You’d like to think it would never happen, but you know that it can. Assaults, stabbings, even shootings can occur at your workplace. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics about 5% of all workplaces experience an incident of violence every year. The FBI says that there is an active shooter incident every three weeks, nearly half of which occur at businesses.
So, should you just pull the covers up over your head and stay safely in bed, because it’s too dangerous to go to work? Of course not. You want to be prepared, but not paranoid.
While there is no federal law establishing a specific duty to prevent workplace violence, OSHA requires every employer to provide a safe working environment, and has published guidelines for employers on workplace violence prevention. Under those guidelines, an employer is on notice of the risk of violence and may be required to implement a workplace violence prevention program if there is a violent incident or if the employer becomes aware of threats, intimidation, or other indications that show that there is the potential for violence in the workplace.
OSHA recommends five key elements of effective workplace violence prevention:
- Management commitment and employee involvement
- Analysis of worksite security
- Hazard prevention and control
- Training for employees and management
- Recordkeeping and workplace violence prevention program evaluation.
What this means to you:
If your organization is committed to providing a safe, violence-free workplace, training for your employees is essential.
Please attend Fair Measures’ free Preventing Workplace Violence Webinar on February 19, 1-2 pm (EST). This course is highly interactive, using videos, polls and case studies to ensure learning and practical application. Among other topics, we cover how to respond to an active shooter, based on advice from the Department of Homeland Security.
