Workplace Violence: Keep Employees -- and Your Business -- Safe

"Workplace violence" is defined by OSHA as an act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at the work site. It can involve employees, customers, visitors or intruders.

Nearly two million American workers are victims of workplace violence every year, ranging from verbal abuse to physical assault to homicide. OSHA estimates there may be millions more incidents that go unreported.

Addressing the Workplace Violence Epidemic

To address workplace violence more effectively, OSHA updated its Enforcement Procedures and Scheduling for Occupational Exposure to Workplace Violence, OSHA Directive CPL 02-01-058. OSHA is putting more responsibility on employers to keep their workers safe from violence on the job.

Just as companies can be on the hook for not addressing job-related hazards, they can also be held responsible for violent situations if the company failed to keep the workplace free of a hazard, especially if:

  • the hazard was recognized;
  • the hazard caused or was likely to cause physical harm or death; and
  • there was a feasible and useful method available to correct the hazard.

OSHA also lists known risk factors that could expose a business to increased incidents of violence including:

  • contact with the public, exchange of money, delivery of passengers, goods or services;
  • having a mobile workplace such as a taxicab;
  • working with persons in healthcare, social service or criminal justice settings;
  • working alone or in small numbers;
  • working late at night or during early morning hours;
  • working in high-crime areas;
  • guarding valuable property or possessions; and
  • working in community-based settings, such as drug rehabilitation centers and group homes.

Regardless of the risk factors, OSHA indicates that one of the best protections against co-worker violence is a zero-tolerance policy for violence, aggression, bullying, harassment, etc.

Developing Comprehensive Workplace Violence Prevention Programs

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 70 percent of U.S. workplaces do not have a formal policy that addresses workplace violence. Given the fact that no one can predict where or how violence will occur, businesses of all sizes should take the time to develop an effective program. This requires three important elements: planning, developing policies and procedures, and training.

Planning

The first step in developing a comprehensive program is to assess your risk. First, examine potential hazards. Ask questions like:

  • Are employees working in isolated locations away from other employees, do people work alone at night or pre-dawn hours?
  • Have you reviewed the security of valuables and cash-on-hand?
  • Are there areas where a possible assailant could hide or enter undedicated thanks to poor illumination or physical barriers?
  • Does every location where employees work have effective escape routes?
  • Are alarms easily accessible and in good working order?
  • Are there areas in which someone could enter without authorization?
  • Are parking lots poorly lit in dark hours?

Next, take the "temperature" of the staff. Has anyone complained about being scared of another employee or of someone in their personal life? Is HR continually refereeing fights and bickering? Formal, anonymous surveys can be generated by HR to help assess how employees feel when it comes to their personal safety.

Policies and Procedures

When it comes to workplace violence programs, it is always better to have a program and never need it than to need one and not have it. Policies should be comprehensive, including:

  • Thorough prescreening processes including background checks, criminal records checks, drug tests, credit checks and references.
  • Ongoing rescreening of employees throughout their tenure. People's circumstances change all the time.
  • A system for anonymously reporting behavior that is suspicious or concerning to employees.
  • Termination policies that help reduce the chances of violent interactions.
  • A crisis management plan to ensure everyone understands their roles during and immediately after an incident.
  • A crisis communications plan.
  • A business continuity plan to keep critical operations running in the event of an incident.

Policies and procedures should be reviewed and modified as needed, as more information is gathered, as new risks are uncovered or as weaknesses in the existing plan are identified.

Training

Workplace violence is very real. Preparing your employees for the worst is critical in helping them make smart choices if they find themselves in a terrifying situation. Formal training on everything from how to handle an altercation between employees on the job, to third-party entrants into the building who mean harm, could save someone's life. Training should include:

  • Awareness: Teach employees to pay close attention to what's going on around them so they can quickly identify suspicious activity.
  • Identifying risky behaviors: Teach them how to identify potentially violent behaviors in an individual.
  • Conflict resolution: Help employees develop the skills to manage conflict constructively and even how to de-escalate a situation that starts to get out of control.
  • Reporting: Go over your procedures for anonymously reporting suspicious activity or behaviors. Instill in employees that they can speak freely and without retribution.
  • Evacuation procedures: Conduct drills to help prepare people in the event of an intruder or active shooter. Practice allows people to act properly and smartly under extreme stress.

Workplace violence is a scary and unpleasant topic to think about. Still, smart employers take steps to protect their employees, arming them with the knowledge to know what to do in the event of a violent incident. Even if you don't think you need a policy, OSHA now demands that you take the time to properly assess and address your risk factors.