BC security guards say hospitals are unsafe

VANCOUVER – Hospital security guards in British Columbia are being injured on the job at an alarming rate, according to a recent report. WorkSafeBC accepted nearly 170 injury claims from hospital security guards in 2024, meaning guards are being hurt almost every other day across the province.

The highest number of accepted claims came from Fraser Health, with 50, and Providence Health, with 46. Interior Health reported 27 accepted claims, Vancouver Coastal Health had 22, and Island Health had 20.

The province introduced a new class of hospital security guard, known as relational security officers (RSOs), nearly two years ago in response to a series of high-profile assaults against nurses and other healthcare staff.

RSOs are trained in trauma-informed care and de-escalation, with a focus on prevention. However, three RSOs told CBC News they have been punched, kicked, spat on, and bitten while on duty. They said these incidents have resulted in WorkSafeBC claims, time off work, and both physical and emotional injuries.

The Hospital Employees’ Union (HEU), which represents 750 RSOs in the province, said the injury rates are concerning and may be underreported.

“That could be the tip of the iceberg,” said Lynn Bueckert (pictured), secretary business manager for the HEU. “Not all workers report for a whole bunch of reasons.”

RSOs told CBC News that health authorities are limiting the tools and de-escalation techniques they can use when confronted with violence. For example, RSOs in Fraser Health and Providence Health are not permitted to use handcuffs to restrain violent individuals, which some guards say puts them at greater risk as they wait for police to arrive.

B.C. Conservative public safety critic Elenore Sturko said the injury rates should prompt a review of the current system.

“Seeing the number of injury claims that have been reported to WorkSafe by RSOs is further confirmation that they are not adequately trained to deal with the level of violence they are seeing in the workplace,” she said in the CBC report.

She called for the province to employ peace officers in hospitals, equipped with firearms, Tasers, and handcuffs, and trained to a standard similar to Alberta’s protective services officers.

The HEU does not support the use of peace officers in hospitals, instead calling for more training and higher staffing levels for RSOs.

Fraser Health said in a statement that RSOs receive rigorous training tailored to the needs of the healthcare environment and that it is reviewing its policy on the use of handcuffs. The Health Ministry said it is exploring additional safety measures, including the use of artificial intelligence to detect weapons in emergency rooms, a practice already in place in some Canadian hospitals.