What a $55,000 Fine Tells Us About Communication and Safety

In November 2023, a worker at a London, Ontario bar was asked to do something that happens in venues every weekend: tell a customer it was time to leave. 

Of course, that is sometimes when situations can sometimes turn ugly. 

According to an Ontario court bulletin, while the host was speaking with the patron, the customer mimicked striking them. Moments later, the patron’s companion actually hit the worker, knocking both of them to the floor. As the worker tried to stand, they were struck again. The worker later called 911 and used a social media messaging app to notify the floor manager before being taken to hospital with an injury. 

Richmond Street Warehouse Restaurant Ltd., operating as El Furniture Warehouse, has now been fined $55,000 for failing to develop, maintain, and implement a workplace violence program that met Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act, including having measures for “summoning immediate assistance.” 

This case isn’t just about one incident. It’s about a gap every busy venue needs to take seriously: 

When something goes wrong, how fast can your staff ask for help? 

The Missing Piece: A Plan (and a Tool) to Summon Help 

The Ministry’s investigation found several issues at the venue: 

• No meaningful workplace violence procedures or training 

• No clear process for summoning immediate assistance 

• No radios or internal communication tools for staff 

• No security guards on site at the time 

• No completed violence risk assessment, despite prior incidents in the previous year 

On the night of the assault, the worker did everything they could with what they had. They called 911, and they contacted their manager via social media on their personal phone. 

But think about that for a second. In the middle of a violent incident, an injured worker had to unlock their phone, open an app, find the right chat, and type or voice a message, all after being assaulted. 

From a safety perspective, that’s far too much friction in a moment where seconds matter. 

Patronscan Isn’t Just About IDs at the Door 

Patronscan is best known for ID scanning and fake ID detection, and in a lot of cases, that’s the first and most visible layer of safety. But even when no IDs are being scanned, the technology can still play a critical role in protecting staff inside the venue. 

This is because Patronscan devices are already at the front door, in the host stand, or on handhelds used around the floor. It becomes a powerful tool for internal communication and emergency signaling, not just ID checks. 

Configured correctly, a Patronscan deployment can support things like: 

• A “Call for Help” or “Need Backup” action right from a device that staff already use 

• Quick alerts that notify floor managers, security, or other staff in real time 

• Clear visibility into where the alert came from (front door, patio, bar, etc.) 

So instead of:  “I was hit. Now I’ll find my phone, unlock it, open an app, find my manager, and  hope they see the message…” 

You get: “I tap one button on the device already in front of me — and my team knows I need  help now.” 

This is the difference between ad hoc communication and a designed safety workflow. 

When Policies Meet Practice 

The Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act is very explicit: 
Employers must have a workplace violence policy and program, including “measures and procedures for summoning immediate assistance when workplace violence occurs.” 

In plain terms, that means: 

• You need a plan for what happens when staff are threatened or attacked. 

• You need training so workers know what to do and what support they can expect. 

• You need tools that let them call for help quickly and reliably, not just their personal phones and social media apps. 

Technology alone doesn’t satisfy the law. But the right technology can make it much easier to live up to it. 

How Patronscan Could Have Helped in a Moment Like This 

Let’s imagine a different version of that night: 

• The host approaches a patron who’s being asked to leave. 

• As soon as things turn tense or physical, the host is able to hit a pre-set “Assistance Needed” button on the nearby scanner or handheld. 

• A manager and/or security staff get an instant alert that includes the location. 

• Backup arrives in seconds, not after a worker has to fight with their phone, apps, and messaging while injured. 

The key part here is that this can happen even when no ID is being scanned. 

The same platform that checks IDs at the door can also be a quiet, always-available support line for your staff in difficult moments. 

What This Case Should Signal to Every Operator 

The London case is a wake-up call not just about fines, but about duty of care: 

1. Workplace violence isn’t hypothetical. 
   If you operate in nightlife, hospitality, or busy retail, you have real risk.
   
   
2. Policies on paper are not enough.
   Regulators will look at what actually exists: training, procedures, tools, prior incidents, and whether you’ve done a real risk assessment. 
   
   
3. Your staff shouldn’t have to improvise.
   No one should be relying on their personal phone and a social media app as the primary way to call for help during a violent incident. 
   
   
4. Your existing tech can do more.
   If you already have Patronscan at the door, you don’t need a separate “panic system” to give staff a faster way to request assistance — you can build that into the tools they already use. 

A Safer Future Is Built on More Than Just the Door 

At Patronscan, we care deeply about who enters a venue, but we care just as much about what happens inside once they’re in. 

Incidents like this are exactly why we design our platform to support stronger workplace violence procedures, faster internal communication when something goes wrong, and safer environments for staff and guests alike. 

Our hope is that fewer headlines will be written about workers getting hurt and companies being fined, not because incidents never happen, but because when they do, venues are prepared, connected, and able to respond in seconds, not minutes. 

If you’d like to talk about how your existing or future Patronscan setup could also support staff safety and internal communication, not just ID scanning, our team is here to help.