Understanding Workplace Violence

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Understanding Workplace Violence

• Presented by the
• Delaware State Police

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Introduction

• This program is designed to educate, and
  enlighten, employers and employees.
  
• Define Workplace Violence
• To understand the magnitude or seriousness of
  workplace violence consider the following

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• Workplace violence is the fastest growing form of
  murder in the U.S.
  
• More than 1,600 people are murdered at work each
  year (OSHA)
  
• More than 2,000,000 people are assaulted on the
  job each year and more than 6,000,000 are
  threatened
  
• 4.3 billion dollars lost by business each year
  (National Safe Workplace Institute)
  
• Federal, State, and other Governmental worker
  make up approx. 18 of total U.S. workforce. They
  account for 30 of the workplace victims.

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Definition

• Violence that arises out of disputes or adverse
  interpersonal relations involving employers and
  employees in and around their place of
  employment
• According to OSHA there are three categories of
  workplace violence
  
• Type 1- Stranger Violence
• Type 2- Client Violence
• Type 3- Employee Violence

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Victims

• 10.25 of men killed at work die due to murder,
  while the figure for women is 40.34
  
• The ages of the victims averaged between 25 to 44
  
  
• The death rates among African American workers
  and other ethnic groups were more than twice the
  rate for white workers

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The Causes

• Economic Causes
• Societal Causes
• Physiological Causes

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Those who commit violent acts often...

• has a history of violence,
• fascinated with weapons,
• male, over the age of 35,
• has difficulty accepting authority,
• has a substance abuse problem,
• holds a grudge
• is a loner

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Prevention

• Careful hiring practices
• Close employee supervision.
• Note behavior changes
• Report and document all threats
• Recognize the stressful life situations
• Know the warning signs
• Personal Conduct to de-escalate confrontation

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At Risk Work Environment

• Chronic labor / management issues
• Frequent grievances filed
• Large number of injury claims
• Under staffing / excessive demands for overtime
• Authoritarian management approach

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Investigation is a must

• Supervisor or other company authority
• Law enforcement agencies
• other governmental resources

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Ramifications

• loss of human life
• emotional trauma
• loss of employees
• financial costs may close the business
• Valuable work hour lost repairing
• Workmans compensation, legal expenses and
  lawsuits

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