Ajax Paving Industries, Inc'

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Ajax Paving Industries, Inc.

• Joe Forgue, ARM, ASP
• Ajax Paving Industries, Inc
• 830 Kirts Blvd., Troy MI 48084
• 248-244-3301
• jforgue_at_ajaxpaving.com

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WORKPLACE VIOLENCE

• Where Does it Begin?
• Where Do WE end It!
• THEYRE BOTH THE SAME PLACE

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Choosing the Right Tool for the Job
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Choosing the Right Tool for the Job
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Choosing the Right Tool for the Job
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Goals of the Program

• Define Workplace Violence.
• Examine where OSHA stands on the subject.
• Identify the Risk Factors.
• Identify the Warning Signs.
• Dealing with Angry People.
• Apply Some Prevention Strategies.
• Examine Some Recovery Issues.

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Gambling Anyone?

• Wager 1.00
• You win 83 of the time
• For every 5.00 you win you will lose 1.00
• WHO WANTS TO PLAY???

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What is Workplace Violence

• According to NIOSH
• (A)ny physical assault, threatening behavior or
  verbal abuse occurring in the work setting. It
  includes but is not limited to beatings,
  stabbing, suicides, shootings, rapes, near
  suicides, psychological traumas such as threats,
  obscene phone calls, an intimidating presence,
  and harassment of any nature such as being
  followed, sworn at or shouted at.
• According to the law enforcement community
• (T)he commission of proscribed criminal acts or
  coercive behavior which occurs in the work
  setting. It includes but is not limited to
  homicides, forcible sex offenses, kidnapping,
  assault , robbery, menacing, reckless
  endangerment, harassment and disorderly conduct.

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A Leading Cause of Death in the Workplace

• Over 1000 People Die Each Year!
• (Equates to 20 per week)
• 1 Cause of Death for Females!
• 3 Cause of Death for Males!

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How it Can Start

• Domestic Violence (Spill Over)
• Racial Intimidation
• Sexual Harassment
• Property Damage
• Assault Battery
• Threats
• Stalking

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Stalking (In Michigan)

• A willful course of conduct involving repeated
  or continuing harassment of another individual
  that would cause a reasonable person to feel
  terrorized, frightened, intimidated, threatened,
  harassed, or molested, and that actually causes
  the victim to feel terrorized, frightened,
  intimidated, threatened, harassed.
• Misdemeanor one year in jail/1,000.00 fine, up
  to 5 years probation.
• Aggravated Stalking Felony punishable by 5
  years in jail/10,000.00 fine and any term of
  probation including life but not less than 5
  years.

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How it Can End

• Edmond Oklahoma, Postal worker , facing dismissal
  shot and killed 14 people before killing himself.
• Irvine California, Grocery bagger kills 2 and
  injures 3 with a sword before being shot and
  killed by police.
• Meridan Mississippi, Employee kills 5 coworkers
  and injures 9 before taking his own life.
• Chicago Illinois, Employee who had been fired 6
  months earlier killed 2 owners and 4 employees

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Whats out there?

• Northwestern Life Insurance Company
• One of Four full time workers have been harassed,
  threatened or attacked leaving them angry,
  fearful, stressed or depressed.
• American Management Association
• 50 of companies surveyed reported experiencing
  incidents or threats of workplace violence in the
  last 4 years.
• U. S. Department of justice
• 1,063 workplace homicides in 1993,
  coworkers/former employees were involved in 59

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Is it going away???

• June 30 through August 29, 2003
• 9 weeks
• 12 incidents
• 38 killed
• 22 wounded

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Significant Cost to Employers

• 36 Billion Each Year in Direct Costs
• Examples
• Medical Expenses
• Indemnity Payments
• Damaged Equipment Costs
• As Much as 4 Times the Direct Costs
• Examples
• Diminished Productivity in Workers
• Management Follow-up Time
• New Programs / Training

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Workplace Violence Categories

• Type I Criminal Intent
• Type II Client/Customer
• Type III Coworker
• Type IV Personal Relationship

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Type I Criminal Intent (Strangers)

• Can occur either within our outside traditional
  workplace.
• Specific training
• Staffing
• Protective equipment
• Physical security methods
• Policy review and assessment

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Type II Client/Customer

• Two sub types
• People with history of violent behavior
• Appropriate staffing
• training
• Situational violence
• Problem anticipation
• Training

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Type III - Coworkers

• Well written prevention policy
• Treat all employees fairly
• Training in conflict/dispute resolution
• Trained Employee Assistance Programs

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Type IV Personal Relationships

• Open door policy for employees to management
• Strict confidentiality
• Denial or restriction of access to the workplace
• Flexibility in work schedule
• Flexibility in workplace location

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Still at the Table???

• Wager 10.00
• Same odds of winning
• For every 50.00 you win you will lose 10.00
• WHO STILL WANTS TO PLAY???

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What does OSHA say?

• Every employer should establish, implement and
  maintain a written workplace violence prevention
  program.
• It should be
• Made available to all employees
• Require specific training as to its content and
  implementation
• Reflect the level and nature of threat
• Outline procedures for a review and assessment of
  the vulnerability

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To Be Effective

• Employee involvement
• Worksite assessment
• Clear effective procedures
• Threat assessment

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Policy Statement

• Provide adequate authority and budgetary
  resources
• Employee participation
• 0 Tolerance
• Policy application that is consistent and fair
• Prompt and accurate reporting
• Non-discrimination against victims or people who
  report problems

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Other Elements of the Program

• Threat Assessment Team
• Hazard Assessment
• Hazard Control and Prevention
• Employee Training and Education
• Incident Reporting
• Recordkeeping

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OSHA Sample Procedures

• osha.gov/SLTC/workplaceviolence/index.html
• Sample Workplace Violence Prevention Program
• Completed Written Program
• Sample Self Inspection Security Checklist
• Sample Incident Report Form
• Sample Employee Security Survey

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Can OSHA Cite Me?

• Yes
• Under the General Duty Clause
• No
• If it is deemed that the act is not a recognized
  threat
• Maybe So
• Whether or not an employer can be cited for a
  violation of Section 5(a)(1) is entirely
  dependent upon the specific facts

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Still at the Table???
Wager 100.00 Same odds of winning For every
500.00 you win you will lose 100.00 WHO STILL
WANTS TO PLAY???
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Risk Factors

• The People
• The Environment
• The Catalyst

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The People

• Paranoid personality
• Drug and/or alcohol problem
• History of violent behavior/quick to anger
• Obsessed with guns/weapons
• Interest in past wpv incidents

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The People

• Threatening behavior
• Obsessed with job
• Loner
• Cant take criticism
• Holds a grudge
• People with Problems -v- Problem People

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The Environment

• Not recognizing/ignoring early warning signs
• Indifference to the needs of the employees
• Poor termination/lay-off procedures
• Poor disciplinary procedures

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The Catalyst

• The loss OR the fear of losing the job
• Unwarranted criticism or discipline
• Harassment
• Unrequited romantic interest

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Warning Signs of Violence

• Verbalizing or Acting Out
• Drug Alcohol Use/Abuse
• Changes in Behavior
• Economic Distress
• Separation or Divorce
• Illness or Death in Family

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Verbalizing or Acting Out

• People Commonly Vocalize Threats
• Treat Them Seriously
• Analyze the Threat
• Rating System
• Property Damage

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Drug Alcohol Use/Abuse

• Eliminates Reason
• Can Deteriorate Mental State
• Association with Violent Behavior
• Can lead to Financial Problems

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Changes in Behavior

• Key is Change
• Anxious / Nervous Behavior
• Temper Outbursts
• Physical Gestures
• REMEMBER Changes can be in either direction

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Economic Distress

• Pending Layoffs
• Changes in Other Wage Earners
• Major Bills

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Separation or Divorce

• Significant Increase in Emotional Distress
• Combative by Nature
• Generates Domestic Violence Potentials
• Sense of Failure or Loss
• Finality

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Illness or Death in Family

• Significant Increase in Emotional Distress
• Can Combine with Other Problems
• Economic
• Marital
• Can Create Sense of Futility or Finality

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Dealing with Angry People DoITS ABOUT TIME
TIME

• Stay calm/Keep them calm
• ASK for cooperation
• Use first names with permission
• Let them vent regardless of whats said to a
  point!
• Use silence to your advantage

TIME
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Choosing the Right Tool for the Job
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Dealing with Angry People - Do

• Paraphrase (So what Im hearing you say)
• Offer alternatives (have you tried this.)
• Up-play or emphasize solutions
• Empathize (Im sorry to hear that...
• Eye contact
• Watch body language (fight or flight)

TIME
TIME
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Dealing with Angry People Dont

• Get angry
• Argue
• Demean
• Down play the problem
• Say, I know how you feel
• Watch your body language

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Dealing with Angry People Dont

• Give up
• Multi-task
• Use profanity regardless of what you hear
• Take sides stay objective
• Raise your voice
• Make it your problem

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Still at the Table???
Wager 1000.00 Same odds of winning For every
5000.00 you win you will lose 1000.00 WHO
STILL WANTS TO PLAY???
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Prevention Strategies

• Three Basic Strategies
• Physical Security
• Management
• Personal

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Physical Security

• Interior and exterior lighting
• Secure entrances and exits
• Security camera system
• Fences and gates
• Security guards
• Metal detectors
• Secure meeting areas

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Management

• Workplace violence prevention plan
• 0 tolerance
• No weapons policy
• Threat assessment team
• Sexual/racial harassment policy
• Smart hiring and firing practices

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Personal

• Attitudes toward security
• Training (recognition, prevention, response and
  recovery)
• Supervisory/Management training
• Consistent policies and discipline
• Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)
• Employee counseling/coaching

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Recovery

• Critical Incident Stress Disorder (CISD)
• OR
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Helpful Websites
• Recover Production and Facilities

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CISD/PTSD Warning Signs

• Physical
• Behavioral
• Emotional
• Cognitive

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CISD/PTSD Warning Signs

• Physical
• Fatigue
• Startles easy
• Chest pains
• Elevated blood pressure
• Behavioral
• Avoidance
• Erratic movement
• Loss of or increase in appetite
• Increase consumption of alcohol or drugs

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CISD/PTSD Warning Signs

• Emotional
• Fear
• Grief
• Panic/Anxiety
• Depression
• Cognitive
• Confusion
• Nightmares
• Unwarranted suspicion
• Shortened attention span

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CISD/PTSD Helpful Websites

• vaonline.org/doc_cism.html
• hhs.state.ne.us/ems/dismstrs.htm
• tdh.state.tx.us/hcqs/ems/epcism.htm
• pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?toolpubm
  edpubmedid11737916
• members.aol.com/susberg5/cisd.html (no www)
• vaonline.org/doc_cism.html
• helpguide.org/mental/post_traumatic_stress_disorde
  r_symptoms_treatment.htm

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Recovery Production and Facilities

• Alternate work sites
• Clean-up
• Remodeling
• Some worker transfer

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Back to The Game
Same odds of winning THE GAME??? RUSSIAN
ROULLETTE Wager Your Life STILL WANT TO PLAY
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Questions????
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Websites

• osha-slc.gov/SLTC/workplaceviolence/
• cdc.gov/niosh/violrisk.html
• cdc.gov/niosh/violdev.html
• irmi.com/expert/articles/Madero002.asp
• osha-slc.gov/workplace_violence/wrkplaceViolence.P
  artII.html

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Resources

• Workplace Violence, Issues in Responses
  Edited by Eugene A. Rugala, Supervisory Special
  Agent, FBI
• Workplace Violence, A Report to the Nation
  Injury Prevention Research Center, University of
  Iowa
• IRMI.com, Expert Commentary irmi.com/expert/arti
  cles/Madero002.asp
• noworkviolence.com/articles/articles.htm
• Elements of a Workplace Violence Prevention
  Program, OSHA website