Employee Safety 

Personal Safety in the Community 

PROCEDURE:

The following precautions should be taken before making visits: 

• Wear name badges and appropriate agency dress code that clearly identify you are from our  Agency It is recommended: 

• Call patients in advance and alert them to the approximate time of your visit. If needed, ask the patient/ caregiver for further directions to the residence. 

• Request that pets be properly secured before making visits. o If pets are known to be menacing, back away, never run from animals.

• Walk slowly around animals so that you do not frighten them. 

• Keep change for a phone call on your person.

• It is recommended that staff not carry a purse. Before leaving the Agency, lock your purse in the trunk of your car or cover it with  a blanket if it will be visible. 

General Instructions for All Staff: 

• Use common walkways in buildings; Avoid isolated stairs. 

• Always knock on the door before entering a patient's home. 

• If relatives or neighbors become a safety problem: Make joint visits or arrange for escort services. Schedule visit time when they are gone. Request escort services as appropriate; consider working in teams of two in high crime areas.