labor lawAdivision of labor law center

There were a number of incidents of violence in the workplace in February 2008.These include a shooting at a Lane Bryant store near a mall in Tinley Park, Illinois, and the brutal slaying of a therapist in New York.

Despite such high-profile incidents, the U.S. government reports that workplace violence is decreasing. Still, every employer should have a plan in place to prevent workplace violence.

In 2006, there were 94 workplace murders in the U.S., according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

That may be down from the rate of more than 200 annually during the early 1990s, but it is still a significant risk nationally and in Georgia. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) says that there are ways to deal with the danger.

The best protection, according to OSHA, is for employers to institute a zero-tolerance policy against violence by or against employees. A workplace violence prevention plan should be developed. It may be worked into the regular safety program. Employees should know and understand the policy on violence. Employee manuals and handbooks should have information about violence prevention and response.

Streaming videos and downloads about preventing workplace violence are available through the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

OSHA has developed a series of suggested steps for preventing violence at work. Outside sales people and others who work out of the office should, for their own protection, file daily work plans and keep their employers up to date about their location. Escorts should be provided for employees who are uncomfortable about leaving the firm’s building at night.

It is also recommended that staff have cell phones and hand-held alarms. Electronic keys, guards, and I.D. badges all help restrict access. Alarm systems, video surveillance cameras, and additional lighting are useful. So is a drop safe to cut back on the amount of money on hand.

More than 2 million people annually suffer workplace violence in the U.S. Professionals and blue-collar workers alike are in danger.

Healthcare workers, social services employees, nurses, psychiatric evaluators, and probation officers face risks. So do Taxi drivers, gas and water utility workers, retail workers, mail carriers, and phone and cable TV installers. Nurses face on-the-job assaults as frequently as police officers. People generally at risk are employees working in high crime areas, those who work alone in small groups on late night or early morning shifts, workers who exchange money with the public and those who deliver passengers, goods, and services.

OSHA Georgia Worker Safety

No employer can guarantee the safety of every employee on the job. When it comes to workplace violence, however, there are steps that can be taken that will reduce the danger to workers.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has developed steps that can protect employees from violence in the workplace. OSHA’s General Duty Clause says employers must insure a healthful and safe workplace, and that includes moves to prevent, reduce, or limit the effects of violence. Penalties can result from failure to take preventive steps.

Workplace violence response and prevention procedures should be practiced the way fire drills are practiced. Employees should report violence threats, even seemingly non-serious ones, quickly. Every violent incident should be investigated, regardless of how small it may appear to be. The worker who punches a coworker in the arm one day could be the person who brings a gun to work the next. Employers should keep detailed and accurate records of incidents and threats and take corrective measures.

OSHA has developed a number of guidelines, behaviors that employees can develop that will protect themselves from workplace violence.

Workers should attend safety-training programs to learn how to spot, avoid, or defuse possibly violent situations. They should tell their supervisors or managers about any safety and security concerns they may have.

Employees should report all incidents in writing. Warning signs are rage, threats, minor assaults, verbal abuse, and even destroying property.

Employers should warn workers against traveling by themselves into unfamiliar sites and situations. Employees should not be scheduled to come into a strange city at 2 a.m., for example. Workers whose jobs take them into the community should avoid flashing jewelry or showing off expensive merchandise.

If violent incidents occur, employers should offer counseling or stress debriefing to all workers. They should provide first aid and other medical attention immediately. The incident should be reported to the police without delay. All victims should be told of their right to take legal action against the perpetrators of the violence. Finally, staff should be encouraged to develop and share ideas about prevention.

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