Plan Ahead to Prevent Workplace Violence

Some 2 million American workers are victims of workplace violence each year. It can strike anywhere, although some workers and occupations are at increased risk. In recent years, OSHA has advised companies to include steps for dealing with violence in their safety plans.

Many people assume workplace violence usually involves a worker seeking revenge for being disciplined or fired, but many cases involve something in a worker’s personal life spilling over into the workplace. Your company has nothing to do with causing the situation, but you’re right in the middle of the result. Under OSHA’s General Duty Clause, employers who do not take reasonable steps to prevent or abate a recognized violence hazard in the workplace can be cited.

If your company’s emergency action plan doesn’t already address workplace violence, you should begin to develop policies and procedures on the issue. Just as employees and supervisors need to know what to do when a fire breaks out, they should know what to do in a workplace violence situation.

The workplace safety experts at Safety Management Group in Indianapolis recently posted an article that shares sensible steps to prevent workplace violence. It’s well worth a read.