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Workplace Violence: A Growing Concern

Workplace violence has become one of thecommunity-based  settings
biggest concerns for managers, corporate
executives and Human Resource Departments inDepending on the area, taxi drivers had, by
the past several years. In fact, the shearfar, the highest incident rates. But, again,
number of incidents of workplace violence isthis is not to be seen as a national or
staggering.international thing, but something that is
dependent on the region where the assaults
A report issued by the Occupational Safetyoccur. The number one occupational group
and Health Administration (OSHA) after ansuffering the greatest number of assaults is
extensive study, showed that "homicide is thenot police and security officers as is often
second leading cause of fatal occupationalbelieved. No, the occupation shown to be most
injury in the United States. The reportat risk are retail sales people, including
stated that almost 1,000 workers arebut not limited to, convenience store
murdered, and 1.5 million - about 1-in-4 -personnel. This group is followed closely by
employees are assaulted in the workplace eachthose in the service industries like
year. According to the BLS Census of Fataladministrative personnel, teachers, and
Occupational Injuries (CFOI), in 1998 alone,medical professionals. In fact, a report on
there were 709 workplace homicides whichincidents in one of the "calmest" countries -
accounted for 12% of the over six thousandSweden - shows medical professionals to be
fatal work injuries in the United States thatthe highest occupation victimized by assault
year."and other workplace violence. And, contrary
to popular belief as reported by the media,
A  Global  Concernthe greatest threat comes, not from within a
company's  ranks  but  from  outside.
This issue is not limited to the United
States, as some might assume. It seems thatThe most difficult part of getting to the
every country is showing a marked increase intruth of the matter, as with all statistical
the number, frequency, and severity ofdata, is the fact that the numbers are
workplace  violence  incidents  every  year.probably far lower than what is actually
occurring. Just as Human Resource managers
Duncan Chappell and Vittorio Di Martino, inand the companies that they represent are
their work entitled: "Violence in theconcerned about legal action in regards to
Workplace," say that a 1996 European Uniongiving reference information about past
Survey showed that during the prior year,employees, most are also fearful of their
four percent of workers (about 6 million)public image should word spread about
were subjected to physical violence while atassaults  against  their  employees.
work or on duty. They also say that,
"workplace violence - be it physical orPrevention and Countermeasures The growing
psychological - has gone global, crossingtrend for dealing with the problem of
borders, work settings, and occupationalworkplace violence is in teaching employees,
groups.supervisors, and executive management how to
spot trouble signs before they occur. This is
Who  is  at  Risk?an excellent place to start to build a sound
program. As with anything involving danger,
Statistics show that, although no singlethe more information and awareness that can
occupation is immune from violence, violencebe developed, the more effective we can be in
in the workplace can definitely be seen to bepreventing  the  danger  from ever occurring.
clustered in certain occupations. Occupations
having many, if not all, of the followingHowever, no program can be considered
characteristics also show the highest rate ofcomplete without including employee training
incidents:for effectively handling, escaping, and
surviving actual physical assaults. The fact
* Contact with the public * Exchange ofis, that no amount of understanding and
money * Delivery of passengers, goods, orpreventative measures will stop certain
services * Having a mobile workplace suchassailants from attacking. At that point, all
as a taxicab or police cruiser * Workingthat remains is for effective action that
with unstable or volatile persons in healthwill ensure the physical safety and survival
care, social service, or criminal justiceof  the  intended  victims.
settings * Working alone or in small
numbers * Working late at night or duringRemember: Workplace violence is real. It can
early morning hours * Working inhappen to any employee, in any company, at
high-crime areas * Guarding valuableany time. And, it can happen to you or
property or possessions * Working insomeone you care about.



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