Workplace Violence

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Workplace Violence

• Margret Meade
• Compliance Assistance Specialist
• Iowa OSHA
• 515.281.0896 meade.margret_at_dol.gov

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What is Workplace Violence?

• Workplace violence is any physical assault,
  threatening behavior or verbal abuse occurring in
  the work setting. The work setting includes
  buildings and the surrounding perimeters and
  traveling to and from work assignments.

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Workplace Violence Includes

• Beatings
• Stabbings
• Suicides
• Shootings
• Rapes
• Near Suicides
• Psychological traumas

• Threats or obscene phone calls
• Intimidation
• Harassment of any nature
• Being followed, sworn at or shouted at

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Whats the Problem?

• Violence is one of the leading causes of
  workplace fatalities.
• The most common type of workplace fatality is a
  shooting during the robbery of a retail, service
  or transportation worker.
• Assaults and threats of violence number almost 2
  million per year.

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Workplace Violence Hurts

• Simple assaults 1.5 million
• Aggravated assaults 369,000
• Rapes/sexual assaults 51,000
• Robberies 84,000
• Homicides nearly 1,000
• Costs 500,000 employees 1,175,100 lost work days
  each year

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Types of Workplace Violence

• Violence by strangers
• Violence by co-workers
• Violence by customers or clients
• Violence by personal relations

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Risk Factors

• Contact with the public
• Exchange of money
• Delivery of passengers, goods or services
• Having a mobile workplace
• Working alone or in small numbers
• Working in a high crime area

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Risk Factors

• Working late at night or in the early morning
  hours
• Poor lighting
• Guarding valuables
• Workplaces with no means of obtaining assistance
• Lack of training in recognizing managing hostile
  and aggressive behavior

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Workplace Safety -- OSHA

• The OSH Act of 1970 mandates that, in addition to
  compliance with hazard-specific standards, all
  employers have a general duty to provide their
  employees with a workplace free from recognized
  hazards likely to cause death or serious physical
  harm. This includes the prevention and control
  of the hazard of workplace violence.

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What Can Employers Do?

• Create a zero tolerance policy for workplace
  violence
• Encourage employees to promptly report incidents
• Take incidents seriously
• Work with others to improve security
• Conduct training employee briefings
• Outline a security plan

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What Can Employees Do?

• Understand and comply with the zero tolerance
  rule other safety rules
• Promptly accurately report violent incidents
• Help evaluate prevention measures provide
  feedback recommendations
• Help train other employees
• Share experiences solutions

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What About the Workplace?

• Install alarm systems other security devices
• Designate safe rooms or safe places to be used in
  the case of an emergency
• Provide good visibility and lighting
• Lock delivery doors
• Establish a buddy system
• Keep a minimal amount of cash onsite

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What Should Training Cover?

• Zero-Tolerance policy procedure
• Hazard identification risks
• Security measures Emergency Action Plan
• Reporting policy procedure
• Post incident response
• Include all employees

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Dont hide from the problem get help!