Risk Assessment

The West Egg Group Corp. is aware that any direct interaction between the public and employees has a potential for violence. Gatsby Valet regularly conducts risk assessments annually and ad hoc as required when there is an incident or a reported near miss. There is a potential for violence between the public and other employees with money interactions. The Health and Safety Committee will also discuss any concerns and risk of violence at the workplace. 

Written Policy

Employees are aware and trained on the Workplace Violence & Harassment Policy and HSE Policy. Prevention procedures are incorporated into these documents. Workers and supervisors are trained on these policies. Our policies and procedures include the investigation, reporting and follow up requirements. 

Traveling To and From Work

Pre-arrival planning 

1. Before you leave for work: 

• Visualize where you will park when you arrive at work 
• Ensure that you have enough gas to get to and from work 
• Ensure that you have everything you need for work on the front seat beside  you, if you are travelling alone 

2. Visualize a backup plan you can use if your arrival at work does not go as  planned. 

Arrival at your parking spot 

1. Park in well-lit areas. Avoid alleys, wooded areas, and tunnels. Use caution in  underground lots—stay in open, lit areas near exits. As you enter the parking lot,  keep the vehicle locked and the windows rolled up. 
2. As you enter the designated parking area and before you leave your vehicle, scan the area for suspicious persons. Have a backup plan ready. 
3. Prepare yourself to get out of the vehicle with everything you need before  unlocking the vehicle door. Ensure you have the key to the building, a whistle or  other personal alarm, and other personal belongings. Avoid having to reach back  into the vehicle for items after you have exited. 
4. Ensure the vehicle is locked and the windows are up while it is unattended.

Walking to your place of business 

1. Proceed directly and quickly to your site. Walk with your head erect,  look alert, and scan your route. 
2. Use the main entrance as much as possible—avoid rear or secluded entrances. 

Returning to your vehicle 

1. Prepare yourself to leave the site with everything you need, such as keys  to lock doors, the key to open your vehicle, and a whistle or other personal alarm. 
2. Use the main entrance as much as possible—avoid rear or secluded exits. 
3. Scan the area for suspicious or menacing individuals. Have a backup plan if there  is danger. 
4. Proceed directly and quickly to your vehicle. Walk with your head erect, look  alert, and scan your route. 
5. If possible, avoid walking to your vehicle alone. Go with other workers, security guards, or another escort. Provide the escort with a ride back to the main entrance. 
6. If you must walk to your vehicle alone, have a co-worker watch you from a  window, if possible, and wave to him or her on the way to your vehicle. If no  one is available, fake it: Pretend you are being watched and wave to an imaginary  co-worker on the way to your vehicle. Once you are in your vehicle, ensure all  doors are locked and windows are up. 

Public transit 

1. Avoid isolated or poorly lit bus stops. 
2. Plan your arrival time at the bus stop to get you there just before your bus arrives. 
3. If you are alone or it’s late at night, sit near the driver. If someone bothers you, tell  the driver immediately. 
4. Try to sit where you can see your upcoming bus stop as you arrive. If you see suspicious or menacing individuals at your stop, get off at the next stop. 
5. When stepping off the bus, check to see if you are being followed. If you are, walk  directly and quickly—without running or looking back—to a service station or store. Call 911. 
6. If possible, plan to have someone meet you at your home bus stop.

If you are confronted 

1. If attacked, scream—as loud and long as possible—and run to the nearest well lit area. 
2. If someone grabs your purse, deposit bag, or other personal property, do not resist and do not chase the robber. 
3. Call the police immediately after any incident and record the appearance and mannerisms of the offender. 

Working alone 

There may be times when you have to work alone. Here are some procedures to help  deal with this situation. 

1. Have someone contact you periodically to ensure you’re okay. The checking  procedure must require you to take some predetermined action to confirm you  are all right and do not need help. 
2. Contact may be in person, by telephone, or any other effective means. This may  include reciprocal agreements with other company locations, adjacent merchants,  or security firms. These agreements can include: 

• Telephone contact at predetermined intervals 
• Visual contact or a signal to workers in adjacent premises, or to security patrols 

3. Use personal alarms or monitored video surveillance systems, provided that: • They are properly maintained 

• The response to signs of distress is made immediately by qualified personnel 

4. Make arrangements with adjacent employers to have employees watch each other’s premises. 
5. Prominently display notices indicating: 

• That the premises are monitored 
• What emergency numbers to call for assistance 

6. If possible, do not open back doors and leave them open and unattended. 
7. If possible, do not empty the garbage at night, especially if the Dumpster is in a  secluded spot or back alley.

Assault prevention tips for when you’re working alone 

1. If attacked, scream—as loud and long as possible—and run to a neighbouring  store or the nearest well-lit area and continue calling for help. 
2. If someone grabs your purse, deposit bag, or other personal property, do not resist  and do not chase the thief. 
3. Call the police immediately after any incident and record the appearance and  mannerisms of the offender. 

Dealing with irate customers 

If you work in customer service, it is almost inevitable that you will have to deal  with an irate customer at some point. 

1. Focus on the emotions first. Remain calm, and try to calm the other person. 2. Avoid escalating the situation. Find ways to help the irate customer save face. 
2. Listen carefully and try to put yourself in the customer’s shoes, so you can better  understand how to solve the problem. 
3. If you cannot calm the person, ask for help. 

Preventing robberies 

1. Make the store attractive to customers and unattractive to robbers. 

• Keep the area clean, tidy, and well-lit. 
• Keep active and alert. Don’t be a target. 
• Get away from the counter when there are no customers. 

2. Ensure the counter is clearly visible from outside the store. A cash register location that is difficult to see clearly from the street helps a robbery to  happen unnoticed. 
3. Keep alert at all times. 

• Identify your escape routes. 
• Know the location of phones or assistance outside the premises. • Be aware of areas with poor lighting. 
• Avoid looking directly at suspicious loiterers. Prolonged eye-to-eye contact,  especially if there is a group involved, may be seen as a challenge and possibly  escalate the situation. Fill out a description sheet. If the loiterers don’t leave,  call the police and ask for a patrol check.

4. Greet everyone who enters the site. 

• Be friendly and briefly look directly into their eyes. 
• Ask the customer ahead of someone suspicious, “Are you together?” The customer will usually turn around to look at the person. This may deter a robber. 

5. Keep the cash register fund to a minimum. 

• Remove all $50 and $100 bills from the cash register as soon as you receive them. 
• Post signs advising “Minimum cash kept on premises.” 
• Ask customers for exact change or the smallest bills possible. 

6. Take extra precautions after dark and during slow periods. 

• Check each night to see that outside lights are on and working. • Operate only one register late at night through early morning. • Open the empty unused register drawer and tip it up for display. • Run an “empty register”—just $5 bills and change. 

If a robbery occurs 

1. Remain cool and calm. Handle the entire procedure as if you are making a sale to  a customer. Most robberies last under two minutes. The longer a robbery takes,  the more nervous the robber becomes, so keep it short and smooth. 
2. Listen carefully to what the robbers say, and obey them. Don’t be a hero. 

• Don’t fight. Don’t use weapons. Don’t jeopardize your own safety or that of  other workers. 
• Give the robbers all the cash and merchandise they want. 
• Don’t delay or argue. 

3. Tell the robbers of any possible surprises. 

• Tell the robbers if you must reach for something or move in any way. Ask  them for their directions. 
• Tell the robbers if another employee is in the back room so they will not be  startled. 
• Activate the alarm system only after the robbers have left, not while they are  still in the store.

4. Continue to remain cool and calm. 

• Be careful not to stare or fix your gaze too long on the robbers, but observe  what they look like, what they are wearing, their size, and the type and colour  of weapons. Listen carefully to what they say. 
• Note the robbers’ exact heights against the height strip as they exit. 
• Immediately after the robbers have left, record their appearance, mannerisms,  and any distinguishing characteristics on a description sheet. 

5. Do not chase robbers. 
6. Call the police. 

• Keep police numbers near the phone—911 or your local emergency number. 
• Tell the police: 

 ~ The direction robbers took when they left 

 ~ The time of the robbery 

 ~ The appearance of the robbers, and any weapon or vehicle used 

• Stay on the phone until the police tell you they have all the information  they need. 
• Protect the crime scene. Ask any witnesses to wait for the police. Get names  and addresses. Don’t touch the evidence. 

Program Prepared on: February 13, 2025

Program Modified on: April 7, 2026