The role of occupational health in preventing workplace violence
The role of occupational health in preventing workplace violence
'It can happen at any time or in any workplace.'
A Connecticut beer distributor employee shot and killed eight of his coworkers before taking his own life after a disciplinary hearing. An ex-employee of a Georgia truck rental business killed two employees and injured three others. A 25-year employee at a Missouri plant shot and killed three and wounded five before shooting himself.
Consider the fact that these incidents all occurred in the first eight months of 2010. Would you have detected the threat that any of these people posed, during a routine medical exam or health screening? Or would an employee have reported his or her own suspicions to you so something could be done?
These are two questions that all occupational health professionals should be asking themselves, says Kathy Dayvault, RN, MPH, COHN-S/CM, an occupational health nurse at PureSafety in Franklin, TN. "It is important to understand that you are pivotal in protecting workers from violence in the workplace," she adds.
About 2 million U.S. workers each year are victims of some type of workplace assault, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. In 2008, 63 work-related homicides committed by co-workers or former co-workers occurred, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
"It is especially important to educate the organization about how unpredictable workplace violence is," says Dayvault. "It can happen at any time or in any workplace."
Play key planning role
Dayvault says that occupational health is a "key stakeholder" in the development of a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan.
"Unfortunately, in my experience most organizations are lacking in this area," says Richard D. Sem, CSC, CPP, president and security consultant at Sem Security Management in Trevor, WI. "Occupational health nurses and physicians should encourage employers to include them in their workplace violence planning, and to keep them in mind as very useful objective resources to mitigate escalating situations." Consider these items:
Include all necessary components in your planning.
Sem says that a proper workplace violence program should be made up of three components: Prevention, mitigation or threat management, and worst-case response.
He says these questions are particularly important to answer: Does the company have security officers or not? Are panic buttons or some other means of emergency notification provided? What means of reporting does the organization encourage?
Advocate for the implementation of a workplace violence prevention plan before an act of violence.
"The financial costs associated with an act of violence occurring in the workplace could include workers' compensation, disability, litigation, and of course, down time which would impact productivity," notes Dayvault.
Do your part to create a work environment that does not accept or tolerate violence.
Your workplace violence prevention plan should have definite policies about dealing with employees who appear to pose a threat to others. "This is integral in controlling the potential for violent behaviors and actions," says Dayvault. "Educate workers about policies, procedures and programs available to them."
Know your employees
"Certain individuals are more prone to violence," says Dayvault. "You need the ability to identify certain behaviors which are associated with these individuals."
Violent behaviors are associated with certain types of psychiatric/mental illness diagnoses, says Dayvault. "Individuals with bipolar or manic disorders, individuals who suffer from delusions or psychosis, chemical abuse or dependency, or any type of dementia are among those conditions," says Dayvault.
Some general characteristics that are crude predictors of violence include being younger than 40, living alone in an urban area, being a substance abuser or homeless, and having little or no social contact, she says.
One good approach is to get to know as many employees as possible. "It is much easier to detect subtle changes in behavior when you have knowledge of the baseline behavior," says Dayvault. "Have an understanding of work processes and job functions in your specific workplaces which are associated with a high stress level."
Dayvault recommends these practices:
Ensure that Human Resources or other hiring managers are educated on the impact of workplace violence.
Dayvault says poor or negligent hiring practices are one reason for the recent increase in workplace violence. "Hiring workers with the knowledge of certain attributes or character traits can create an undue risk of harm to others," she says. "Individuals with a history of violence, domestic or otherwise, are a red flag. These individuals are likely to commit violence again."
Accept security as part of your responsibilities.
"Your alertness, involvement and awareness can often head off potentially hazardous situations early," Sem says.
Instruct managers and supervisors to inform you of concerns.
For early intervention to occur, you must educate management about the behaviors associated with workplace violence.
"This is necessary to recognize when workplace incidents are reaching the pre-assault phase," says Dayvault.
Appropriate actions to take include investigation, documentation and informing Human Resources. "Employees should not wait until they are at the breaking point, and behavior should not be allowed to get to that point in the workplace," says Dayvault.
Sources
For more information on prevention of workplace violence, contact:
Kathy Dayvault, RN, MPH, COHN-S/CM, Occupational Health Nurse, PureSafety, Franklin, TN. Phone: (615) 312-1242. Fax: (615) 367-3887. E-mail: [email protected]
Richard D. Sem, CSC, CPP, President and Security Consultant, Sem Security Management, Trevor, WI. Phone: (262) 862-6786. Fax: (847) 589-8566. E-mail: [email protected]. Web: www.SemSecurity.com.
A Connecticut beer distributor employee shot and killed eight of his coworkers before taking his own life after a disciplinary hearing. An ex-employee of a Georgia truck rental business killed two employees and injured three others. A 25-year employee at a Missouri plant shot and killed three and wounded five before shooting himself.Subscribe Now for Access
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