Workplace violence policy

General

The company is concerned about providing a safe work place for its employees and other persons located on company premises or providing services to the company. In order to assist in maintaining a safe working environment, the company has established this Workplace Violence Policy.

Although the company has established a workplace violence policy, nothing in this policy is intended to prevent quick action to stop or reduce the risk of harm to anyone, including requesting immediate assistance from law enforcement or emergency response resources. When confronted with an imminent threat of workplace violence, police authorities should be notified immediately by dialing 911 after accessing an outside line.

Definition of workplace violence

The term “workplace violence” includes physical acts of violence and any conduct that is offensive or intimidating enough to result in another individual becoming reasonably fearful or apprehensive about his or her safety or the safety of his or her family or property. This could include physical intimidation, violence and threats of violence against employees, or customers, vendors, contractors, visitors, third parties or any other person engaged in business with or on behalf of the company on or off of BP premises. Workplace violence can also include stalking, possession of a firearm or other weapons in the workplace, threats about, or intentional damage to, the property of employees, customers, contractors, vendors, visitors, third parties or any other person engaged in business with or on behalf of the company. The term stalking includes physical stalking as well as stalking by email, telephone or any other form of communication. Physical intimidation, violence and threats of violence that occur away from the workplace, but which affect an individual’s ability to work or provide services to BP, may be considered workplace violence under this policy.

Prohibited acts and threats of workplace violence

The company prohibits any acts or threats of workplace violence, whether expressed or implied, by or against any employee or person providing services to BP or located on BP premises. Any conduct that creates an intimidating or threatening working environment will not be tolerated. If a violation of this policy is committed by an employee, the company will take appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including termination. 

The company takes incidents of workplace violence or threats of workplace violence seriously and will investigate reported incidents and/or concerns. As a part of its investigation, the company may consult with law enforcement authorities or other resources, as it deems appropriate, and may require professional assessments to determine whether an individual presents a threat to himself/herself or others in the workplace.

Role of employees

It is the responsibility of each and every employee to contribute to a safe working environment.  Although workplace violence cannot always be predicted or prevented, employees can do their part to prevent workplace violence by reporting any threats or acts of workplace violence to their team leader or other member of management, Security personnel, Human Resources or through BP’s Open Talk.  Likewise, any employee who becomes aware of physically aggressive or threatening behavior, or a threat to engage in such behavior, is to immediately report the behavior or threat to his or her team leader or other member of management, Security personnel, Human Resources or through BP’s Open Talk.

If an employee has obtained a protective order against any individual, the employee should notify his or her team leader or other member of management, Human Resources or BP Security about the protective order if the employee believes that there is any potential danger to themselves, to other employees or to persons on company premises or providing services to BP.

Role of management

Management in business units and functions should be aware of the Workplace Violence Policy and is responsible for ensuring that the recommended employee awareness training programs are conducted. Management is responsible for immediately notifying HR and BP Group Security of any allegations, actual threats or acts of workplace violence.

Weapons in the workplace

The company strictly prohibits employees or any person providing services to BP or located on BP premises from possessing weapons of any kind at the workplace. The workplace includes any property owned, leased or occupied by company employees or persons providing services to BP. This specifically includes BP parking areas. The prohibition explicitly includes firearms of any type, unless otherwise prohibited by law, including those for which the holder has a legal permit. Other examples of prohibited weapons include, but are not limited to, knives, bows and arrows and similar devices that by their design or intended use are capable of inflicting serious bodily injury or lethal force.

Search and seizure

The company will conduct inspections to the extent the company considers necessary to reduce the risk of workplace violence and to ensure compliance with company policies including, but not limited to, the company’s Substance Abuse Policy. Company searches may be conducted without persons being present, without consent and without notice. Inspections of an employee's personal effects will be conducted in the presence of the employee when possible.

Entry onto any company property or facility, including parking areas, is deemed consent to an inspection that may include, but is not limited to, person, vehicle, packages, parcels, purses, handbags, briefcases, lunch boxes and any other items carried or worn to and from company premises. Any vehicle entering, on or exiting company property is subject to inspection of its contents. Likewise, any vehicle parked on company property (including vehicles parked on lots or land owned by company that falls outside company fence lines or enclosures) is subject to inspection of its contents.

Submission to company inspections is a condition of employment. Employees who refuse to cooperate with company inspections conducted pursuant to these Guidelines shall not be forcibly inspected, but will be subject to discipline up to and including termination. Other persons failing to cooperate with company searches will not be permitted to enter company premises.

Searches of company premises and property maybe include, but are not limited to, offices, workspaces, cubicles, living quarters, desks, files, computers (including stored documents, calendars, electronic mail and diskettes), lockers, vehicles owned or leased by the company or its employees, cell phones and any other property owned or leased by the company and provided for employee or non-employee use.

The company may use any reasonable method available to conduct searches. Reasonable methods include, but are not limited to; metal detectors, x-ray machines and trained animals. The searches may be conducted by authorized company and/or non-company personnel.

Company action

Employees who engage in workplace violence (the behaviors defined in section II) may be referred for evaluation and treatment as a condition of continued employment. Employees who engage in workplace violence may be subject to discipline up to and including termination.

Contractors, suppliers, vendors and third parties who engage in workplace violence will be removed and barred from BP premises.

BP rights

BP reserves the right to unilaterally amend, change, modify, delete, replace or add to the statements in these Guidelines, at any time, with or without prior notice. BP also reserves the right to interpret the provisions of these Guidelines, and such interpretations will be final and binding. In addition, not every situation can be anticipated in written policies, guidelines and/or procedures, and the facts surrounding any situation can require discretionary judgments by appropriate levels of management. These Guidelines are not intended to create, nor do they create, any express or implied contractual rights in any person. Unless he/she has entered into an express written agreement signed by an authorized company representative, each employee of BP is an "at-will" employee. Just as any at-will employee may terminate his/her employment at any time and for any reason, BP may terminate any at-will employee at any time, with or without cause, and with or without prior notice. These Guidelines do not represent a contract, or an offer to form a contract, and do not create any binding contractual commitments between an employee and BP regarding any subject, and do not alter or limit the at-will employment status of BP employees.