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The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is concerned with the dancers of workplace violence and the threat of violence against employees. Homicide remains a major cause of workplace death in California and nationwide.

More than 2 million people every year face some workplace violence. Professionals and blue-collar workers alike may be victims. In 2006, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 94 people were murdered in the workplace. Although that is down from the more than 200 yearly in the early 1990s, it remains a significant problem.

Violence may range across the spectrum, from verbal abuse, to threats, to assaults, to homicide. Employers should set up zero-tolerance policies against workplace violence, according to OSHA, and employees should be familiar with the policies. Manuals and handbooks should have information on violence prevention. It is best if employers make it clear that all reported incidents will be looked into and corrected.

Workers at risk include those who:

• Work in high crime areas.
• Deliver goods, services, or packages.
• Exchange money with the public.
• Work alone or in small groups on late night or early morning shifts.

Those who work in the community setting or in homes face hazards. Social services providers such as psychiatric evaluators, visiting nurses, other healthcare professionals, and probation officers are at risk. Others are retail workers, taxi drivers, mail carriers, phone and cable TV installers, and gas and water utility workers.

OSHA urges companies to install video surveillance cameras as well as alarms and added lighting. Drop safes should be provided to limit on-hand cash. Access should be controlled through the use of guards, electronic keys, and I.D. badges. It is best if staff is provided with cell phones and hand held alarms.

Employees who must work outside the office building should keep employers informed about their location, for their own safety. It is recommended that escorts be provided for those workers who are uncomfortable leaving the building at night.

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

OSHA California Worker Safety

Violence in the workplace is an ever-present danger. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has come up with a set of measures that can be taken by employers and employees to stem the hazards of violent workplace incidents.

Employers should develop a standard procedure for dealing with workplace violence, and this procedure should be practiced the way a fire drill is practiced. Employees should take safety-training programs to learn how to recognize, ease, or avoid violent situations. They should let a supervisor know of any safety or security problems, whether it is suspicious activity by a customer or coworker or just a malfunctioning door.

Employees should also report all incidents in writing, and promptly. There are warning signs of workplace violence like property destruction, minor assaults, threats, verbal abuse, and rage. Employers, for their part, should consider each report and every threat as a serious incident and should investigate them, even if they seem minor. A worker who hits someone in the shoulder one day could be the one who shoots and kills a coworker the next. Employers should also keep detailed and accurate records of incidents, by type. They should take corrective measures wherever possible.

Despite precautions, violent episodes may occur in the workplace. If they do, there are steps that can be taken. Employers should offer counseling or stress debriefings to all workers. They should provide first aid and other medical attention right away. 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, the incident should be discussed with staff. They should be encouraged to develop and share ideas about prevention.

No employer is capable of guaranteeing the safety of every employee. Nevertheless, OSHA’s General Duty Clause obligates employers to provide what is called a “safe and healthful workplace.” Needless to say, that includes measures to prevent or limit workplace violence and its dangers. OSHA levies stringent penalties against employers who fail to do so.

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