Public Libraries NSW Home Library Services Working Group – Activity Hazard Recommended best practice Difficult / distressed clients Many housebound clients can Staff /volunteers may encounter a client Ensure staff and volunteers have experience variations in their behaviour who is disorientated received basic training in appropriate due to illness, degenerative conditions, responses when they encounter Staff / volunteers may be assaulted medication, isolation and loneliness disorientated / difficult clients verbally or physically by a client or member of the public Ensure staff and volunteers are aware of any clients identified as being difficult due to known conditions [e.g.dementia] Ensure incidents are reported to the supervisor and recorded. Where appropriate the emergency contact may need to be notified Carry mobile phone or other device e.g. Duress Alarm to enable immediate call for assistance if required Deceased clients Staff / volunteers may encounter a client Ensure staff and volunteers have who is deceased when they call in to received training in appropriate deliver items responses when they encounter deceased clients [i.e. contacting the Staff / volunteers may be affected police, ambulance, informing the library emotionally by the impact or manager or OIC] encountering a deceased client or losing a long term client Ensure staff and volunteers who have been affected are appropriately Library materials may be lost when debriefed by library management / clients effects are dispersed council HR and have access to the employee assistance program if further counselling is required Ensure a policy is in place re: HLS staff attending funerals for clients Ensure a policy is in place re: writing off items that are lost when clients are deceased / moved into alternative accommodation.
Public Libraries NSW – Home Library Services Working Group Activity Hazard Recommended best practice Difficult / distressed clients Many housebound clients can experience variations in their behaviour due to illness, degenerative conditions, medication, isolation and loneliness Staff /volunteers may encounter a client who is disorientated Staff / volunteers may be assaulted verbally or physically by a client or member of the public Ensure staff and volunteers have received basic training in appropriate responses when they encounter disorientated / difficult clients Ensure staff and volunteers are aware of any clients identified as being difficult due to known conditions [e.g.dementia] Ensure incidents are reported to the supervisor and recorded. Where appropriate the emergency contact may need to be notified Carry mobile phone or other device e.g. Duress Alarm to enable immediate call for assistance if required Deceased clients Staff / volunteers may encounter a client who is deceased when they call in to deliver items Staff / volunteers may be affected emotionally by the impact or encountering a deceased client or losing a long term client Library materials may be lost when clients effects are dispersed Ensure staff and volunteers have received training in appropriate responses when they encounter deceased clients [i.e. contacting the police, ambulance, informing the library manager or OIC] Ensure staff and volunteers who have been affected are appropriately debriefed by library management / council HR and have access to the employee assistance program if further counselling is required Ensure a policy is in place re: HLS staff attending funerals for clients Ensure a policy is in place re: writing off items that are lost when clients are deceased / moved into alternative accommodation.
hls_risk_management.docx