Whilst Cayman is a very safe place to work. We as individuals can take steps to manage our own safety.  A few points that we will cover are: Personal Safety in the Workplace

A strong sense of awareness of your own personal safety is very important, not just at work but getting to and from your place of work.

• Working alone, at night or remotely increases the risk of any job. Know the standards and policies that your company has put in place. If you don’t have these policies in place work with a manager to get one in place.  Most companies set benchmarks that staff must meet. Know the specific procedures for working alone, for example establishing regular contact via phone or radio.
• Most companies Include appropriate behaviour about working alone in their code of conduct
• People who work alone or at night (e.g. taxi drivers, gas station attendants) and people who handle things like cash or drugs (e.g. bank tellers, chemists) may face added risks, such as robbery or assault

Let’s take a quick look at things we can do before entering the workplace– park in a populated well-lit area as close as possible to your workplace. If unsure if your workplace has been burgled overnight or any attempts look apparent then do not enter the premises and call the police. Look for anyone loitering in the vicinity especially if you are the first one to your office or place of work. Ask your employer to adapt proper key holder procedures, one member of staff responding to an alarm activation alone is not a good idea- outsource this role to a security professional that is appropriately trained.

Before leaving the workplace

• Advise someone that you are working late. Let them know what time you expect to be home. Would your friends and family know who to contact if you did not return home from work?
• Take note of anyone loitering outside the workplace
• If suspicious, use alarm systems if available; otherwise call the police

A lot of companies in Cayman provide security services where appropriate (e.g. random patrols, a security officer at the end of the shift or during the whole shift). If you have a security officer on site use them to your advantage, most of them have a mobile phone and have them walk you to your car- most security officers like to do it as they feel they are providing a valuable service.

Violence and bullying at work

Workplace violence and bullying is an action, incident or pattern of behaviour that harms, injures, or upsets another person. It includes situations where employees and other people are threatened, bullied, intimidated, pushed or struck.  Workplace bullying and harassment should not be tolerated.

Employers must take steps to protect employees and other people in workplaces from incidents that may cause injury or harm, and from situations where they are victimised or bullied.

Key point

You are not expected to deal with harassment and bullying yourself. Inform your supervisor or someone you can trust. Employers must take immediate action to stop bullying whenever it is noticed or reported.

The Cayman Islands is a safe place to work, however being prepared and having the capability to protect yourself is worth it.