What is Workplace Violence? What Steps Can We Take To Minimize the Risk?

A recent periodical shared that workplace violence is now the number 4 leading cause for fatalities at the work place.  Unfortunately, this ranking is moving in the wrong direction.  Many employers do not know that Cal Osha addresses workplace violence with specific regulations. 

OSHA defines workplace violence as follows:  violent acts, including physical assaults and threats of assaults, directed towards persons at work or on duty. 

Another definition is: “Assaults, other violent acts or threats which occur in or are related to the workplace and entail a substantial risk of physical or emotional harm to individuals” 

Why do we care?

            ►Every year, 1 out of 4 employees are harassed, threatened, or attacked

            ►Some 2 million American workers are victims of workplace violence each year

►Worker-on-worker fatalities account for approximately 7% of all workplace violence homicides.

►Each workday, an estimated 16,400 threats are made and 723 workers are attacked and harassed

►More than 1,000 American workers are victims of homicide at work each year

While the probability of your employee being attacked or killed on the job is nominal, it is still extremely important to prepare them in case it should occur.  OSHA requires that your company develop, implement, and train your employees on workplace violence.  At a minimum, your training should cover:

1. How to identify potentially violent behavior
2. Know the indicators of problem behavior
3. How to respond to violent behavior, specifically how to diffuse the situation
4. What NOT to do in a potentially violent situation
5. The reporting process for any perceived or actual violent behavior
6. Employee’s  responsibility for handling violent situations

Please do not hesitate to email any question to safety@ewspros.com.