Workplace Violence is a topic that plagues America. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there was a total of 5,657 work fatalities reported in 2007. Of this number, Workplace Violence accounted for 15 percent of all fatal work injuries occurring in 2007, at 864 fatalities. The report further states that of the 449 fatal injuries to female workers, 27 percent were due to violence at 122 fatalities. Consequently, of the 5,228 fatalities to male workers, 14 percent were due to violence, at 742 fatalities.

Workplace violence is not always about work-related issues. Most people assume that disgruntled workers are usually the culprit. However, that is not necessarily the case. As reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in two-thirds of workplace homicides, the attacker has no known personal relationship with the victims. Furthermore, most assailants who are employees commit workplace violence due to something else going on in their lives. Some of the more typical reasons for workplace violence are mental illness, drug abuse, divorce, or perceived personal failure.

Close to half of all workplace violence happens in a public environment. It is virtually impossible to work on solving the issue of violence in the workplace when most companies do not see it as a problem. The estimated cost of a workplace homicide to the employer is a whopping $800,000.00. It is safe to say that it would be less expensive to take action against workplace violence. Moreover, did you know that 27% of businesses have experienced at least one violent workplace incident within the last five years?

What are Some of the Indicators and Risk Factors for Workplace Violence?

There are several signs and risk factors for workplace violence. Researchers have configured and identified a list of factors that may increase the possibility of violence in the workplace. However, the good news is if employers pay attention to the warning signs and risk factors, they can address the problem issues beforehand.

Risk Factors for Workplace Violence from an Outside Assailant

1. Working alone or in an isolated area
2. Where alcohol is served
3. Working late at night
4. Working in high crime rate areas
5. An environment where money is exchanged with the public

Indicators for Workplace Violence as a Whole

1. Verbal threats to other employees
2. Displaying paranoia
3. A fascination with violence
4. Bizarre behaviors
5. Being unreasonable
6. Irresponsible actions
7. A vindictive nature
8. Chronic depression
9. Substance / Alcohol Abuse
10. Changes in performance

Five Surprising Acts of Workplace Violence

The threat of violence in the workplace is real. Moreover, these statistics validate the reality that violence in the workplace is often a deadly incident that can happen to any business.

For example, an early example of workplace violence took place on June 22, 1972. Edwin Grace, of Brooklyn, New York, opened fire on Key Personnel, Inc, in New Jersey. Sources state that the assailant had previously used the employment services of Key Personnel, but he was unable to secure work.

1. February 12, 2007 

   Sulejman Talovic, 18, of Salt Lake City, a green card holder, opened fire in the Trolley Square Mall in Salt Lake City. It was suggested that the gunman had a religious motive behind the assault, but this has not been proven to date.

2. April 4, 2007 

   Arthur Mann, of Atlanta, fatally shot his ex-girlfriend at the CNN Center in Atlanta. Several parts of the building were evacuated in the aftermath. Sources state that the assault was due to domestic issues.

3. April 20, 2017

   William Philips, 60, an employee of Jacobs Engineering, located in Johnson Space Center in Houston, took two hostages and fatally shot one of them before committing suicide. Sources state that the assailant recently had a negative work review and feared being terminated.

4. December 5, 2007 

   Robert Hawkins, 19, of Omaha, opened fire in a Von Maur department store in Westroads Mall in Omaha. Reports state the assailant had had mental illness and had been in and out of mental hospitals during recent years.

5. December 9, 2007

   Matthew Murray, 24, of Colorado, opened fire at Youth with a Mission training center in Arvada, Colorado and at New Life Church, nearly 80 miles away in Colorado Springs. Sources state that the assailant had been kicked out of the YWAM training course some years earlier after displaying disturbing behavior. The gunman himself made blog posts about becoming disillusioned with Christianity shortly before the assaults.

Active Shooter Situations in the Workplace

Proper planning and training can reduce injuries related to an active shooter incident. Controlling the impact of an active shooter involves many layers of security. Those layers can consist of an incident response plan, a panic button system, security staff and surveillance cameras.

The first step is to know what to do in those critical moments. The first minute of an active shooter incident is the most important moment of your company’s emergency response. Training and being mentally prepared to take action in a crisis can make a big difference. Furthermore, just knowing where all of the building exits and locking doors are located can help boost a person’s survival.

Moreover, there is no foolproof way to avert an active shooter incident. However, with the speed and accuracy of information given in the initiated alert can contribute to impact a positive result. Additionally, there is new technology available that enables mass notification to those who need to know about the crisis to increase the probability of a successful emergency response.

In conclusion, I encourage you and your staff to become familiar with the violence prevention and incident response plans for your facility. An essential part of violence prevention is to utilize those policy resources when you feel it is necessary. Report unusual or suspicious behavior to administrators immediately. Moreover, trust that “uh-oh” feeling when things just don’t seem legit. Practice incident response plans at least quarterly so that the training remains fresh. If employees have clear policies and procedures to follow during a crisis, they can protect themselves more efficiently. Hundreds people’s lives are lost every year to violence in the workplace. Arm your employees with the tools and knowledge they need to make an appropriate decision.

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