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| Risk Management |
| Prevent a Violence Hazard: An employer's responsibility |
At some point in time, we have all heard the old adage, “Safety is Everyone’s Responsibility.” Although most employers and employees believe that to be accurate, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) General Duty Clause contradicts that theory. In fact, a recently released fact sheet from the U.S. Department of Labor states, “Employers who do not take reasonable steps to prevent or abate a recognized violence hazard in the workplace can be sited and fined.” However, with proper awareness and prevention procedures, the probability of workplace violence can be drastically reduced.
Alarming Statistics:
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has found that on average, 20 workers are murdered each week in the United States. In addition, an estimated 1 million workers -18,000 per week - are victims of nonfatal workplace assaults each year. Homicide is the second leading cause of death on the job, second only to motor vehicle crashes. Moreover, homicide is the leading cause of workplace death among females as well as the leading cause of death for workers under 18 years of age. Additionally, 76% of all workplace homicides are committed with a firearm.
Prevention:
A number of environmental, administrative, and behavioral strategies have the potential for reducing the risk of workplace violence. Examples of prevention strategies include good visibility within and outside the workplace, cash handling policies, employee training, physical separation of workers from customers or clients, good lighting and security devices such as physical barriers, key cards, alarm systems and surveillance cameras. No single strategy is appropriate for all workplaces, but all workers and employers should assess the risks of violence in their workplaces and take appropriate action to reduce those dangers. A workplace violence prevention program should include a system for documenting and reporting incidents – or threats of incidents, procedures to be taken in the event of the occurrence and open communication between supervisors and workers.
The aforementioned statistics highlight the need for all employers to implement tangible and effective workplace violence prevention procedures. Employers taking an active and consistent role in preventing workplace violence not only reduce the likelihood of an incident, but also protect against employer liabilities that may include fines and other legal consequences.
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