Weapons management in Victorian health services

Weapons pose a serious risk in any setting, and particularly in health services, which can be highly-charged environments. It is essential that Victorian health services and their staff are aware of their rights and responsibilities in relation to weapons management.

This guide has been developed to assist Victorian health services to establish appropriate policies and procedures for the management of weapons in health services. The principles and guidelines apply to the whole health service community – that is, health service leaders, employees, contractors, volunteers, patients and visitors.

This document is intended to provide guidance only, and health services should obtain their own independent legal advice when developing local policies and procedures. Relevant internal and external stakeholders should also be consulted.

The content of this document is limited to the management of weapons. It does not cover violent and aggressive behaviour in unarmed individuals. See Occupational violence and aggression for resources on preventing and managing occupational violence and aggression in health services.