Organizing

• Pages: 8-12

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MEVSWS-COP-2003-10-0201-1-EN.Doc/v2

3. Organizing

3.1. Roles and responsibilities

3.1.1. Governments

Governments should assume leadership in the development and application of

preventive interventions, including:

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Research. In order to achieve coherence between countries, to mobilize the social

partners, and to facilitate prevention, the competent authorities should encourage

evidence-based policy development. Governments should fund and support research

studies, as well as identifying and publicizing case studies of best practice. Data

should be collected and be capable of being disaggregated in a manner that allows

trends relating to particular sectors or groups of workers to be determined.

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Guidelines. Governments should offer guidelines to assist employers and workers in

the implementation of preventive interventions at the national and sectoral levels.

Governments should also ensure that prevention strategies and programmes apply to

all workers in services sectors. Governments should also promote and implement

measures in civil society to achieve a reduction in workplace violence.

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Legislation. In order to move towards a preventive orientation, governments, in

consultation with relevant social partners might review, where appropriate, safety and

health or labour legislation.

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Financial resources. Governments, where possible and in consultation with the social

partners, should seek to mobilize government funding for the implementation of

effective preventive interventions.

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Regional and international collaboration. Governments should promote and support

collaboration at regional and international levels, and through intergovernmental

agencies, to enlist international assistance where appropriate in support of national

preventive programmes.

Governments should take measures to identify groups of workers who are especially

vulnerable to workplace violence, adopt strategies to overcome the factors that make them

vulnerable, and examine the sectoral aspects of this vulnerability.

3.1.2. Employers

3.1.2.1. Policies and procedures

Employers and their representatives should in so far as reasonably practicable

promote workplace practices that help to eliminate workplace violence. In fulfilling these

objectives, employers should consult with workers and their representatives to develop and

implement appropriate policies and procedures to eliminate or minimize the risk of

workplace violence. These policies and procedures should include:

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Risk reduction and management. Employers should ensure that appropriate risk

assessment is conducted at their workplaces. Employers, workers and their

representatives should also work together to develop appropriate strategies to assess