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The BC Government and Service Employees’ Union (BCGEU) is calling on the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) to protect workers after a staff member was allegedly assaulted by a patient at a high-security Coquitlam psychiatric hospital.

BCGEU president Stephanie Smith described as “violent” the attack that she said happened Tuesday afternoon at the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital — better known as Colony Farm.

It’s prompting a call for staff to receive better protection, such as body armour.

Colony Farm houses some of B.C.’s most notorious offenders, including Allan Schoenborn, who murdered his three children in Merritt and was found not criminally responsible due to mental illness.

Others in custody there have been found mentally unfit to stand trial.

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The incident happened when a patient was released from long-time seclusion, then turned on a staff member, according to Smith.

She said other employees were unable to intervene and restrain the patient because their access was restricted by locked doors, prolonging the alleged assault.

Call for body armour

“[The] injuries that they suffered certainly were serious enough that it’s now required a [WorkSafeBC] investigation,” she said.

Smith said the union has been urging the employer for months to provide staff with protection, such as body armour or blocking pads.

“Our staff had raised concerns around the transfer of this patient. They didn’t feel that there were enough safety precautions put in place prior to the transfer.” Tweet This

WATCH: Reports of an unlicensed psychologist at Colony Farm in December of 2015 raised concerns

‘Significant training’

Angela Draude, provincial executive director with the Forensic Psychiatric Services Commission, said the facility is in constant contact with union members.

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Questioned about the request for body armour, she said staff have been reviewing safety protocols.

“In the last short while, we’ve done significant training and improvement that all of our staff have gone through,” she said.

“They received training in provincial violence prevention curriculum as all other health professionals across the province. Everyone has personal protective alarms and there is response codes and response capacity within the facility.” Tweet This

Draude added that she hasn’t personally heard a request for protective equipment from the BCGEU.

According to the union, 102 WorkSafeBC inspection reports and 54 safety orders have been filed about the Colony Farm facility in the last five years, mostly resulting from violence.

Last fall, WorkSafeBC fined the hospital $171,000 because of dangerous conditions.