Annually, about 2 million U.S. workers are the victims of workplace violence. As reported by the Bureau of Justice & Statistics, the average number of violent incidences from 1993 to 1999 was 1.7 million per year. Statistics compiled by the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics) show
- In the years 1992 to 2006, homicides resulting from violent incidences in the workplace averaged about 800 per year.
- Homicide is the 4th leading cause of occupational death in America.
- The third leading cause of occupational death in the U.S. between 1980 and 1989 was homicide.
- The leading cause of death in 1992 was homicide.
- In any given week, twenty employees are murdered on the job in the United States.
- Since 1980, homicide has been the number one reason of death for female employees.
- One of every four U.S. workers will experience violence at work .
In the current economic downturn, some people are warning that we may experience an above average number of incidences of workplace violence. Stress due to loss of a job and anxiety about the future can propel someone over the edge into taking violent action.
Recent incidences like the bus mechanic in San Diego who killed two co-workers and the unemployed man in upstate New York who shot and killed 12 people, provide substance to the concern about rising workplace violence. Experts also worry that news coverage of these and similar stories may in itself trigger additional so called “copycat” violence.
It will be months, if not years, before we will know for certain whether there was an increase in the rate of violent incidents. Even so, it is probably a good idea for businesses to take some action today.
NIOSH encourages all businesses to provide occupational violence training to their staff. While OSHA does not have explicit requirements or workplace violence standards, the General Duty Clause of the OSH (Occupational Safety & Health) Act mandates that employers provide a place of work “free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees.”
The law imposes additional legal obligations on businesses. Civil rights laws require employers to protect employees from harassment and threats to well-being, including violence. Under workers compensation law, employers are responsible for job-related injuries to workers. Furthermore, in the aftermath of an incident of workplace violence, companies can be subject to lawsuits on a number of grounds including negligence in hiring, failure to provide supervision, coaching, or other safety measures.
Due to the potentially high cost associated with workplace violence, a occupational violence training program is a sound investment. Therefore, if your company does not have a workplace violence prevention program, you should strongly consider putting one in place. Training materials for workplace workplace violence are readily available and the cost is reasonable.
Of the many elements of a violence training program, NIOSH identifies violence awareness training as the most critical element. Though the details of the program will differ from business to business, for the majority of businesses such a program needn’t be costly.
