Assault, Fourth Leading Cause of Workplace Deaths
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Every year, millions of American workers report having been victims of workplace violence. In 2020, assaults resulted in 20,050 injuries and 392 fatalities, according to Injury Facts®.
Certain industries, including healthcare, service providers and education, are more prone to violence than others. Taxi drivers, for example, are more than 20 times more likely to be murdered on the job than other workers, according to OSHA.
But make no mistake: Workplace violence can happen anywhere.
Every Organization Needs to Address Workplace Violence
Managers and safety professionals at every workplace should develop a policy on violence that includes:
● Employee training and creating an emergency action plan
● Conducting mock training exercises with local law enforcement
● Adopting a zero-tolerance policy toward workplace violence
Know the Warning Signs
Some people commit violence because of revenge, robbery or ideology – with or without a component of mental illness.
While there is no way to predict an attack, you can be aware of behaviors in coworkers that might signal future violence:
● Excessive use of alcohol or drugs
● Unexplained absenteeism, change in behavior or decline in job performance
● Depression, withdrawal or suicidal comments
● Resistance to changes at work or persistent complaining about unfair treatment
● Violation of company policies
● Emotional responses to criticism, mood swings
● Paranoia
Most every “place” is somebody’s workplace. So whether you are a patron or an employee, it’s important to be alert.
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