Occupational Safety and Health 6th Edition Lecture Notes By: Dr. David Goetsch

Violence in the Workplace Chapter Thirteen Violence in the Workplace

Dealing with Workplace Violence Preventing workplace violence is a natural extension of the responsibilities of safety and health professionals. Like the traditional responsibilities of such professionals, dealing with workplace violence involves such activities as: Hazard analysis Records analysis Tracking Trend monitoring Incident analysis

Key Concepts Relating to Workplace Violence Key concepts relating to workplace violence include the following: Occupational violent crime (OVC) Employee Outsider Employee-related outsider Customer These terms have definitions relating specifically to workplace violence.

Statistics of Workplace Violence Approximately one million people are victims of workplace violence every year. These incidents result in more than 1.75 million lost day of work annually. Almost 40 percent of all violent acts in the workplace are committed by males. The majority of violent incidents reported each year (75%) are fistfights.

Employee Rights When dealing with violent incidents on the job, it is important to remember that even the perpetrator has rights. Employee rights are protected by: Employment contracts Collective bargaining agreements Various local, state, and federal civil rights statutes To the extent possible, when dealing with a violent employee, follow the procedures stipulated in contracts, agreements, and statutes.

Perpetrator’s Rights Although it is important that employers consider perpetrators’ rights when dealing with workplace violence, it is equally important that they act prudently to prevent harm to other employees and customers.

Liability in Workplace Violence The exclusivity provision of workers’ compensation laws provide employers with some protection from liability in cases of workplace violence, provided that the incident is work-related. When this is the case, workers’ compensation is the injured employee’s exclusive remedy.

NIOSH Guidelines for Workplace Violence A violent act can be considered an on-the-job incident, even if it is committed away from the workplace. Specific guidelines have been established by NIOSH for determining whether a violent act can be classified as an on-the-job incident.

Crime Reduction through Environmental Design (CRTED) The concept of crime reduction through environmental design (CRTED) has the following elements: Natural surveillance Control of access Establishment of territoriality Activity support Administrative controls

OSHA Voluntary Advisory Guidelines OSHA has produced voluntary advisory guidelines relating to workplace violence. Although the guidelines are aimed specifically at the night retail industry, they provide an excellent framework that can be used in other industries including: Manufacturing Transportation Processing

Elements of OSHA Guideline Framework The framework for voluntary advisory guidelines relating to workplace violence produced by OSHA include the following elements: Management commitment and employee involvement Workplace analysis and hazard prevention control Safety and health training Record-keeping and evaluation