Violence in the Work Place
Violence in the workplace is a serious safety and
health issue. Its most extreme form, homicide, is the third-leading cause of
fatal occupational injury in the
Environmental conditions associated with workplace assaults have been
identified and control strategies implemented in a number of work settings.
OSHA has developed guidelines and recommendations to reduce worker exposures to
this hazard but is not initiating rulemaking at this time.
Prevention
A number of environmental, administrative, and behavioral strategies have the potential for reducing the risk of workplace violence. Examples of prevention strategies include (but are not limited to) good visibility within and outside the workplace, cash handling policies, physical separation of workers from customers or clients, good lighting, security devices, escort services, and employee training. No single strategy is appropriate for all workplaces, but all workers and employers should assess the risk of violence in their workplaces and take appropriate action to reduce those risks. A workplace violence prevention program should include a system for documenting incidents, procedures to be taken in the event of incidents, and open communication between employers and workers.
Workplace Violence Prevention Training Course Overview
Covers the entire range of inappropriate workplace aggression
Includes all the OSHA-identified types of workplace violence
Provides a "Policy Acceptance" feature that requires employees to agree to your policies
Describes the physical, financial, work, and family-related warning signs
Teaches employees when and how to report potential threats
Reveals methods for diffusing potentially violent situations
Makes quick, cost-effective customization available
Was created by top attorneys, psychiatrists, and experts in the field
Offers new course content and graphics yearly, for annual training purposes
Workplace Violence Prevention Training Course Topics
"Workplace violence" is much more than a current or former co-worker with a gun
The subtle forms of inappropriate workplace aggression that can lead to violence
How to handle "domestic violence" that spills over into the workplace
What "zero tolerance" means in today's workplace
What type of verbal threats and aggressive acts can result in disciplinary action
When "self-defense" is justified in a workplace setting
How to recognize "triggering events" that can lead to workplace violence
Fears about reporting threats of violence and why they should not deter employees from reporting
Statistics About Violence in the Work Place
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health (NIOSH) has found that an average of 20 workers are murdered each week
in the
Homicide is the second leading cause of death on the job, second only to motor vehicle crashes. Homicide is the leading cause of workplace death among females. However, men are at three times higher risk of becoming victims of workplace homicides than women. Homicide is also the leading cause of death for workers under 18 years of age. The majority of workplace homicides are robbery related crimes (71%) with only 9% committed by coworkers or former coworkers. Additionally, 76% of all workplace homicides are committed with a firearm.
Most nonfatal workplace assaults occur in service settings such as hospitals, nursing homes, and social service agencies. Forty eight percent of nonfatal assaults in the workplace are committed by a health care patient. Nonfatal workplace assaults result in more than 876,000 lost workdays and $16 million in lost wages. Nonfatal assaults occur among men and women at an almost equal rates.
The circumstances of workplace violence differ significantly from those of other types of homicides. While most workplace homicides are robbery-related, less than 10% of homicides in the general population occur during a robbery. Additionally, in the general population about 50% of all murder victims were related to their assailants whereas the majority of workplace homicides are believed to occur among people who do not know each other. These differences call for unique prevention measures targeted specifically to the workplace.
If everyone treats others with dignity and respect, we will have good living and working conditions. While this is a worthy goal for any setting, it is not always realistic. Some basic statistics will illuminate the magnitude of the problem. In a study of 280 cases of workplace violence, it was determined that 94.3% of the perpetrators were men. An overwhelming number of these men were between 35 and 45 years of age. Of the perpetrators, 43.6% were employees, 22.5% were former employees, 21.4% involved domestic disputes, and 12.5% were client-type relationships.
An average of 1.7 million people were victims of
violent crime while working or on duty in the
For the same time period, over 800 workplace homicides per year were recorded by the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. Workplace fatalities have declined in recent years. Whereas the numbers were approximately 1000 per year ten years ago, the numbers have clearly declined. Other statistics still show the number of murders in the workplace at about 20 per week with about 1 million workers assaulted each year (one study estimated 18,000 assaults per week) in U.S. workplaces. Who gets murdered in the workplace? In 1994, the breakdown of 1,071 homicides included 179 supervisors, 105 cashiers, 86 taxicab drivers, 49 managers in restaurants or hotels, 70 police officers, and 76 security guards.
Factors that place workers at risk for violence in the workplace include interacting with the public, exchanging money, delivering services or goods, working late at night or during early morning hours, working alone, guarding valuable goods or property, and dealing with violent people or volatile situations.
Anyone can become the victim of a workplace assault, but the risks are much greater in certain industries and occupations. For workplace homicides, the taxicab industry has the highest risk at 41.4/100,000, nearly 60 times the national average rate (0.70/100,000). The taxicab industry is followed by liquor stores (7.5), detective/protective services (7.0), gas service stations (4.8) and jewelry stores (4.7). The occupations with the highest homicide rates are taxicab drivers/chauffeurs (22.7), sheriffs/bailiffs (10.7), police and detectives public service (6.1), gas station/garage workers (5.9), and security guards (5.5). The majority of nonfatal assaults occurred in the service (64%) and retail trade (21%) industries. Specifically, 27% occurred in nursing homes, 13% in social services, 11% in hospitals, 6% in grocery stores, and another 5% occurred in eating and drinking places.
In recent years it has become a familiar occurrence to hear of a workers, ex-workers or angered spouses entering the workplace and killing supervisors, fellow workers, spouses, and individuals who just happen to get into the line of fire. This has happened in many types of establishments, including office buildings, fast food stores, factories, etc. The occurrence of several such incidents in post offices has even resulted in the phase “going postal” meaning that someone, usually an employee, has lost control in the workplace and has gotten violent, possibly to the point of killing people. There are various types of violence, including:
q Physical violence
q Threats of physical violence
q Harassment
q Intimidation
q Other threatening or disruptive behavior
There are many different causes for the occurrence of such acts of violence. A long-term employee may become disgruntled if a newer employee is given a promotion. A person may become angered by an extramarital affair of a spouse or sweetheart. A worker might become distraught after being fired. In most cases, the violence is merely triggered by one specific event, but the tendency toward violence must have been building up over time.
Workplace homicides are more common that is generally realized. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics states that homicide is the second most common cause of death in the workplace. For women, homicide is the number one cause of death in the workplace. It also stated that one out of every four employees is attacked, threatened or harassed at work each year.
With the high prevalence of violence in the workplace, it is important to be able to identify signs of potential violence, the underlying causes of workplace violence, means of protecting yourself and others in the workplace, and why incidents of violence must be reported and investigated. There must be a firmly enforced policy that does not tolerate or accept any form of violence.
Types of Violence
The incidents in which people are killed in the workplace receive broad media attention, sometimes even national or international attention. But there are many other types of violence that can occur in the workplace. While these do not receive much media attention, they can result in harm to people who are the recipients of these violent acts. What constitutes violence? Obviously, killing an innocent person in the workplace is certainly a violent act, but many other forms of violence can occur. Some acts of violence are not directly against people but against the place of work. This might occur very intentionally as with vandalism or it might be associated with an incident of theft. Some of the specific types of violence that might occur at a work site include the following:
Murder Rape and other sexual assaults
Hitting Shoving
Pushing Kicking
Assault Verbal abuse
Discrimination Harassment
Threats Physical Abuse
Intimidation
Many of these inappropriate behaviors are obviously of a violent nature. Some behaviors that are inappropriate may only suggest or threaten violence, or they may simply constitute unwanted behavior. Thus, inappropriate behavior may include physical actions, gestures, words, or messages of various types. These may be directed towards supervisors, subordinates, fellow workers, or individuals that happen to be in the workplace.
Who is Violent?
Violence in the workplace consists of one of two types, namely internal and external violence. Internal violence consists of violence that comes from within the organization. Essentially internal violence is violence that is initiated by someone who is a current employee or who is a former employee. In general, internal violence is the most frequently occurring type of violence. External violence is violence that is initiated by someone who comes from outside of the organization. External violence is more prevalent in retail establishments (fast food restaurants, gas stations, taxis, etc.) where the violence might be associated with a theft, but this type of violence is not as common on construction sites.
Why People Become Violent
Most violent behavior that is internal in nature is the result of some form of stress and conflict. This stress may be unrelated to employment conditions, such as marital problems, domestic disputes, financial worries, the loss of a loved one, and other sources of stress that one might encounter in a domestic setting. Of course, some violent behavior has its beginnings in mental instability which may stem from a number of causes, including depression, schizophrenia, alcoholism, drug abuse, and similar diseases that may contribute to mental instability. The sources of stress and mental instability that are not related to the work setting generally cannot be influenced. Unfortunately, the acts of violence that stem from these conditions may directly impact those in the work setting. For these types of causes of violence, it is important that these signs of potential violence are noted so precautions can be taken.
Some violence in the workplace is directly related to conditions that foster the violence. Naturally, it is when a worker is driven to the point of violence that the workplace conditions come under closer scrutiny. There are a number of different types of workplace conditions that might generate conditions that result in violence. Some forms of stress or conflict in the workplace include being fired, being threatened with being fired, being reprimanded in an inappropriate manner (belittled in front of other workers or wrongfully accused of certain actions), being pressured to increase productivity, being shown no respect by supervisors, being closely watched as if one is untrustworthy, and in general having a workplace setting that is very unrewarding to the workers.
Clearly the sources of stress that originate on the worksite are to be minimized. Sometimes these workplace sources of stress are combined with stresses that workers bring with them to the workplace. This may result in a magnification of the stress that is generated at the job level with very undesirable and unpredictable results.
External sources of violence are not as predictable as the perpetrator of the violence is not associated with the project. The jealous spouse of an employee may come onto the workplace with the intent of harming the “cheating” mate or the suspected lover who works on the site. Other workers who happen to get in the way may find themselves as victims. The chance of being involved in violence from external sources is greater when working alone or in small groups, when one has custody of materials that have considerable value, when work is performed at night or the early hours of the morning, when working in high crime areas, or when working with the public. These conditions might make one a victim by the mere conditions that exist in the workplace and being at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Reducing the Chance of Violence
Perhaps the best way to begin to address the issue of workplace violence is to conduct pre-employment screening. Much can be learned in a short while through a few interview questions, background checks, and drug testing.
Steps can be taken to minimize the chances of workplace violence. In many cases, the violence from internal sources does not just happen, i.e., it is the culmination of a series of events. Reducing this type of violence starts with recognizing that workplace violence is always a possibility. An employer and the employees must take this constant threat seriously. At the same time, steps can be taken to reduce the chance of the workplace being a site for violence.
Where external sources of violence are involved, security steps can be taken to reduce the potential of violence. This is done by keeping these potential threats out of the work setting. This can often be done by making it difficult for them to enter the premises. This can be done through the use of photo identification badges, guard services, and individual coded key cards for access to certain areas.
One of the first things to do is to recognize the signs of potential workplace violence. Once there is an indication that violence might occur, steps must then be taken to prevent it. This begins with reporting the signs.
The internal sources of stress and conflict are those which can be dealt with most readily. Once certain practices of the company or supervisory personnel are identified as being the source of undue stress, steps must be taken immediately to change them. That is, it is important to deal with the sources of stress and conflict.
Company policies and practices and those of supervisory personnel may foster workplace violence if not properly implemented. This is where it is important to conduct an internal audit at the company, project and individual levels. Sensitivity training is often one means that is used to enlighten supervisory personnel about how they can show mutual respect to their subordinates.
A general summary of the means of reducing or preventing workplace violence include the following:
q Awareness training
q Threat assessment
q Long-term security
q Alternative dispute resolution
q Employee assistance program
Recognizing Signs of Potential Violence
When economic downturns strike, supervisors are often confronted with layoffs, downsizing, terminations, and, unfortunately, more incidents of workplace violence.
Yet, in 85% of the workplace violence incidents the warning signs were clear long before the violence occurred because the anger that drives most perpetrators of workplace violence is allowed to come to full blossom right under the noses of their co-workers and supervisors. Why is that?
It happens because most employees either don't know the simple and clear warning signs, or they didn't want to "tell" on their co-workers. Clearly, employees need to know how to recognize and how to report a fellow worker's growing anger so that their employer can diffuse potentially volatile situations.
Are your employees trained in how to recognize and how to report these warning signs? Only an effective employee education program can make a meaningful and significant difference in preventing workplace violence in your place of business.
Because of the various types of causes of workplace violence, there is no single indicator that a person is likely to get violent. There are various ways that this potential might be demonstrated. Nonetheless, individuals who become violent generally do so after a series of events have taken place. Different conditions might cause individuals to become violent so it is important to be able to identify the different types of signals that might indicate that a particular individual is likely to become violent.
Some indicators are very clear. For example, a verbal statement from a worker that another worker or supervisor “will pay” for having said something, or done something, is a clear signal. Some threats might even be so blatant as a person saying, “One of these days I will bring my gun and I won’t have to put up with him anymore.” It is less clear if someone issues a veiled threat by saying, “He should be more careful about how he treats people, if he wants to stay healthy.” The circumstances by which a threat might be carried out might also be stated as, “If he tries to get me fired again, he will definitely regret it.”
The blatant or veiled threats are the most obvious signs and these are often indications of violence in the near future. Other signals are less clear. For example, a worker might be sending a signal about potential violence if he or she:
complains a great deal about working conditions,
complains about a particular supervisor,
is particularly grouchy and argumentative,
is not cooperative with other workers,
is often late for work,
is frequently absent from work,
does not like to take directions from others,
acts strange on occasion,
appears to be depressed,
exhibits habits of alcoholism or drug abuse,
has been known to be violent in the past
These may or may not be signs that a person will become violent, but they should not be ignored. It is better to address questionable behavior rather than to ignore it and regret the inaction later. Of course, it must be recognized that people do have changing moods. For example, the father of infant might appear to be on edge, but an innocent inquiry might quickly reveal that he had very little sleep for the past two nights due to a child’s illness.
Doing Something About Violence?
Employers have an obligation to their employees to protect them from hazards and harmful working conditions. To the extent possible, this includes protecting them from workplace violence.
Obviously, the subtle signals that might be evident in different workers should be checked out. A brief conversation might quickly reveal the cause of the “abnormal” behavior. A worker who is asked about the reason for what appears to be questionable behavior might quickly disclose the causes. It stands to reason that a worker who exhibits signs of being overstressed should be asked about the behavior. The troubled worker might even view this questioning as being helpful.
Violence should not be tolerated. This means those victims, or others who are aware of the violence or the potential for violence, must do something about the problem. Failing to act properly in this regard might result in an escalation of the problems, resulting in workplace violence. No incident that sends a signal of potential violence can be ignored, i.e., every incident must be taken seriously.
The specific action to be taken for each overt threat, veiled threat, or simply questionable behavior will vary with the circumstances. Blatant threats must be addressed directly and they must be handled by the right individual. When a worker’s behavior appears odd, different approaches might be warranted. For example, a fellow worker, especially one who is a friend of the worker exhibiting the strange behavior, might be the appropriate person to talk to the worker. The next person to talk to the worker might be the supervisor. In fact, the supervisor or foreman should pay attention to the demeanor and actions of the workers in the crew.
If the stressful behavior of a worker does not seem to diminish with time, it may be necessary to take some type of action. An overly stressed worker is not a safe worker to work with. There is an increased chance of the worker being involved in an accident and injury occurring to other workers. How can stress be diminished? It might be possible to reduce the stress of a worker by transferring the worker to another crew or by having the worker enroll in a stress management session or to seek professional help, as therapy, support groups, or other means of assistance.
It is when harsh threats are made or when veiled threats are made that discussing the threat with the threatening person may not be sufficient. This is where a formal procedure might be warranted. This begins with reporting the incident.
Reporting Violence
Never let acts of violence go unreported. Firms are well advised to have standard forms on which to document any reports of inappropriate behavior and statements that threaten violence. Such incidents should be fully investigated in order to capture as much information as possible on the particular behavior that was reported. In some cases, the report will simply consist of a statement made by one individual. The case becomes much stronger if witnesses can support the allegations of threatened violence that were made. The information that should be recorded should include the following at a minimum:
Date of the threat
Person making the threat
Where the threat was made
Circumstances under which the statement was made
Specific statement that was made (as detailed and accurate as possible)
Identity of any witnesses to the threat
In The Face of Workplace Violence
Most of the tips on preventing or reducing the chance of workplace violence relate to internal violence, or violence perpetrated by someone associated with the company or the construction site. When a fellow worker is been driven to the point of violence, there may still be an opportunity to avert the violence. It might be possible for a trusted crewmember or friend at the worksite to talk the individual out of doing something foolish and violent.
External violence, perpetrated by persons not typically associated with the project, may have no warning signs. Unfortunately, it is when external violence occurs that there are no warning signs and there is little opportunity to avert the problem. The intent of an intruder is often not good and should be viewed as being potentially violent. In order to reduce the prevalence of external violence, certain measures can be taken, including the following:
Keep the site well lighted at night
Don’t work alone when it is late at night
Don’t park far from the job office if you will work late
Be aware of strange vehicles (cars or trucks)
Involve neighbors in jobsite security
Ask police to patrol the site in the early mornings late evenings, and nights
Write down the license plates numbers of strange cars parked near the worksite
If a potentially violent person is confronting a person or a group of persons on the worksite, some type of action must be taken. The first approach might be to simply talk with the person. During this conversation it is important to be sympathetic, but it is probably not a good idea to argue with the person. By being empathetic, it might be possible to calm the person.
The company or project should have a clear policy on violence. This includes what to do after there has been violence. The first is to simply report the incident and document as much about the incident as possible. The call to 9-1-1 will be a good first step. At this point it is important that the scene not be altered, as the police may want to see if any evidence is remaining.