Homicide is the fourth leading cause of fatal occupational injury in the United States

Posted by Jim Stroud

October 8, 2007

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, homicide is the fourth leading cause of fatal occupational injury in the United States. Defined as any act or threat of aggression from physical assault, physical gestures, and homicide, to verbal abuse and harassment occurring on the property or in the environment where an employee works, workplace violence is more of a concern to businesses and security professionals than terrorism.

The first step to mitigating the threat of workplace violence is to develop a violence prevention program. “This should include a violence policy statement, which is your organizations’ definition of violence as it relates specifically to your facility, people and its risks,” says Steve Jones, executive vice president and chief operating officer, Universal Protection Service.

A comprehensive program also includes the procedures for educating and training employees, the measures required for investigating and evaluating a threat or attack and the resources, such as assistance programs, needed for employees and their families.

“Knowing and recognizing the warning signs of workplace violence can significantly reduce the opportunity for an attack or threat to occur,” says Jones. Warning signs to watch for include:

* A history of violent behavior.
* An obsession with weapons.
* Making direct or veiled threats of harm.
* Intimidating others and/or instilling fear in peers and supervisors.
* An obsessive involvement with a job
* no outside interests.
* Being a loner.
* Being paranoid.
* Holding a grudge or not taking criticism well.
* Expressing extreme depression and/or anger.
* Changing events in the workplace that generate additional levels of stress.

SOURCE: Work Place Violence, the Top Threat for Employee’s Nationwide