel at work in general.
A new CareerBuilder.ca survey finds that four in 10 workers in Canada are unsure of what to do and how to protect themselves in the case of a workplace emergency.
Thirty eight per cent of Canadian employees surveyed said they would not know how to react to situations in the workplace that posed a physical threat and would not know how to deal with it.
Only just over half – 52% – of all employees feel their workplaces protect them from a physical threat from another person.
Almost two-thirds of employees say their workplaces have emergency plans to deal with disasters or all types, including natural disasters such as fires or floods.
Fewer than half of those surveyed – 48% – say their employers have plans to deal with physical attacks from another person.
“Workplace emergency plans should be treated with just as much importance as any other workplace policy and procedure,” says Mark Bania, managing director of CareerBuilder Canada.
“It is of the utmost importance that all employees are not only aware of office emergency procedures, but are well-practiced in them so they know what to do to protect themselves and others.”
-With files from Cayley Dobie, Burnaby Now
