Safety and Risk Management

General Safety

Students should recognize that practicum placement, as in any workplace, may involve exposure to potential risks and hazards. In addition to documented risks from disgruntled employees and clients, some agencies serve clients who have histories of assaultive behavior, or employ modes of intervention such as home visits in which security may be significantly less than in traditional office-based services. Students are expected to take reasonable precautions for their own safety. This includes parking vehicles in safe areas, refusing to make after-hour appointments with clients, and refusing to see potentially violent clients alone. The student is advised to leave an area and seek assistance immediately after discovering a situation is potentially unsafe.

Additionally, the expectation is that the hosting organization will orient the practicum student to safety policies and procedures of the organization in the same manner as organizational employees.

The program provides safety and risk management instruction in social work courses and during the practicum seminar class. The students are directed towards safety resources that can be accessed from the course learning management system. The program is responsible for integrating the safety and risk management requirements of the university within the field practicum policies and procedures.

The placement organization is responsible for orienting the student to the organization’s risk management and safety policies including, but not limited to, crisis intervention and health precautions in the setting. If training is available, the student is strongly encouraged to complete it. If no training is available, the Field Instructor and agency must develop a plan for the student to handle high risk situations, including but not limited to: threatening statements, volatile clients, electronic & social media communication boundaries, transportation, vehicle use and insurance policies, parking, and home visit protocols.

The field instructor is responsible for discussing the safety and risk management policies and procedures of the organization during supervision.

The student is responsible for reviewing all agency safety and risk management policies, discussing personal safety behaviors with Field Instructor during supervision, and learning to seek help in order to ensure safety of all people involved. The student must immediately report threatening situations to the Field Instructor and bring any unresolved concerns to the attention of the Faculty Field Coordinator.

Job Site Risks and Hazards

It is expected that students are trained to deal with potential risks in their placement by organizational representatives and field instructors when the placement begins.
Organizational representatives are expected to fully disclose any known or suspected risks to the student at the field site as part of on-boarding and orientation.
Students are expected to review and become familiar with the agency's policies and procedures for identifying and dealing with job site hazards, violent clients, and other emergencies.

Liability and Injury Insurance

Eastern Mennonite University carries professional liability insurance for students in practicum placements. Students should additionally determine if their practicum placement activities are covered by the liability and workman's compensation insurance of the placement organization. If not, they should recognize that they may be personally liable for any accident, injury, or damage either occurring to them or caused by them to another.
Students are encouraged to purchase liability insurance through NASW Assurance Services. Membership in the National Association of Social Workers is discounted for students, and can make a student insurance policy more affordable.

Use of Personal Vehicles

EMU has no coverage for personal vehicle use by the student. Using personal vehicles for job-related travel, other than commuting to and from work, involves additional risks, particularly if clients are being transported. Students using personal vehicles should consult with the agency to understand agency's policy regarding the use of personal vehicles and their own insurance agent to see if these activities are covered.