FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - In any workplace, it’s important to create a safe, healthy and inclusive environment -and that applies to everyone who might come into Community Regional Medical Center: patients, visitors and of course, all the people who work there. That's why Community has an entire program dedicated to workplace safety. “It's really targeted to help staff, frontline staff members, patients, visitors, security staff, you know, anyone interacting in our facilities,” said Michael Hogan, director of security services at Community Medical Center. “The program helps us get better at recognizing potentially violent situations, intervening earlier and effectively managing those situations so that we create a safer environment for everyone." Click here for more MedWatch Today Click here for Community Medical Centers' homepage Hogan has an extensive career in law enforcement and workplace safety. When staff go through the training, they learn how to recognize potential problems and prevent them before they escalate. “Body language is a two-way street,” Hogan said. “We're educating employees on not to send escalating signals with their own behavior. So no pointing, no clenching of fists, no folding of arms, creating an open stance. And on the flip side, we're looking for those trigger or warning behaviors." Matthew Butler is an occupational safety specialist for Community Medical Centers. He echoes Hogan’s sentiment. “When you're talking to a patient, we want to be able to identify when they're entering a crisis with the proportionate and the appropriate response. So if we see somebody being anxious, if we can approach them in a supportive way, maybe we can find some unmet needs that need to be met. Maybe that's all it takes just to keep them in that calm state of being." Understandably, the emergency department has one of the highest numbers of confrontations. 85% of workplace altercations happen here. After all, patients can be in severe pain and experience a lot of emotional stress. But the training helps staff de-escalate and find solutions. “One of the most destabilizing things in the world is a catastrophic medical condition or diagnosis. So we are working in an environment where overall, when people come to see us, it is an incredibly positive experience as you know,” Hogan said. “We teach staff that if you go in and see a patient who is being violent, you have to ask yourself a question. If I get involved here, 'will this result in more safety or more harm? If it's going to result in more safety,' then by all means, let's get involved. However, if it results in more harm, then let's get ourselves to safety,” said Buttler. “One thing we ask our students to remember if they forget everything else, is that you have a lot of power in changing the outcome of a situation. In every conversation that you have simply by the words you choose to use and the way you choose to say it. That's what we want to empower our staff with more than anything else."