Staff at disability centre attacked up to 20 times by lone resident

A resident at a Perth disability centre is responsible for "approximately 20" physical and sexual assaults on people employed to care for him.

The man is the only person at the state run Bennet Brook Disability Justice Centre for accused criminals who are mentally unfit to face charges.

A WorkSafe report obtained by Nine News has revealed since 2016 staff have been assaulted approximately 20 times.

Male and female support workers are regularly exposed to inappropriate touching of a sexual nature.

In October last year the rate of assaults was "increasing in frequency and intensity."

"Employees describe the assaults as often sudden and difficult to anticipate," the report found.

"Both male and female employees are regularly exposed to inappropriate behavior of the resident, including touching of a sexual nature."

"The physical injuries received by employees in these assaults include eye damage a broken nose cuts and lacerations to the head and face and medical treatment and in some cases hospital treatment."

At least six assaults have resulted in workers' compensation claims with some resulting in significant lost time.

They are "typically one punch assaults or multiple punch sustained assaults"

The Disability Justice Centre costs $4.5 million dollars to run.

WorkSafe issued Improvement Notices in October last year demanding the centre nullify threats to staff by December 21

The regulator confirmed compliance wasn't reached until May 3.

Nine News understand former staff members may consider legal action against the state.

The Assistant Director-General of Disability Services, Marion Hailes-MacDonald says the situation has improved.

"There has been a significant reduction in the frequency and severity of violence from residents towards employees since June 2018," she said.

"A number of systems for the prevention and management of such incidents has been implemented following the WorkSafe report."