While physical threats are normally attributed to an armed intruder or hostage taker, this however does not have to be the case. Lockdown procedures are often developed to reduce the number of casualties that could occur if there is a shooter inside or outside a facility. Another important preventative action is to practice proper basic security procedures such as delineating employee and public space, notifying Security/Management of suspicious individuals/items, locking doors and reporting all incidents of misconduct or breaches. In the cases of schools shootings, many attackers were victims of bullying or harassment and, in many of these cases, individuals were aware of warning signs but failed to notify the applicable persons or seek to get the individual proper assistance. For staff, management must intervene and use applicable resources, such as the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to assist. It is important for City management and staff to identify staff and visitors who might pose a danger to others and to take applicable action. It should be noted that lockdown procedures alone will rarely be the only action that is required in response to any identified workplace violence risk factor.

If the emergency counter-measures (procedures) being considered will be useful and practical.

Whether the type of emergency can be reasonably foreseen and,.

When reviewing the need for any emergency procedure consideration should be given to:

Proximity of the facility to potentially risk areas (schools, courts, etc).

Past occurrences at neighboring facilities.

Past occurrences at the facility or similar type of facility.

When should lock down procedures be developed and implemented?Ĭertain risk factors may be identified during workplace violence risk assessments that would separately or in combination warrant the development and implementation of lockdown procedures for a facility or group of facilities.

The City’s Workplace Violence Policy requires divisions to conduct workplace violence hazard assessments to determine whether the nature of the work or the work environment places employees at risk and to take all reasonable and practical measures to minimize or eliminate risks identified through the hazard assessment process, workplace inspections, or the occurrence of an incident. Lockdown procedures are usually initiated when it is unsafe to evacuate the building.” Lockdown Procedures are defined in the Violence in the Workplace Prevention Guide (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety) as meaning “… the people in a building take refuge in a secure location, e.g.

Toronto lockdown