Did you know? Workplace law states that an employer must do everything that is reasonably practicable¹ to ensure staff safety. So, what does this really mean? And what are your legal obligations?

Effectively, all employers face a legal requirement to ensure that their staff are safe in the workplace, and must take reasonable steps to ensure that risks are minimized.

We all hope that we'll never have to face aggression or violence in our workplaces. However, statistics continue to show that at least 50% of us will encounter workplace aggression² at some point in our career.

Many businesses knowingly invite people who could potentially become aggressive or violent into their businesses as customers, but relatively few business owners think about the possibility of aggression.

Among myriad factors, drug use in the community alone affects such a large cross section of the population that no business who sees customers, contractors, or visitors face-to-face is immune from the threat of workplace aggression. Of course, there are many other potential triggers for aggressive behaviour, including mental illness, domestic violence, medication and alcohol use and abuse, genetics, some infections, tumours, and many more.

The legal responsibility of employers is clear. So, how can businesses reduce risk to their employees without breaking the bank?

Alertkey Panic Alarm is a new, affordable, and simple duress alarm software solution to the workplace violence problem.

Reducing the risk to your employees is as simple as installing the software onto your workplace computers, turning your computer keyboards into panic buttons.

This duress alarm system is discreet, safe, and smart, as it uses your existing computer network to signal to colleagues that you need help. Its tiered alert system allows the user indicate the level of duress though customizable key combinations and allows them to differentiate between different forms of aggression.

Alertkey also provides an audit trail feature - a priceless tool for permanently recording events in the case that evidence is required for insurance or police purposes, or for legal proceedings if they were to eventuate from a workplace incident.

This affordable duress alarm is helping businesses protect their employees and become compliant with WHS standards. Learn more about Alertkey Panic Alarm at www.alertkey.com and sign up for a free trial.

[1] http://www.afei.org.au/node/96380
[2] http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/rpp/30/rpp30.pdf