Violence Prevention in the Workplace

By Beth Goodbaum, ThomasNet News

Recent news headlines underscore the serious concern of workplace violence today. Establishing a positive workplace environment and knowing what warning clues to look for goes a long way in workplace violence prevention.

Maintaining safety standards in the workplace remains a top priority among employers across the country, yet improvements can always be made to strengthen safety and reduce the risk of employee injury.

According to the latest workplace injury figures from the United States Department of Labor, violence is a leading cause of job fatalities, behind only transportation incidents, prompting numerous organizations to advocate stronger standards for violence prevention guidelines.

Last August, the Department of Labor reported that workplace suicides jumped by 28 percent in 2008, when a series-high 251 people fatally wounded themselves at work. Furthermore, homicides have been perennially among the four most frequent work-related fatal events between 1992 and 2008. In 2008, 445 workers were fatally shot (413) or stabbed (32) while they were at their jobs.

Such violent work incidents are reflected in recent news reports: In January, a factory plant worker in St. Louis fatally wounded three employees before committing suicide at work. The shooter was allegedly in the process of suing his employer over funds, according to the New York Times. Last Friday, five people were shot, three killed, at the University of Alabama-Huntsville campus when a college professor opened fire during a meeting with colleagues, the Associated Press reports.

While these cases are among the most severe examples of workplace violence, the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) stresses that violence constitutes “all forms of harassment and any other act that creates a hostile work environment.”

Promoting safety awareness among employees not only helps prevent hostility and potentially dangerous workplace situations, it also saves money for businesses. Work-related injuries and illnesses cost businesses billions per year in lost work wages, compensation and legal and security fees, in addition to reduced productivity due to absence or time off, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime (NCAVC) (link best viewed in Internet Explorer).

The ASSE’s Workplace Violence Survey and White Paper makes clear that employers are accountable for their employees’ actions, even when a worker is acting against company policy. Therefore, raising safety measures early and actively helps ensure better adherence to safety protocols and regulations.

Establishing a positive workplace environment and knowing what warning clues to look for goes a long way in workplace violence prevention.

The ASSE recently recommended the following steps to help prevent workplace violence:

- Upper management should advocate a clear workplace-violence prevention policy.

- HR managers should consider and possibly revise their hiring procedures, which should typically involve an extensive background check on all employees.

- HR managers should encourage all employees to report harassing behavior or threats at the workplace.

- Employee training should include assessment and crisis management.

The NCAVC offers these additional violence-prevention guidelines:

- Prevention and safety planning should be proactive instead of reactive, and should be fostered by top-level management.

- Establishing a workplace violence-prevention plan that is based on a multidisciplinary team approach is most effective.

- Soliciting major corporations or associations to provide outreach and assistance to smaller businesses can be important in providing workplace safety support.

While media reports tend to highlight internal workplace violence, the National Crime Prevention Council says that 75 percent of work-related homicides are committed by unknown assailants who are at the workplace for robberies and other miscellaneous crimes. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration provides tips for handling such random acts and recommends employee participation in personal safety training programs.

It is crucial that employees remain well informed of their employer’s emergency guidelines. In the event that an emergency response plan is needed, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which works with both local and state communities, may be consulted.

Resources

Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries Summary, 2008 Bureau of Labor Statistics, Aug. 20, 2009

Fatal Occupational Injuries by Event or Exposure, 2007-2008 Bureau of Labor Statistics, Aug. 25, 2009 (last modified)

Gunman Kills 3 Co-Workers in St. Louis Factory and Then Himself by Liz Robbins, The New York Times, Jan. 7, 2010

Official: No Red Flags in Accused Shooter’s File by Bob Johnson, Mark Pratt and Stephen Singer, The Associated Press, Feb. 17, 2010

ASSE Offers Workplace Violence Prevention Tips American Society of Safety Engineers, Jan. 7, 2010

Workplace Violence – Issues in Response National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime

2004 Workplace Violence Survey & White Paper by JoAnn M. Sullivan, American Society of Safety Engineers, May 2004

Take Crime Prevention to Work National Crime Prevention Council

Factsheet: Workplace Violence Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 2002