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7 <br /> Orange County Guidelines for <br /> Managing and Reporting Workplace Violence <br /> General Guidelines: <br /> 1 . Remain sensitive in your contact with the public and other employees to avoid becoming involved <br /> in an argument. <br /> 2. When confronted with potentially violent behavior in the workplace, use the following two-stage <br /> response plan to appropriately manage the situation. <br /> Activate Stage One (Caution) When: <br /> • There is a known history or potential for violence <br /> • In cases of verbal abuse, harassment/intimidation <br /> • In cases where nonverbal signals indicate a potential for violence <br /> Stage One Response: Provides that another employee join you during your interaction with the <br /> potentially violent individual, or in some way interrupts the interaction. <br /> Stage One Code Word: "Yellow File" <br /> Activate Stage Two (Warning) When: <br /> • Any threat of violence is made, or <br /> • An act of violence involving injuries, weapons, or destruction of property occurs <br /> Stage Two Response: Provides that 9-1-1 is activated to respond to the threat or act of violence <br /> as appropriate. <br /> Stage Two Code Word: "Red File" <br /> 3. Advise a person who becomes verbally abusive that verbal abuse will not be tolerated and that the <br /> conversation will be discontinued if the person fails to conduct business at hand in a reasonable <br /> manner. If harassment or verbal abuse continues, or if the contact escalates into an argument <br /> and shouting, leave the scene immediately, without further comment, and go to a safe location <br /> and out of sight of the individual. Activate a Stage Two Response if necessary. <br /> 4. Advise the person who has a weapon on Orange County property that Orange County prohibits <br /> weapons on County property and he or she must leave. If he or she does not leave, activate <br /> Stage Two. <br /> 5. When working in the field, anticipate that the unexpected may happen and formulate a tentative <br /> plan of action. (In certain instances, this may require involving law enforcement.) Always notify <br /> your supervisor where you will be and how long you expect to be there. <br /> In cases of physical assault while on the lob: <br /> Your goal, if attacked, is to immediately leave the scene, move to a safe location and call 911 . The <br /> supervisor should be immediately notified and should take steps to assure the safety of other <br /> employees. <br />