Lawful Physical Intervention

For a physical interventionskill to be lawful, it must be used appropriately and in context. Physical skills include breakaway skills, blocks, pre-emptive strikes and restraint.

Physical skills can be used:

1. To defend yourself and protect others from immediate threat
2. To restrain an agitated and at-risk individual

You do not have to be certified to exercise your lawful right to intervene physically.

Clearly, appropriate training is a huge advantage and you should seek appropriate training that reflects the risk of violence in your work environment. Physical skills training needs to address the risks of restraint, including positional asphyxia and excited delirium.

Learning bite

Any physical intervention must be reasonable, proportionate and necessary in order to be lawful