Fewer Late-Night Retail Worker Deaths Still ‘Not Good Enough,’ OSHA Says

from ohsonline.com

Recommendations for Workplace Violence Prevention Programs in Late-Night Retail Establishments addresses issues that OSHA says pointblank are causing late-night retail workers to be killed on the job. The agency has updated the document, and it is available for free download at www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3153.pdf.

According to Bureau of Labor Statistics’ data, 167 retail trade workers were killed in 2007. Nearly half of these were employed in late-night establishments such as gasoline stations, liquor stores, and convenience stores. Of these worker deaths, 39 killed were convenience store employees, 32 worked at gasoline stations, and 7 worked at liquor stores.

“The number of retail workers who died as a result of workplace violence has declined over the past 10 years — from 286 in 1998 to 167 in 2007. This decline is encouraging, but not good enough,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA David Michaels. “Workers should not go to work fearing they won’t live through the day.”

The violence prevention information presented in the OSHA document builds on the agency’s Recommendations for Workplace Violence Prevention Programs in Late-Night Retail Establishments, published in 1998. The updated Recommendations identify risk factors and describe feasible solutions. Although not exhaustive, these workplace violence guidelines include policy recommendations and practical corrective methods to help prevent and mitigate the effects of workplace violence in late-night retail establishments.