SHARP Economic Burden of Workplace Assaults in Washington State Barbara Silverstein & Mike Foley Darrin Adams, Randy Clark, Sarah Davison Safety & Health Assessment & Research for Prevention (SHARP) Program WA State Dept of Labor & Industries

SHARP National Statistics CFOI : average 6004 reported work related fatal injuries in US `13.5% homicides (n=809) WA (7.0%) BLS: 19,582 nonfatal assaults Rate of 2.3 per 10,000 National Crime Victimization Survey (DOJ): 1.7 million assaults at work Rate of 126 per 10,000

SHARP Washington State Workers Compensation Assault Type a Struck/beaten by fellow worker/patient 1,155 Struck/beaten during crime 344 Bitten 200 Kicked 112 Struck nec 143 Shot by another person6 Stabbed 0 Average # State Fund data

SHARP Washington State Workers Compensation Assault Claims & Costs SFSI Average # claims2,080 Average # compensable claims Rate per 10, Compensable rate/10, Average cost medical only $4,906 Average cost compensable $20,469 % Female 58.2% 55.4% Average age BLS Rates: Private sector US 2.3, WA 2.2 State Govt:30.4

SHARP WA State Fund Assaults per 10,000 FTEs Top 7 NAICS (> 50% of all assaults in SIC 80, 83)

SHARP Washington State Fund Accepted Assault Claims: WC Direct Cost by Industry Sector,2002 IndustryNTotal AverageMedian Agriculture 31 $170,186 $5,490$325 Construction 25 $426,721$17,069$797 Light Manufacture 13 $16,103 $1,239 $245 Heavy Manufacture 6 $2,652 $442$217 Transport/Comm 20 $305,095$15,255$352 Wholesale/Retail179 $604,563 $3,377$435 FIRE 32 $35,415 $1,107$497 Business Services194 $410,405 $2,115$295 Professional Srvs 998$4,773,659 $4,783$317 Public Admin263$1,878,795 $7,143$423

SHARP Washington State Fund Assault Claims by Type(%), 2003 (excludes health care & social services) TYPE IIIIIIIV All Agriculture(5) Construction(10) Light Mfg (7) Heavy Mfg (11) Transport (17) Retail/Whole (114) FIRE (28) Srvc s prof/gov(139) Avg TL:24 days Avg $6,277 Med age 35

SHARP Washington State Fund Assault Claims by Type(%)b, 2003 (excludes health care & social services) TYPE IIIIIIIV Female% Male% Mean Incurred $$6,968$5,278$10,216*$53474 Mean Lost days *294** (*=1 case) No sig diff between types on lost days No sig diff between types on cost Construction:$14,171 and 47.6 lost days on average

SHARP

A better estimate of burden 1. Compare WA BLS estimate of rates and counts of assaults resulting in at least one lost workday to WC 2.Case cost data from WA State Fund (excludes cost data for 400 largest employers) 3.Quarterly earnings profiles from Employment Security Dept data linked to WC cases, excluding those with other injuries N=2434 in study

SHARP Advise/Require: Type 1 Training workers (de-escalation techniques) Post signs re minimal cash in register Clear unobstructed view of cash register Drop safe, limited access Outside lighting Address employee isolation factors Provide security personnel Communication method to alert police/security Increase police patrol Post laws re assault, stalking or other violent acts 5 or more admin controls associated with significant lower risk of fatal assaults, Loomis et al, 2002

SHARP Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) a, Crowe Direct relationship between design, use & management of environment to human behavior Environment: people and their physical and social surroundings Design: of physical space for bona fide users of space (physical, social, psych needs), expected use and predicted behaviors of bona fide users & offenders Uses natural access controls (spatial definition), natural surveillance, territorial reinforcement

SHARP CPTED Strategy Examples b, Crowe Clear border definition of controlled space Clearly marked transition zones public-semi-private Locate gathering areas to locations with natural surveillance & access control Place safe activities in unsafe locations to bring along natural surveillance & increase perception of safety Place unsafe activities in safe spots Overcome distance & isolation via improved communication & design efficiencies Lighting & windows Two-way vs. one-way streets Fortress effects destroy surrounding land use->no man’s land”

SHARP What works? What do we actually know or need to know? What role do companies have to play in and outside the regulatory framework? How effective are OSHA guidelines? How likely are they to be followed? What are the barriers to implementing violence prevention programs? What role does legislative action play in protecting workers from workplace violence? Why don’t other states follow Washington, California and Florida?

SHARP Washington State Assault Related Fatalities by Type, Washington FACE