Workplace Violence

[andrea843]

I sensed a decidely "it won't happen here" aura when I last posted about workplace violence.  So let me share some disturbing figures with you...



Each week in the United States, an average of 20 workers are murdered and 18,000 are assaulted while at work. that's not a typo, that's Eighteen THOUSAND.



The primary identifying factor in determining whether workplace violence MIGHT possibly affect you? Dealing with the public.



Consider workplace violence with the same inportance as you would a policy on sexual harassement. it COULD save your life some day



*Figures obtained from the CDC/NIOSH Study on violence in the workplace

[yankeestarbuck]

How many of those 18,000 are convenience store workers who are involved in holdups?  How many of those people are hurt by coworkers and not by outside public?  What's the percentage of "office workers" in that 18,000?  That number sounds like a "shock value" statistic to me. I'd like a little more info than just 18,000 every week.  

[craftygirl]

Thanks yankee I was thinking the same thing.



Would be interesting to see it by line of work if nothing else.  I don't mean to sound apathetic but I think I have a pretty good handle on things (used to work at a cable company and we had our reception window shot out, so I know it does happen) and so far there's no one here at my office who appears to have this sort of potential.  It does make a difference that we are a new company and just building our team.  But I honestly don't understand why this topic has been given so much attention here--maybe I just don't get it.



~shannon

[jahdra]

Those numbers do seem awfully high. I'm sure those statistics include police officers, paramedics and others who deal with the public, the unstable public at that.



Assaulted? Spitting on someone constitutes an assault. I want more specifics on the statistics.



As for the murders at work, are these co-workers murdering their co-workers? Sometimes domestic violence comes into the work place as well. I've seen that happen before, just at the stalking level, frightening, but not related to "work" per se.



I'm not saying it doesn't happen or that it couldn't happen here, but I want numbers on things that happen internally, not when the public or people's personal lives follow them to work.



I could easily see someone snapping under the work load they have here, but they usually just get another job when the stress level gets too high. Maybe that will change as the economy slows down, but it might also be a product of the fact that they blow off steam quite regularly in healthy ways AND because the people here work so closely together, it would be pretty easy to notice if someone was going off the deep end. Although they occasionally go off the deep end together as a group...but that's a different story.

[yankeestarbuck]

Now Chicago!  What the hell is wrong with the human race that we all have to shoot each other!  Who do we think we are thinking that it's our place to punish whatever wrongs may occur in our lives!  Call it fate, karma, God, Jesus, Budah or whatever you please, but bad people, in my humble opinion, will eventually get theirs!  It's not our place to punish the bad people and these shooting sprees are really beginning to scare me.



Hysterical in NYC - Yank

[djpcps]

It's another symptom of the society we've created where someone else must be blamed whenever something bad happens to us.  We've become a culture of victims - the "someone has to pay" syndrome!!  There is no personal responsibility, nothing ever just happens for no reason, and no one makes bad choices in their lives - they are all victims who cannot be blamed for lashing out - after all, it's not their fault, or so goes the liberal litany.  



It seems to me that workplace violence, road rage, and a lot of teen-age violence are all symptoms of the same thing - our society has legislated away the majority of our liberties, and passed so many laws that affect every aspect of our lives, not to mention taxing working people to death, that people feel they have lost any control over their own lives so they must blame others.  People are so frustrated today - we are told what we cannot do, what we cannot say, what we can or cannot put in our bodies, who we must hire or rent to, who we cannot fire or evict unless we want a lawsuit, the list just goes on and on.  Only teenagers have any excuse - they are caught in a no-man's land created for them by adults - without the privileges of adulthood OR the protections of childhood (notice how many are being charged and sentenced as adults, before they are even old enough to drive a car) - it's no wonder they're violent.



And this guy in Chicago - they will portray him as a victim - even though he was fired for cause - STEALING!



 

[dedlered]

This was taken from USA Today, this morning...





HOW TO SPOT, DEAL WITH POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WORKER



No single profile fits everyone who has or will commit violence in the workplace.  Experts agree, however, that those likely to become violent exhibit some common traits.



A common profile is someone who:



1.  Has experienced a prolonged period of frustration.

2.  Blames everyone but himself for his problems.

3.  Has experienced some catastrophic loss, such as being fired.

4.  Is a loner.

5.  Has access to weapons.



 

Signs a co-worker should look for:



1.  Direct or veiled threats.

2.  Intimidating or aggressive behavior.

3.  Bringing a weapon to the workplace.

4.  Talking about other violent workplace incidents.

5.  Desperate statements.

6.  Extreme changes in behavior.





What employers can do to minimize risk:



1.  Encourage employeed to report incidents.

2.  Provide training in stress management.

3.  Help workers facing unemployment find other jobs.

4.  Offer employee assistance programs to deal with stress.



*Sources:  Jack Levin, director of Northeastern University's Brudnick Center on Violence and Conflict: U.S. Offie of Personnel Management



 

   

[jahdra]

I found a link from the UK regarding increasing violence towards receptionists and administrative assistants.



work.guardian.co.uk/Worki...18,00.html

 

[craftygirl]

Thanks for the links and the post from USA Today -- I think this helps put a point on it for some of us .



shannon

[winkiebear]

Just a small addition to this thread:



Our company is in the middle of a string of major layoffs.  It began yesterday, and is expected to end by noon today.  I'm ok, my job is safe.  



The issue is this:  on my way in this morning, I saw (and so did several other people) many MANY extra security guards all over the building.  Also, ambulances parked in the rear.  Now, though this does make me feel safe, it scares the he!! out of me.  



Another issue:  one of the people who was laid off last night was able to get back into the building this morning to clean out his cubicle.  Did NOT have to be escorted through the building, his security badge worked as though nothing had changed.



I know that this man is simply here to clean out his cube, and will not do anything malicious, but the fact remains that a lapse happened.  We've contacted his boss and she knows what's going on, so the security issue is covered.



Anyway, I have to run to a meeting.



Happy Thursday to all,

winkiebear

[craftygirl]

Ya know Winkie I was just thinking the same thing.  We all just got laid off (well sort of, it's a long and involved explanation) and when I saw this thread active again I thought "well I responded before the big announcement"



Did you report the guy with the security badge?  They should have taken that back from him yesterday.



Shannon

[yankeestarbuck]

In with our paychecks, our company sends out pamphlets about workplace issues and we are expected to read them.  We have to sign a form and everything.  These, though, I appreciate.  Today's: Workplace violence.

[winkiebear]

Shannon, we didn't report the guy to security, but only to his boss.  It was handled.